Hong Kong’s jewellery exports were up 19.4 per cent year on year in January 2021, reflecting sustained recovery since November last year, data from the Census and Statistics Department showed.

From November 2020 to January 2021, shipments of jewellery, goldsmiths’ and silversmiths’ wares rose 13.6 per cent. Jewellery imports were also on the upswing, recording a 35.3 per cent increase in January and 16.6 per cent from November to January.

Hong Kong posted its first exports growth in 2020 in November since the onslaught of Covid-19.

Overall exports in January 2021 were up 44 per cent, government data further showed. Hong Kong attributed the substantial increase in exports value during the month in review to a low base of comparison a year ago. “While this suggests that the stronger growth momentum in the latter part of last year has continued in January, the figure is partly distorted by the difference in timing of the Lunar New Year, which fell in mid-February this year and late January last year,” a government spokesman said.

Hong Kong expects mainland China’s economy to grow strongly, while demand from other major markets should recover further depending on the Covid-19 situation.