Hong Kong stocks fall as virus worries linger

China Resources Gas

01/04/2020 09:37

* HK->Shanghai Connect daily quota used 1.9%, Shanghai->HK
daily
quota used 6.8%
    * HSI -2.2%, HSCE -2.0%, CSI300 -0.3%
    * FTSE China A50 -0.2%,

    April 1 (Reuters) - Hong Kong stocks dropped on Wednesday,
in line with broader Asia, as worries persisted over the
economic damage from the global coronavirus outbreak. 
    ** At the close of trade, the Hang Seng index  .HSI  was
down 517.69 points or 2.19% at 23,085.79. The Hang Seng China
Enterprises index  .HSCE  fell 1.98% to 9,404.98.
    ** The sub-index of the Hang Seng tracking energy shares
 .HSCIE  dipped 1.9%, while the IT sector  .HSCIIT  dipped
1.07%, the financial sector  .HSNF  ended 2.91% lower and the
property sector dipped 0.63%. 
    ** Investors will continue to adopt a prudent strategy for
now, as the coronavirus outbreak in the United States and
European countries has not slowed significantly, brokerage
Central China International noted in report. 
    ** China will step up fiscal and monetary policy adjustments
to combat the impact of the virus outbreak, state media reported
on Tuesday, quoting a cabinet meeting chaired by Premier Li
Keqiang.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nB9N2BC00R 
    ** China's factory activity improved in March after plunging
a month earlier, a private survey showed, but the bare minimal
growth highlighted the intense pressure facing businesses as the
pandemic shuts down many countries.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nZUN0008I5 
    ** China's main Shanghai Composite index  .SSEC  closed down
0.57% at 2,734.52 points, while the blue-chip CSI300 index
 .CSI300  ended down 0.3%.
    ** Around the region, MSCI's Asia ex-Japan stock index
 .MIAPJ0000PUS  was weaker by 1.28%, while Japan's Nikkei index
 .N225  closed down 4.5%.
    ** The yuan  CNY=CFXS  was quoted at 7.1053 per U.S. dollar
at 08:11 GMT, 0.34% weaker than the previous close of 7.081. 
    ** At close, China's A-shares were trading at a premium of
26.98% over Hong Kong-listed H-shares.

 (Reporting by the Shanghai Newsroom; editing by Philippa
Fletcher)
 ((luoyan.liu@thomsonreuters.com; Reuters Messaging:
luoyan.liu.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))