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China stocks wobble on weak CPI; Hong Kong snaps 3 days of gains

China shares ended largely flat on Thursday as strong gains in copper miners countered a drag from weak consumer information, while Hong Kong stocks tracked Wall Street lower.

** At the close, the Shanghai Composite index was up 0.23% at 3,034.25.

** China launched worse-than-expected March customer data, maintaining pressure on policymakers to introduce more stimulus as need remains weak.

** China still deals with the risk of deflation, as domestic demand stays weak, said Zhang Zhiwei, chief economist at Pinpoint Property Management.

** Hong Kong stocks snapped a three-day winning streak, as sticky U.S. inflation lessened hopes of early rate cuts and dragged down U.S. shares over night.

** The blue-chip CSI300 index was down 0.01%, with its financial sector sub-index lower by 0.34%, the consumer staples sector down 0.32%, the real estate index down 0.59% and the health care sub-index down 1.04%.

** Yet, a rally in worldwide products raised the CSI Coal Index and the A-share Resources Index by 1.3% and 0.5%, respectively.

** The smaller sized Shenzhen index ended up 0.08% and the start-up board ChiNext Composite index was weaker by 0.439%.

** In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index was down 44.14 points, or 0.26%, at 17,095.03. The Hang Seng China Enterprises index fell 0.21% to 6,003.97.

** The sub-index of the Hang Seng tracking energy shares increased 0.9%, while the IT sector climbed 0.07%,. the financial sector ended 0.37% lower and the home. sector dipped 1.05%.

** Around the area, MSCI's Asia ex-Japan stock index. was weaker by 0.37%, while Japan's Nikkei index. shut down 0.35%.

** At 0826 GMT, the yuan was priced estimate at 7.2369 per. U.S. dollar, 0.03% weaker than the previous close of 7.2345.

(source: Reuters)