The Hang Seng Index was down 0.19 percent, or 48.79 points, to 25,816.60 in early trade.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index lost 0.20 percent, or 5.05 points, to 2,544.51, while the Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China's second exchange, fell 0.23 percent, or 2.98 points, to 1,291.51.