HONG KONG: Hong Kong stocks began Monday with a slight loss following last week's healthy run-up, with investors keeping tabs on the rollout of vaccines and surging virus infections.

The Hang Seng Index slipped 0.53 percent, or 144.00 points, to 27,087.13.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index was flat, inching up 0.75 points to 3,473.82, while the Shenzhen Composite Index on China's second exchange added 0.46 percent, or 10.73 points, to 2340.10.