04.02.202602:44:44UTC+00Shares in Hong Kong Trade Lower

Hong Kong's stock market saw a decline of 110 points, or 0.4%, settling at 26,720 during early trading on Wednesday. This downturn followed the previous session's slight gains, influenced by the tech-driven losses on Wall Street from the night before. The city's markets continued to step back from the recent peak reached last week, which marked a 4-1/2-year high. This pullback was largely due to a decrease in technology and consumer stock values, despite the fact that December retail sales experienced their sixth consecutive month of growth at the close of 2025. Nonetheless, the Shanghai Composite offered some support, mitigating the decline, after private survey data indicated that China's service sector saw its fastest growth in three months in January, as the Lunar New Year approached. Additionally, Hong Kong's private sector reported its sixth month of expansion, bolstered by robust new orders and increased foreign demand.

Significant underperformers included Minimax Group, which fell by 7.3%, Trip.com with a 4.4% decline, Xiaomi down by 2.3%, and SMIC falling by 2.2%. Conversely, CK Hutchison rose by 1.7%, following developments in an arbitration case against Panama, after the country's supreme court nullified a contract allowing the Hong Kong firm to operate two ports there.