Hong Kong stocks fell 0.56 percent on Friday, tracking weak Asian markets, with local telecoms firm, PCCW Ltd, edging lower amid uncertainties about a potential sale of its core assets. The benchmark Hang Seng index was down 89.31 points at 15,737.39 by the lunch recess.
Turnover was low at HK$10.3 billion (US $1.3 billion), down from Thursday morning's HK$13.4 billion. "In the short term, funds are still cautious," said Louie Shum, managing director at Sincere Securities Ltd. Still, "a rising trend is developing. The market bottom has risen higher and higher and, at this level, it's attractive for long-term buys."
PCCW sagged 1.7 percent to HK$5.65 as the visibility of any potential deal was eclipsed by rumours, speculation about valuation, and talks of potential obstacles.
"The bidding war could linger for awhile," said Alex Tang, research director at Core Pacific-Yamaichi International (Hong Kong). "No one knows what (PCCW Chairman) Richard Li will do and I don't think anyone can really make a reasonable estimate of how much the assets are worth."
Television Broadcasts Ltd (TVB), however, jumped 4.1 percent to HK$48.25 following a Ming Pao Daily News report that Li was eyeing Hong Kong's dominant free-to-air broadcaster. Hong Kong's property sector continued its downward trend as investors bet on further interest rate increases.
Henderson Land Co Ltd fell 1 percent to HK$38.50 and mid-tier developer Sino Land Co Ltd shed 1.3 percent to HK$11.25. The Shanghai-based carrier jumped nearly 3 percent to HK$1.07 after Morgan Stanley upgraded the stock's rating to "equal-weight" from "underweight" on potential upside from a possible restructuring, following a recent reshuffle involving Air China Ltd, Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd, China National Aviation Co Ltd, CITIC Pacific and Swire Pacific.
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