Hong Kong shares rose 2 percent on Wednesday as financial firms followed a strong US lead but HSBC closed off early highs as investors readied themselves to meet the banks $18 billion cash call. Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd recovered to rise 5.9 percent to HK$7.41 after its record loss in 2008, came in more or less in line with market expectations.
Concern over fuel hedging losses and weak passenger and cargo demand have beaten down the stock 15 percent since the beginning of the year. "We had some technical buying there today. But theyve (Cathay) announced that hedging losses for the first two months are already quite substantial so this is not a turnaround story we have here," said Linus Yip, strategist with First Shanghai Securities.
The benchmark Hang Seng Index ended 236.61 points higher at 11,930.66 points, completely recovering from Mondays steep drop. Financial stocks were cheered after Citigroup said it was profitable in the first two months of 2009, helping the US S&P 500 rise 6.4 percent on Tuesday. Manulife Financial Corp Canadas top insurer soared 12.7 percent to HK$63.20 after dropping 38 percent since the beginning of March.
HSBCs local unit Hang Seng Bank added 5.5 percent to HK$72.10 while BOC Hong Kong rose 2.3 percent. "The Citi news seems to have eliminated some of the worries in the financial sector and there is hope that the US market will continue to trade higher for the rest of the week," said Sun Hung Kai Financial strategist, Castor Pang. HSBC trimmed gains to 2.3 percent at HK$38.45 after opening 11.7 percent higher. But the stock finished well above its rights issue price of HK$28, after scraping a 14-year low of HK$33 on Monday.
Brokers reckon the stock is in for a roller coaster ride even after it makes its ex-rights debut on Thursday as investors fret about the banks outlook. "Until investors can get a better hold on the ultimate losses in its US consumer finance unit, swift rebounds in HSBC such as the one seen on Tuesday may likely be linked to technical trading," said Wilson Wong, analyst with Taifook Securities.
HSBC shares fell 24 percent on Monday as large investors shorted the stock, in hopes of buying it back at its more attractive rights issue price, and it rose 14 percent in a technical rebound on Tuesday. The China Enterprises Index of top mainland firms was up 1.9 percent at 7,007.74 points, with renewed talk about a stalled investment scheme for individual Chinese investors to trade Hong Kong shares lending some support.
China Life led gains on the H-share index with a 3.7 percent rally while smaller rival Ping An also rose by a similar percentage. Hong Kong delegates at the ongoing annual session of Chinas parliament proposed the authorities allow Hong Kong and mainland investors to invest in each others stock markets directly, the Shanghai Securities News said on Wednesday.
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