HONG KONG: China and Hong Kong stocks edged lower on Thursday as investors weighed the potential impact of US tariff hikes against expectations of more fiscal stimulus from Beijing.
China, Hong Kong stocks rebound in choppy trade
By the midday break, the Shanghai Composite index was down 0.1% at 3,364.64 points and the blue-chip CSI 300 index lost 0.22%.
The consumer staples sector, real estate and the healthcare sub-index fell 0.43%, 0.8% and 0.85%, respectively.
Hong Kong’s benchmark Hang Seng Index slipped 0.13% to 19,680.23.
Sentiment was largely downbeat after a poll of more than 50 economists by Reuters showed the US could impose nearly 40% tariffs on imports from China early next year. That could potentially slice growth in the world’s second-biggest economy by up to 1 percentage point.
Beijing could announce a higher fiscal deficit and more bond issuance in 2025 to support land and built-home buybacks as well as bank capital injection, in addition to potential stimulus to offset the shock from US tariffs in the near future, analysts at Bank of America said in a note.
On the flip side, a gauge tracking automobile sector advanced 1.08% after state media Xinhua reported that China plans to extend car trade-in incentives into 2025 to stabilise market expectations.
Around the region, MSCI’s Asia ex-Japan stock index was weaker by 0.27% while Japan’s Nikkei index was down 0.98%.