Hong Kong shares rebound as tech stocks shine

Hong Kong stocks snapped a three-session losing streak and ended higher on Tuesday, led by strong gains in technology firms.

At the close of trade, the Hang Seng index was up 488.50 points or 2pc at 24,946.63.

The Hang Seng China Enterprises index rose 1.7pc to 10,203.88.

Tech shares led the gains, with the newly-launched Hang Seng tech index up 2pc.

Meituan Dianping closed at an all-time high, as mainland investors continued to buy into the Chinese food delivery giant.

Tech firms also got boost from expectations that household names Alibaba, Meituan Dianiping and Xiaomi Technology may join Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index this month.

Mainland China and offshore hub Hong Kong's latest indexes representing technology companies are likely to attract $25 billion in five years from passive investors, according to a Goldman Sachs report released on Thursday.

The Nasdaq surging to another record high would provide support for Hong Kong's tech players, KGI Securities said in a note, adding that Hang Seng's Q2 index review would also help boost tech giants including Meituan and Xiaomi.

Though caution remained given the persistent Sino-US tensions.

The editor of a newspaper published by China's ruling Communist Party's People's Daily said on Tuesday that Beijing would retaliate if all Chinese journalists based in the United States are forced to leave the country.

Around the region, MSCI's Asia ex-Japan stock index was firmer by 1.48pc, while Japan's Nikkei index closed up 1.7pc.

The yuan was quoted at 6.983 per US dollar at 0827 GMT, 0.02pc weaker than the previous close of 6.9819.