China blue-chips lower on cooling economy; Hong Kong flat

Want Want China Holdings

17/12/2018 04:46

* SSEC, HSI flat; CSI300 -0.3 pct 
    * Xi Jinping to mark 40th anniversary of reform and opening
Tue
    * Central Economic Work Conference awaited for economic
plans
    * Yuan trades firmer at 6.898 per dollar

    SHANGHAI, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Chinese blue-chip shares fell
on Monday after data on new home prices showed slowing growth in
November, the latest indication of a cooling domestic economy,
but investors are awaiting a key government meeting for signs of
more policy support.  
    
** At the midday break, China's blue-chip CSI300 index  .CSI300 
was down 0.28 percent, with its financial sector sub-index
 .CSI300FS  flat, the consumer staples sector down 1.04 percent,
the real estate index down 0.12 percent and the healthcare
sub-index down 1.9 percent.
 
** The Shanghai Composite index  .SSEC  was flat at 2,593.98
points, having wavered between losses and small gains in the
morning session.
 
** Average new home prices in China's 70 major cities rose 0.9
percent in November from a month earlier, slower than the
previous month's 1 percent and the weakest since September,
though the sector remained relatively resilient amid a broader
slowdown in economic activity.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL3N1YK054
 
** Many investors are awaiting a speech from President Xi
Jinping on Tuesday to mark the 40th anniversary of China's
reform and opening. Top leaders are also due to map out economic
and reform plans for 2019 during an annual Central Economic Work
Conference this month.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL3N1YL00N urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL3N1YI33X
 
** China will temporarily suspend additional 25 percent tariffs
on U.S.-made vehicles and auto parts starting Jan. 1, 2019, the
finance ministry said on Friday, following a truce in a trade
war between the world's two largest economies.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL3N1YJ3NA An
index tracking new energy vehicle firms on the mainland
 .CSI399976  is 0.76 percent lower following the news.
 
** In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index  .HSI  was up 0.03 percent
at 26,102.39, while Chinese H-shares listed in Hong Kong  .HSCE 
rose 0.26 percent to 10,386.66. 
 
** The smaller Shenzhen index  .SZSC  was down 0.45 percent and
the start-up board ChiNext Composite index  .CHINEXTP  was
weaker by 0.9 percent.
 
** Around the region, MSCI's Asia ex-Japan stock index
 .MIAPJ0000PUS  was firmer by 0.29 percent while Japan's Nikkei
index  .N225  was up 0.73 percent.
 
** The yuan  CNY=CFXS  was quoted at 6.898 per U.S. dollar, 0.17
percent firmer than the previous close of 6.91. 
 
** The largest percentage gainers in the main Shanghai Composite
index were Fuda Alloy Materials Co Ltd  603045.SS , up 10.01
percent, followed by ARTS Group Co Ltd  603017.SS , gaining 10
percent and Kunwu Jiuding Investment Holdings Co Ltd
 600053.SS , up by 9.99 percent.
 
** The largest percentage losses in the Shanghai index were WG
Tech JiangXi Co Ltd  603773.SS , down 10 percent, followed by
Wingtech Technology Co Ltd  600745.SS , losing 9.53 percent and
Yifeng Pharmacy Chain Co Ltd  603939.SS , down by 8.51 percent.
 
** So far this year, the Shanghai stock index is down 21.57
percent, while China's H-share index is down 11.5 percent.
Shanghai stocks have risen 0.21 percent this month. 
 
** The top gainers among H-shares were China Tower Corp Ltd
 0788.HK , up 3.68 percent, followed by China Communications
Construction Co Ltd  1800.HK , gaining 1.58 percent and
Guangdong Investment Ltd  0270.HK , up by 1.47 percent.
 
** The three biggest H-shares percentage decliners were Byd Co
Ltd  1211.HK , which has fallen 3.32 percent, Shenzhou
International Group Holdings Ltd  2313.HK , which has lost 2.0
percent and Air China Ltd  0753.HK , down by 1.6 percent.
 
** About 7.23 billion shares have traded so far on the Shanghai
exchange, roughly 43.2 percent of the market's 30-day moving
average of 16.74 billion shares a day. The volume traded was
14.59 billion as of the last full trading day.
 
** In Hong Kong, the sub-index of the Hang Seng index tracking
energy shares  .HSCIE  dipped 0.1 percent while the IT sector
 .HSCIIT  fell 0.4 percent. The top gainer on the Hang Seng was
Want Want China Holdings Ltd  0151.HK , up 1.62 percent, while
the biggest loser was Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd  0175.HK ,
which was down 2.62 percent.

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China stock market graphics suite     http://reut.rs/1NfkoGl
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 (Reporting by Andrew Galbraith; Editing by Sunil Nair)
 ((Andrew.Galbraith@tr.com; +86 21 6104 1779; Reuters Messaging:
andrew.galbraith.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net ; Twitter: https://twitter.com/apgalbraith))