HONG Kong stock market started the week on a soft footing on Monday, amid weeks of violent protests that threatened to weigh on the Asian financial hub's economy.
This summer's increasingly violent demonstrations have plunged the Chinese-ruled territory into its most serious crisis in decades, presenting one of the biggest popular challenges to Chinese leader Xi Jinping since he came to power in 2012.
Hong Kong's protests are hitting its economy, the city's leader Carrie Lam said, echoing warnings from business leaders including powerful local property developers.
The Hang Seng index ended down 0.4% at 25,824.72, while the China Enterprises Index was unchanged at 9,997.94.
Hong Kong markets marked three consecutive weekly declines.
Hong Kong police put on a demonstration of an anti-riot water cannon on Monday, in a warning to protesters as authorities toughen their approach over violence that has roiled the Asian financial hub for two months.
Hong Kong is at a critical juncture after two months of anti-government street protests and violence there must stop, China's Hong Kong and Macau affairs office said on Monday.
Shares of Hong Kong developers continued to weigh, led by New World Development ending down 3.1%.
Around the region, MSCI's Asia ex-Japan stock index was weaker by 0.29%.
The yuan was quoted at 7.0683 per U.S. dollar at 0814 GMT, 0.1% weaker than the previous close of 7.0615.
The top gainers among H-shares were China Shenhua Energy Co Ltd up 2.44%, followed by Haitong Securities Co Ltd , gaining 1.81% and New China Life Insurance Co Ltd , up by 1.46%.
The three biggest H-shares percentage decliners were China Resources Beer Holdings Co Ltd, which closed 1.22% lower, CRRC Corp Ltd, which ended down 1.05% and China Telecom Corp Ltd, down by 0.87%.
About 1.20 billion Hang Seng index shares were traded, roughly 88.6% of the market's 30-day moving average of 1.36 billion shares a day. The volume traded in the previous trading session was 1.40 billion.
At close, China's A-shares were trading at a premium of 31.20% over Hong Kong-listed H-shares. - Reuters
Limited time offer:
Just RM5 per month.
