Hong Kong's gross national income (GNI) rose by 5.2 percent in the second quarter of this year over a year earlier to HK$892.2 billion at current market prices, preliminary statistics released by the Census and Statistics Department showed on Friday.

The gross domestic product (GDP), estimated at HK$785.2 billion at current market prices in the same quarter, saw a 3.7 percent increase year-on-year, the data showed.

The value of GNI was larger than GDP by HK$107.0 billion in the second quarter of 2025, which was equivalent to 13.6 percent of GDP in the quarter, the department said, attributing it mainly to a net inflow of investment income.

After netting out the effect of price changes over the same period, Hong Kong's GNI increased by 3.6 percent in real terms, while the corresponding GDP increased by 3.1 percent in real terms in Q2 over a year earlier, the data showed.

ALSO READ: Hong Kong residents' income rises 7.1% in Q4

GDP and GNI are closely related indicators for measuring economic performance. While GDP is a measure of the total value of production of all resident producing units of an economy, GNI denotes the total income earned by residents of an economy from engaging in various economic activities.

According to the latest data, the city’s total inflow of primary income, which mainly comprises investment income, estimated at HK$624.6 billion and equivalent to 79.5 percent of GDP in the second quarter of 2025, recorded an increase of 4.8 percent over a year earlier.

The total primary income outflow, estimated at HK$517.6 billion during the quarter and equivalent to 65.9 percent of GDP, also rose by 2.3 percent year-on-year.

Direct investment income rose by 3.5 percent over a year earlier, mainly due to the increase in earnings of some prominent local enterprises from their direct investment abroad.

Meanwhile, portfolio investment income recorded a 19.4 percent increase year-on-year, chiefly due to the increase in dividend income received by resident investors from their holdings of non-resident equity securities and the increase in interest income received by resident investors from their holdings of non-resident debt securities.

In terms of investment income outflow, direct investment income increased by 3.1 percent year-on-year, mainly due to the increase in earnings of some prominent multinational enterprises from their direct investment in Hong Kong.

READ MORE: HK residents’ income surges nearly 10% in Q1

Portfolio investment income rose significantly by 19.6 percent, mainly attributable to the increase in dividend payout to non-resident investors from their holdings of resident equity securities and the increase in interest payout to non-resident investors from their holdings of resident debt securities, according to the data.

Analyzed by country and territory, the Chinese mainland continued to be the largest source of Hong Kong's total primary income inflow in the second quarter of this year, accounting for 42.3 percent, followed by the British Virgin Islands, with a share of 12.8 percent.

Regarding total primary income outflow, the mainland and the British Virgin Islands remained the most important destinations in the quarter, accounting for 30.5 percent and 21.8 percent, respectively.