** Shares of Chinese vaping device maker Smoore
International Holdings 6969.HK leads fall in Hong Kong-listed
tobacco products firms
** Smoore down as much as 3% to HK$9.68, the lowest since
Nov. 2, after the financial hub increases tobacco duty
** Hong Kong increases tobacco duty on cigarettes by
HK$0.6 per stick with immediate effect while duties on other
tobacco products will be increased by the same proportion, the
city's financial Secretary Paul Chan announced in the 2023/24
budget on Wednesday
** Hong Kong forecast a deficit of HK$54.4 billion ($6.93
billion) in 2023-24
** Shares of rivals climb with China Boton Group 3318.HK ,
Huabao International 0336.HK and China Tobacco International
6055.HK slip between 0.2% and 1%
** Hang Seng Consumption Index .HSCGSI eases 0.8%, Hang
Seng Composite Index .HSCI slips 0.5%, and Hang Seng Index
.HSI down 0.2%
($1 = 7.8451 Hong Kong dollars)
(Reporting by Donny Kwok)
((donny.kwok@thomsonreuters.com))