HONG KONG: Hong Kong stocks started Tuesday slightly lower following a retreat on Wall Street fuelled by profit-taking, with investors keeping tabs on surging virus infections.

The Hang Seng Index dipped 0.05 percent, or 13.93 points, to 27,894.29.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index fell 0.38 percent, or 13.49 points, to 3,518.01, while the Shenzhen Composite Index on China's second exchange eased 0.41 percent, or 9.80 points, to 2,366.06.