HONG KONG: Hong Kong stocks began Wednesday's morning session slightly lower, extending the previous day's losses on lingering worries about China's tech crackdown as well as spiking coronavirus infections in the mainland.

The Hang Seng Index dipped 0.13 percent, or 32.99 points, to 26,161.83.

Hong Kong stocks open sharply lower

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index dropped 0.15 percent, or 5.05 points, to 3,442.94, while the Shenzhen Composite Index on China's second exchange edged down 0.17 percent, or 4.08 points, to 2,419.89.