HK stocks slip as new fears weave around AI boom
Mainland stocks fell on Thursday to their lowest close in 14 months, tracking broad weakness across global markets, as technology shares led declines after stronger-than-expected US inflation data fuelled concerns that interest rates could rise further. In Hong Kong, the benchmark Hang Seng Index fell 251 points, or one percent, to 24,062 on turnover of HK$224.16 billion. The tech index dropped…
Hong Kong's stock market experienced a decline on Thursday, mirroring the broader market weakness observed globally. The primary driver of the drop was a surge in technology shares, following stronger-than-anticipated US inflation data that sparked concerns over potential further interest rate hikes. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index slipped 251 points, or 1 percent, to 24,062, while the technology index decreased by 113 points, or 2.7 percent, to 4,060.
Alibaba's shares saw a 3.7 percent drop, and the China Enterprises Index fell 79 points, or 1 percent, to 8,103. The Shanghai Composite Index on the mainland closed 59 points, or 1.59 percent, lower at 3,707, the CSI300 index declining 1.6 percent, and the Shenzhen Component Index falling 2.43 percent to 11,816. The ChiNext Index also dropped 2.92 percent to 2,783.
Analyst Lei Meng from UBS Securities explained that the recent decline appears to stem from a concentrated unwinding of tech holdings, compounded by mutual fund pressure due to break-even redemptions. Geopolitical factors, US Treasury yields, and oil-price volatility have contributed to tighter dollar liquidity, affecting market risk appetite.
The US dollar rose while Wall Street stocks fell after data indicated US consumer prices rose more than expected, briefly reigniting speculation about a potential Federal Reserve interest rate increase. The primary focus overnight centered on the hotter-than-expected US inflation print, which reignited concerns about Fed rate hikes.
Investors are now turning their attention to China's third-quarter GDP data, set to be released on Monday, to gauge the pace of economic recovery following a series of positive indicators like trade and credit lending. The International Monetary Fund projected Asia's economic growth to slow next year, warning of heightened risks from the Iran war-induced energy shock, a possible correction in the AI boom, and the effects of rising global bond yields.
These concerns were reflected in Tokyo, where the tech-heavy Nikkei share average plummeted 4.9 percent, or 3,318 points, to 64,425, following reports of distressed debt at US cloud-computing provider CoreWeave. The Topix index in Japan fell 2.29 percent, or 93 points, to 4,003. In Seoul, the Kospi ended down 454 points, or 7.57 percent, at a six-month low, as a significant selloff in chipmakers triggered a circuit breaker.
Written by urgent.news from RTHK News - Finance's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
