HONG KONG: Hong Kong stocks plunged Friday on fears about a new coronavirus variant that experts say could be more infectious and able to get around vaccines, with firms linked to travel and tourism among the worst hit.

The Hang Seng Index tanked 2.67 percent, or 659.64 points, to 24,080.52.

The Shanghai Composite Index fell 0.56 percent, or 20.09 points, to 3,564.09, while the Shenzhen Composite Index on China's second exchange slipped 0.20 percent, or 5.07 points, to 2,507.15.