Hong Kong shares gave up 0.9 percent on Thursday, falling for a second straight day as doubts emerged about an early turnaround in the global economy while a weak first quarter performance hit shares in Melco International. Melco International, controlled by casino tycoon Stanley Ho's son, retreated 9.2 percent to HK$5.41 after its joint venture with James Packer, Melco Crown Entertainment posted a 55 percent drop in net revenue and a loss in the first quarter of 2009.
The decrease was driven by an abnormally high win rate and greater rolling chip volume at the Altira Macau in the first quarter, the casino operator said. Deutsche Bank downgraded the stock to "hold" from "buy" on Thursday following a 170 percent run up in the share price in the past three months ahead of the opening of its new casino in Macau in June. The benchmark Hang Seng Index was down 159.35 percent at 17,316.49.
"Buying power has diminished and it looks like the rally has temporarily ended," said Alfred Chan, chief dealer with Cheer Pearl Investment. Chan expects the main index to drop to 16,000 points in the near term. The guage is still up 20 percent from the beginning of the year with investors betting on a recovery in the Chinese economy by the end of 2009.
Turnover shrank to HK$35.4 billion ($4.57 billion) from midday Wednesday's HK$43.4 billion. HSBC dropped 2.2 percent to HK$66.45, tracking losses in its Wall Street peers after the US Federal Reserve cut its 2009 forecast for gross domestic product and raised its outlook for unemployment, tempering hopes that the world's largest economy was on the mend.
The China Enterprises Index of top mainland companies had fallen 0.5 percent to 9,995.58, outperforming shares on the main index and the Shanghai Composite Index as select stocks gained. The premium gap between yuan-denominated A-shares listed in mainland China and their Hong Kong listed peers continued to shrink, dropping to a four-month low of 26.4 percent on Thursday.
Gold stocks bucked the downtrend to rise sharply after the price of the precious metal shot up to a eight-week high on Wednesday on a weak dollar. Zijin Mining jumped 5.1 percent to HK$6.61, while Lingbao Gold soared 8.3 percent.
Chinese vehicle manufacturer Dongfeng Group jumped 5.5 percent to HK$6.95, extending Wednesday's gains, after the Chinese government expanded a subsidy scheme to encourage consumers to buy more cars and home appliances. Morgan Stanley increased its target price on the stock by 30 percent to HK$8.30 on expectations the company's passenger vehicle sales growth would continue to accelerate in 2009.
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