Hong Kong is on Hong Kong Time (UTC+8) all year with no daylight saving.
Time zone
Hong Kong Time (HKT) is UTC+8 all year.
Daylight saving
None. Hong Kong stopped using it in 1979.
Compared with US
13 hours ahead of New York in winter (12 in summer).
Same as
Beijing, Singapore, Perth and Manila.
Hours
Stock exchange trading is 9:30 am to 4:00 pm HKT, with a lunch break.
Time zone
Hong Kong uses Hong Kong Time (HKT), UTC plus 8, all year. It does not observe daylight saving time, which it dropped in 1979.
Compared with major cities
At 12:00 noon in Hong Kong:
- London: 4:00 a.m. in winter, 5:00 a.m. in summer (BST).
- New York: 11:00 p.m. the previous day in winter, 12:00 midnight in summer.
- Los Angeles: 8:00 p.m. the previous day in winter, 9:00 p.m. in summer.
- Tokyo: 1:00 p.m. (one hour ahead).
- Sydney: 3:00 p.m. in January, 2:00 p.m. in July, because of Southern Hemisphere seasons.
Same time as
Beijing, Shanghai, Taipei, Singapore, Manila, Kuala Lumpur and Perth.
Business hours
Hong Kong is a major financial center. The Hong Kong Stock Exchange trades 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon, and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. HKT, with a closing auction. It is among the largest markets in Asia by capitalization.
Population and language
About 7.5 million people live in Hong Kong, a Special Administrative Region of China. Cantonese and English are official languages, alongside written Chinese.
Weather
The typhoon season runs from May to November. Signals No. 8 and above suspend trading and school.
Holidays
Public holidays include Lunar New Year, Ching Ming, Easter, Labour Day, Buddha’s Birthday, Tuen Ng, July 1 (Establishment Day), Mid-Autumn Festival, National Day and Christmas.
Scheduling
For US to Hong Kong calls, book early morning in the US for evenings in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong time zone details
Hong Kong uses Hong Kong Time (HKT), UTC plus 8, with no daylight saving. Daylight saving was used there in summer until 1979. The Hong Kong Observatory is the official source of time and weather in the territory. It also issues typhoon signals (No. 1, 3, 8, 9 and 10) and rainstorm warnings (amber, red, black).
Financial and travel context
The Hong Kong Stock Exchange trades from 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. local time, with an after lunch break. When it is 9:30 a.m. in Hong Kong it is 9:30 p.m. the previous day in New York in winter and 1:30 a.m. in London in winter. Flights to the US cross the date line, so you often arrive on the same calendar day you left. Popular public holidays include Lunar New Year, Ching Ming, Tuen Ng, Mid Autumn Festival and National Day on October 1.
Based on data from the Hong Kong Observatory and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange
