Hong Kong shares close lower on tech, healthcare retreat

BEIJING/SHANGHAI: Hong Kong shares settled lower on Wednesday, as technology and healthcare stocks dropped tracking mainland markets with investors taking a pause after a rally fuelled by upbeat factory data.

At the close of trade, the Hang Seng index was down 35.10 points, or 0.13pc, at 26,532.58.

The Hang Seng China Enterprises index fell 0.81pc to 10,573.79.

The sub-index of the Hang Seng tracking energy shares rose 0.7pc, the IT sector dipped 2.09pc, the financial sector ended 0.59pc higher and the property sector rose 0.11pc.

The top gainer on the Hang Seng was HSBC Holdings PLC, which climbed 3.66pc, while the biggest loser was Xiaomi Corp, which fell 7.07pc on a near $4 billion share sale.

China's main Shanghai Composite index closed down 0.07pc, while the blue-chip CSI300 index ended flat.

Globally, renewed talk of a possible U.S. stimulus package failed to boost most of the Asian markets.

Around the region, MSCI's Asia ex-Japan stock index was firmer by 1.21pc, while Japan's Nikkei index closed up 0.05pc.

Joe Biden will not immediately cancel the Phase 1 trade agreement that President Donald Trump struck with China nor take steps to remove tariffs on Chinese exports, the New York Times on Wednesday quoted the U.S. president-elect as saying.