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     The total gross value of construction works (GVCW) performed by main contractors in the fourth quarter of 2024 increased by 9.4% in nominal terms over a year earlier to $77.8 billion, according to the provisional results of the Quarterly Survey of Construction Output released today (March 11) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD).

     After discounting the effect of price changes, the provisional results showed that the total GVCW performed by main contractors increased by 7.2% in real terms over the same period. GVCW in real terms is derived by deflating the corresponding nominal value with an appropriate price index to the price level in the base period of 2000.
 
     Analysed by type of construction works, the GVCW performed at private sector sites totalled $22.4 billion in the fourth quarter of 2024, down by 3.6% in nominal terms over a year earlier. In real terms, it decreased by 5.6%. The GVCW performed at public sector sites increased by 32.7% in nominal terms over a year earlier to $32.5 billion in the fourth quarter of 2024.  In real terms, it increased by 30.9%.
 
     The GVCW performed by main contractors at locations other than construction sites amounted to $22.9 billion in the fourth quarter of 2024, down by 2.1% in nominal terms compared with a year earlier. In real terms, it decreased by 3.6%.  Construction works at locations other than construction sites included minor new construction activities and decoration, repair and maintenance for buildings; and electrical equipment installation and maintenance works at locations other than construction sites.
 
     Analysed by major end-use group, the GVCW performed at construction sites in respect of residential buildings projects amounted to $23.3 billion in the fourth quarter of 2024, up by 13.9% in nominal terms over a year earlier. Over the same period, the GVCW performed at construction sites in respect of transport projects up by 4.1% in nominal terms to $10.5 billion in the fourth quarter of 2024.
 
     On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter basis, the GVCW performed by main contractors decreased by 2.2% in nominal terms and 2.9% in real terms in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared with the third quarter of 2024.
 
     For 2024 as a whole, the provisional results showed that the total GVCW performed by main contractors increased by 7.2% in nominal terms over a year earlier to $290.5 billion. After discounting the effect of price changes, the total GVCW performed by main contractors in 2024 increased by 6.3% in real terms over a year earlier.
 
     Analysed by type of construction works, the GVCW performed at private sector sites totalled $85.9 billion in 2024, up by 0.5% in nominal terms over a year earlier. In real terms, it decreased by 1.5%.  The GVCW performed at public sector sites amounted to $117.3 billion in 2024, up by 26.7% in nominal terms over a year earlier.  In real terms, it increased by 26.2%.
 
     The GVCW performed by main contractors at locations other than construction sites amounted to $87.3 billion in 2024, down by 6.0% in nominal terms over a year earlier. In real terms, it decreased by 6.0%.
 
     Analysed by major end-use group, residential buildings projects accounted for the largest share in the total GVCW performed at construction sites in 2024. The GVCW performed in respect of these projects amounted to $85.0 billion in 2024, up by 21.1% in nominal terms over a year earlier. Transport projects constituted the second largest group of construction site works in 2024.  The GVCW performed in respect of these projects totalled $42.3 billion in 2024, up by 12.7% in nominal terms over a year earlier.
 
     Tables 1 and 2 show the provisional figures on the GVCW performed by main contractors in the fourth quarter and the whole year of 2024 respectively. Table 3 shows the revised figures for the third quarter of 2024.
 
     Owing to the widespread sub-contracting practices in the construction industry, a construction establishment can be a main contractor for one contract and a sub-contractor for another contract at the same time. The GVCW performed by main contractors covers only those projects in which the construction establishment takes the role of a main contractor, but not projects in which it takes only the role of a sub-contractor. However, sub-contractors’ contribution to projects should have been included in the GVCW performed by main contractors for whom they worked.
 
     The classification of construction establishments follows the Hong Kong Standard Industrial Classification Version 2.0, which is used in various economic surveys for classifying economic units into different industry classes.
 
     More detailed statistics are given in the Report on the Quarterly Survey of Construction Output. Users can browse and download this publication at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1090002&scode=330).
 
     For enquiries about the survey results, please contact the Construction and Miscellaneous Services Statistics Section of the C&SD (Tel: 3903 6965; email: building@censtatd.gov.hk). read more

     The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, departed Guangzhou for Dongguan today (March 11) to continue his visit.

     Mr Yau first visited a large-scale Hong Kong enterprise specialising in handbags and leather goods in Dongguan to understand the operation of the enterprise and the latest developments of e-commerce on the Mainland. He also toured the e-commerce live streaming centre there, and was briefed by representatives of the enterprise on the process and marketing strategies of live streaming e-commerce. The live-streaming base of the enterprise is the largest in Dongguan.

     Mr Yau said that with its enormous potential, e-commerce has become a new trend and new drive in promoting trade. Hong Kong businessmen can learn from the profound experience of their Mainland counterparts in developing the Mainland e-commerce market to grasp the unlimited business opportunities brought about by e-commerce, in particular, cross-border e-commerce.

     Mr Yau later had a lunch meeting with Deputy Mayor of the Dongguan Municipal People’s Government Mr Liu Guangbin to learn about the latest trade and economic developments in Dongguan.

     He concluded the visit and will return to Hong Kong this evening.

        

     Pyrofoe Engineers Limited and a proprietor were fined $25,000 and $15,000 respectively at Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts today (March 11) for violation of the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance. The prosecutions were launched by the Labour Department.
      
     The case involved a fatal accident that occurred on November 8, 2022, at a construction site in Tsim Sha Tsui. While a worker was carrying out fire service work on a reinforcement bar structure, part of the structure suddenly collapsed in on him. The worker sustained serious injuries and passed away on the same day. read more

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Tuesday, March 11, 2025 is 106.4 (down 0.1 against yesterday’s index). read more

     In response to the Japanese Government’s plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station, the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene issued a Food Safety Order which prohibits all aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds originating from the 10 metropolis/prefectures, namely Tokyo, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama, from being imported into and supplied in Hong Kong.
 
     For other Japanese aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds that are not prohibited from being imported into Hong Kong, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will conduct comprehensive radiological tests to verify that the radiation levels of these products do not exceed the guideline levels before they are allowed to be supplied in the market.
 
     As the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water is unprecedented and will continue for 30 years or more, the Government will closely monitor and step up the testing arrangements. Should anomalies be detected, the Government does not preclude further tightening the scope of the import ban.
 
     From noon on March 10 to noon today (March 11), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 222 food samples imported from Japan, which were of the “aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt” category. No sample was found to have exceeded the safety limit. Details can be found on the CFS’s thematic website titled “Control Measures on Foods Imported from Japan” (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_fc_01_30_Nuclear_Event_and_Food_Safety.html).

     In parallel, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has also tested 50 samples of local catch for radiological levels. All the samples passed the tests. Details can be found on the AFCD’s website (www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/Radiological_testing/Radiological_Test.html).
 
     The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) has also enhanced the environmental monitoring of the local waters. No anomaly has been detected so far. For details, please refer to the HKO’s website
(www.hko.gov.hk/en/radiation/monitoring/seawater.html).
 
     From August 24, 2023, to noon today, the CFS and the AFCD have conducted tests on the radiological levels of 121 543 samples of food imported from Japan (including 79 790 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 28 078 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests. read more