HONG KONG: Hong Kong stocks extended losses Friday on growing concerns about the Omicron Covid variant and Democratic senator Joe Manchin's refusal to support Joe Biden's huge social spending bill dealt a severe blow to the president's economic agenda.

The Hang Seng Index shed 1.93 percent, or 447.77 points, to 22,744.86.

The Shanghai Composite Index sank 1.07 percent, or 38.76 points, to 3,593.60, while the Shenzhen Composite Index on China's second exchange fell 1.77 percent, or 44.74 points, to 2,478.42.