China Eastern shares fall 1.2 pct after failed SIA bid

HONG KONG, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Shares in China Eastern Airlines (0670.HK) fell 1.2 percent on Wednesday a day after its shareholders rejected a deal to sell a 24 percent stake to Singapore Airlines (SIAL.SI) for US$920 million.

The vote opened the door for bigger rival Air China (0753.HK) to make a play for the country's third-largest carrier.

China Eastern's Hong Kong-listed shares were set at HK$6.58 in preopen trade. Air China's shares were down nearly 2 percent.

China Eastern's Shanghai-listed shares (600115.SS) were due to start trading at 0230 GMT.

Air China's Shanghai-listed shares (601111.SS) had dropped 2.65 percent in early Wednesday trade. (Reporting by Joseph Chaney; Editing by Anne Marie Roantree)