Macau, China, Feb. 11, 2026 (Lusa) - Macau's public expenditure fell 0.9% in January compared to the same period in 2025, despite increased social support, it announced on Tuesday.
According to data published online by the Finance Services Bureau (DSF), the region spent 4.67 billion patacas (€487.5 million) last month.
The main reason for the decline was public administration operating expenses, which shrank by more than half (55%) to less than 63 million patacas (€6.57 million).
On the contrary, spending on public works, the Public Investment and Expenditure Plan (PIDDA), increased by 4.2% in January to 619.7 million patacas (€64.7 million).
This is despite the budget forecasting an 8.6% drop in PIDDA this year, including major projects such as the East Line of the light rail, which will reach the main border with mainland China in northern Macau.
Spending on social support and subsidies also increased by 0.4% from the first month of 2024 to 2.8 billion patacas (€292.2 million).
The budget approved in November includes tax benefits to attract investment fund management companies, special investment funds, and fund investors, helping to develop the financial sector.
In addition, the Government exempted residents from stamp duty on the purchase of their first home, up to six million patacas (€649,000), in a document that provided for a 4.3% increase in social support and subsidies.
In July, the Macau parliament had also approved a government proposal to increase the 2025 budget expenditure by 2.86 billion patacas (€304.3 million) to strengthen social support.
The revision includes the creation of a subsidy, totalling 54,000 patacas (around €5,750), for children up to the age of three, in an attempt to raise the world's lowest birth rate.
Contrary to the decline in expenditure, Macau's current revenue rose 12.5% in January to 9.62 billion patacas (over €1 billion).
The main reason for the increase was a 14.6% rise in gaming tax revenue to 8.24 billion patacas (€859.5 million), which accounts for 85.4% of the total.
The city's six gaming operators pay a direct tax of 35% on gaming revenues, with 2.4% going to the Macau Social Security Fund and urban and tourism development, and 1.6% to the Macau Foundation for cultural, educational, scientific, academic and philanthropic purposes.
Macau's total casino revenues reached 22.6 billion patacas (€2.37 billion) in January, up 24% from the same period in 2024.
The territory ended the first month of the year with a public account surplus of 4.97 billion patacas (€518.5 million), up 29% from January last year.
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