HK stocks seen down on Wall Street sell-off, China
HONG KONG, April 3 (Reuters) - Hong Kong stocks are expected to fall on Thursday, a day after hitting a one-month high, tracking a drop in U.S. stocks after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said a recession was possible.
Volatile markets in China, where the benchmark index .SSEC has dropped 7 percent since the end of March, were also expected to weigh.
"We'll fall between 200 and 300 points," said Francis Lun, general manager of Fulbright Securities.
"But most of the attention will be on the A-share market in China which will impact H shares, and the banks will stay in focus."
Hong Kong stocks hit a one-month closing high on Wednesday after strong demand for a Lehman Brothers (LEH.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) share offering raised hopes that the worst of the credit crisis may have ended. The benchmark Hang Seng Index .HSI ended 3.18 percent higher at 23,872.43 points, buoyed by property and financial plays.
The China Enterprises Index of Hong Kong-listed mainland companies .HSCE, or H shares, closed up 4.66 percent at 12,807.35.
STOCKS TO WATCH:
* Sports shoe maker Yue Yuen Industrial (Holdings) (0551.HK: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) posted an unaudited consolidated profit of US$99.8 million for the three-month quarter ended in December 2007, up nearly 8 percent compared with US$92.4 million in the same period a year earlier. For details please see here
* Belgian-Dutch financial group Fortis (FOR.BR: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) (FOR.AS: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and China's Ping an Insurance Co Ltd (2318.HK: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) have finalised a deal to set up a global asset management partnership. [ID:NL02547837]
* Hopson Development (0754.HK: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) said it would pay 493.2 million yuan ($70.28 million) for costs reimbursement in relation to the transfer of land use rights for a commercial, office and residential development area in Beijing. The company won a bid for the land use right in February for 1.74 billion yuan. For details please see here
* China National Resources Development Holdings Ltd (0661.HK: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) said it had agreed to buy a 51 percent stake in mining engineering design firm Beijing Oriental Yanjing Mining Engineering Co Ltd at a price yet to be disclosed. For details please see here
* Datang International Power Generation Co Ltd (0991.HK: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) said it would sell 35 percent of Lusigang Power Co in Jiangsu province to parent China Datang Corp for 108.45 million yuan ($15.45 million), reducing its stake in the unit to 55 percent. For details please see here
* Cruise operator Star Cruises (0678.HK: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) said it plans to team up with Alliance Global Group Inc (AGI.PS: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) to develop hotels and casinos in the Philippines, spending at least $1 billion on a set of projects the company hopes will expand its reach into a relatively untapped Asian gaming arena.[ID:nHKG88722]
FACTORS TO WATCH: * Nikkei .N225 opens flat after rally [.T] * U.S. stocks- Bernanke's recession nod sparks profit-taking [.N] * STOCKS NEWS ASIA-Market factors, main events [STXNEWS/ASIA] * Oil surges nearly $4 on U.S. fuel inventory draw [O/R] * Dollar pressured as Bernanke dampens optimism [USD/] * For upcoming Hong Kong events, click on [HK/DIARY] * For Hong Kong press digest, click on [PRESS/HK]
KEY HK ADR MOVERS (by % change)
Sinopec (SNP.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)(0386.HK: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) +0.38
TomoTherapy (TOMO.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) -0.47
Huaneng Power (HNP.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)(0902.HK: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) -0.57
PetroChina (PTR.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)(0857.HK: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) -0.67
HSBC Holdings (HBC.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)(0005.HK: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) -0.82
(US$1=HK$7.8) (Reporting by Joseph Chaney; rita.chang@reuters.com; Reuters Messaging: rita.chang.reuters.com@reuters.net; +852-2843-6370))
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