The Zhitong Finance App learned that the Hong Kong market continued to grow strongly in the first half of 2026, with active trading in securities, derivatives, and the Shanghai-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect. According to HKEx data, the average daily turnover in June was HK$3191 billion, up 38.6% year on year. The average daily turnover in the first half of the year reached HK$283 billion, up 17.8% year on year; initial public offering capital raised in the first half of the year was HK$21.2 billion, up 92.1% year on year.
The average daily turnover of Hong Kong Stock Connect in the first half of the year was HK$123.1 billion, up 10.9% year on year; the average daily turnover of Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Connect in the first half of the year was RMB 345.3 billion, up 101.6% year on year.
Spot market transactions reached a record high
In the first half of 2026, the average daily turnover of the Hong Kong spot market reached HK$283 billion, an increase of 17.8% over HK$240.2 billion in the same period in 2025, and more than double the average daily turnover for the full year of 2024.
The rise in transactions was mainly driven by technology and artificial intelligence stocks attracting capital inflows, the Shanghai-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect transaction record high, and the continued increase in IPOs. The average daily turnover for the second quarter of 2026 reached HK$289.5 billion (HK$276.7 billion in the first quarter of 2026), a record quarterly high.
Exchange traded products (ETP) volume reached a record high
In the first half of 2026, the average daily ETP turnover reached HK$48.4 billion, up 32% from the full year of 2025. Diversified products such as technology, gold and cross-market ETFs continued to attract investors, driving the popularity of trading.
Products such as eFangda Hong Kong Stock Exchange Technology 100 Index ETF, Hang Seng Gold ETF, and US/Hong Kong cross-market ETF have further enriched investment options. The number of ETP products in Hong Kong increased to 250 at the end of June 2026 (214 in the same period in 2025).
Shanghai-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect trading continues to reach new highs
Mainland China and international investors continued to actively participate in the Hong Kong market through the Shanghai-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect, and the volume of northbound and southbound transactions reached record highs.
The average daily turnover of Shanghai Stock Connect and Shenzhen Stock Connect reached RMB 345.3 billion in the first half of 2026, far higher than RMB 212.4 billion in 2025; the average daily turnover of Hong Kong Stock Connect reached HK$123.1 billion, breaking the record of HK$121.1 billion for the whole year of 2025.
Trading of eligible ETFs on the Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong Stock Connect increased significantly. In the first half of 2026, the average daily turnover of Southbound ETFs reached HK$6.1 billion, while Northbound ETFs reached RMB 4.9 billion, up 61% and 84% respectively from the same period in 2025.
The derivatives market continues to grow after reaching a record high in 2025
In the first half of 2026, as spot market trading became more active and risk management and trading tools were more widely used, the HKEx derivatives market continued to grow. During the period, the average daily turnover of the derivatives market reached 1.81 million contracts (first half of 2025:1.7 million), and the average daily turnover of stock options reached 942,162 contracts.
In June 2026, HKEx launched 17 new weekly stock options products, bringing the total number of products to 33. The market response was ideal after the launch of the new product. Each cycle of rights contracts accounts for about 20% of all stock option products; among them, options products covering popular topics such as consumption, technology, and automobiles are particularly popular in the market.
Trading in the technology sector continues to be active. Hang Seng Tech Index futures reached an average daily turnover of 205,089 contracts in the first half of 2026 (161,444 contracts in the first half of 2025), and recorded 523,692 contracts on May 26, 2026, setting a record high in single-day trading.
The amount of financing in the equity capital market in half a year reached the second highest level in Hong Kong in the same period of the year
The amount of IPOs raised in the first half of 2026 was the second highest in the same period of the year, with 87 newly listed companies raising a total capital of HK$21.2 billion ¹ (44 companies were listed in the first half of 2025, raising a total of HK$109.4 billion).
Companies that went public in Hong Kong in the first half of this year came from all walks of life, covering all aspects of the artificial intelligence value chain; during the period, they also recorded that the first Indonesian listed company had a second listing in Hong Kong, and 20 IPOs were listed in the second half of June alone, injecting momentum into the IPO market.
Post-IPO trading activity was also very active, with post-listing refinancing amounting to HK$296 billion, including all types of equity refinancing and equity-related transactions.