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Standard Chartered HK SME Leading Business Index Falls to 43.3 in 2Q26, Global Economy Sub-index Slumps; Over Half of SMEs Require AI Skills in Hiring
Hong Kong Productivity Council announced the "Standard Chartered Hong Kong SME Leading Business Index" for 2Q26. The survey showed that the composite business index recorded 43.3 t...
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Standard Chartered HK SME Leading Business Index Falls to 43.3 in 2Q26, Global Economy Sub-index Slumps; Over Half of SMEs Require AI Skills in Hiring
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Hong Kong Productivity Council announced the "Standard Chartered Hong Kong SME Leading Business Index" for 2Q26. The survey showed that the composite business index recorded 43.3 this quarter, down slightly by 0.6 QoQ, reflecting that amid uncertain external economic prospects, overall business confidence among SMEs remained cautiously optimistic, with continued adjustments to business strategies to address challenges.
Among the five major sub-indices, the "Global Economy" sub-index recorded a significant decline this quarter, falling 15.5 QoQ to 20.9, returning to a level close to 3Q25, reflecting a notably more cautious view among SMEs toward the external economic environment. Among them, the "Transportation, Storage and Courier Services" and "Social and Personal Services" sectors recorded the largest declines in the "Global Economy" sub-index, down 24.8 and 22.5 respectively. This was followed by the "Financial and Insurance", "Import and Export Trade and Wholesale", and "Manufacturing" sectors, with the relevant sub-indices each dropping by more than 15 points.
Wu Dong'an, Senior Economist for Greater China and North Asia at Standard Chartered, said the latest quarterly "Standard Chartered SME Index" showed that SME sentiment turned more cautious due to the situation in the Middle East. The sharp 15.5-point drop in the "Global Economy" sub-index was mainly attributable to the surge in oil prices and the expected economic consequences arising from related conflicts.
Nevertheless, SMEs remained relatively optimistic about Hong Kong's economic recovery and the resilience of the Mainland China economy. The "Investment Intentions" sub-index rose 1.4, while the "Hiring Intentions" sub-index stayed above 50, indicating a stable labour market. However, amid persistent global uncertainties and Hong Kong's ongoing economic transformation, surveyed SMEs expected sales and profit margins to remain under pressure. Although the "Business Conditions" and "Profit Performance" sub-indices edged up slightly, they remained below 50. In addition to rising raw material costs, SMEs also anticipated continued pressure from "Staff Salaries" and "Rents", which would further erode profits.
A special survey examined the current recruitment situation and talent requirements of local SMEs. Results showed that, apart from sales, customer service and administrative staff, some SMEs had begun recruiting talent related to information technology, digitalisation and AI support, highlighting the growing importance attached to AI and digital applications.
Regarding talent requirements, more than half of SMEs seeking to fill vacancies due to staff departures indicated that they expected candidates to possess the ability to use AI, reflecting that digital and AI-related skills are gradually becoming key considerations in SME recruitment. In addition, SMEs valued candidates' ability to work independently, work experience, communication skills, work attitude and learning capability.
Among SMEs needing to fill vacancies, more than 60% reported difficulties in recruitment, indicating that manpower shortages persist. To address hiring challenges, SMEs mainly sought to reorganise work allocation and processes, strengthen internal training and talent development, and flexibly utilise outsourcing and flexible employment arrangements. Some SMEs were also considering introducing AI and automation solutions to reduce reliance on manpower and enhance operational efficiency.
Fung Ka Po, Chief Marketing Officer of the Hong Kong Productivity Council, said AI has opened up new opportunities for society and the job market. The HKSAR Government is actively promoting "AI training for all" to enhance public awareness and application of AI. The Productivity Council is fully aligning with government strategy by offering a series of AI training programmes, its self-developed open AI platform, and "AI Governance and Testing Services" to help enterprises efficiently deploy and compliantly apply AI in operations, while alleviating manpower challenges. The Productivity Academy will launch an "AI training for all" programme next month, providing professional courses and certifications to continuously nurture AI talent and comprehensively enhance AI application capabilities for enterprises and the public, supporting long-term business development.
The survey also showed that among SMEs with hiring needs, 77% indicated they would consider recruiting fresh graduates. In addition to valuing young talent's work attitude, communication skills and learning ability, SMEs also expected graduates to possess basic digital skills and the ability to use AI tools to meet increasingly digitalised operational needs. (ec/a)~
This article was automatically translated by AI, the Chinese version should be considered the authoritative version. AASTOCKS.com Limited does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness and accepts no liability for any damages or losses arising from the use of this translation.
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