Hong Kong’s unemployment rate for the October to December 2024 period, stood at 3.1 percent, the Census and Statistics Department announced, unchanged from the September to November 2024 figure. The underemployment rate also remained consistent at 1.1 percent. Labour and Welfare Secretary Chris Sun highlighted that unemployment rates in industries such as manufacturing, finance, social work, and arts and entertainment had improved compared to the previous period.
539
The number of overseas and Mainland companies that set up or expanded their operations in Hong Kong in 2024, bringing a record HK$67.7 billion in investments in 2024. This marks a 10 percent increase in total investment compared to 2023. These companies are expected to create 6,864 job opportunities in the city during their first year of operation. The activity was led by sectors such as innovation and technology, financial services and fintech, family offices, tourism and hospitality, and business and professional services.
44%
The percentage of Hong Kong companies expressing a negative outlook for the coming year, according to a survey by the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce in December 2024. This marks the most pessimistic sentiment among businesses in half a decade. The survey involved 219 businesses across various sectors. Notably, the research began just before Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S. presidential election, a development that has added to global unpredictability.
<10%
Fewer than 1 in 10 organizations in the Asia Pacific region have robust AI governance structures, according to a Deloitte report, AI at a Crossroads: Building Trust as the Path to Scale. The survey of nearly 900 senior leaders across 13 Asia Pacific countries highlighted that mature AI governance frameworks lead to a 28 percent increase in AI adoption among staff and nearly 5 percent higher revenue growth.
145,053
The number of new local companies registered in Hong Kong in 2024, raising the total number of companies registered under the Companies Ordinance to 1.46 million. According to the Companies Registry, this marks an increase of 29,736 local firms compared to 2023, setting a record high. Additionally, 1,079 non- Hong Kong companies registered new places of business within the city during the same period.
2030
The target date the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) is urging banks to achieve net zero emissions in their own operations; and in financed emissions by 2050. As part of the “Banking for Net Zero” initiative, the HKMA is emphasizing the urgency for banks to take decisive and focused measures to reduce financed emissions and gradually eliminate high-emission assets.
“The ongoing ‘Compound AI’ revolution, which involves approaching AI tasks by combining multiple interacting components, will increasingly transform the CFO role into that of an AI-powered chief capital officer. This is an analytics-driven shift that isn’t optional but imperative for enterprise growth.”
– Michael Schrage, a research fellow with the MIT Sloan School of Management’s Initiative on the Digital Economy, told Fortune.
24%
Hong Kong’s crypto adoption rate, according to a CoinDesk report. This places the city in the mid-tier category globally, trailing behind markets like Thailand (43 percent) and India (32 percent). While 50 percent of Hong Kong respondents believe crypto will play a significant role in the future financial ecosystem, trust issues remain a major hurdle. About 33 percent of non-users cite security concerns, including risks of hacking and fraud, as reasons for their reluctance.
