Hang Seng Rises Again, But Market Still Holding Its Breath
Hong Kong stocks rallied for the fifth consecutive session on Thursday, with the Hang Seng Index rising 89 points (+0.3%) to 27,067. The gains were led by the property and financial sectors, while sentiment remained buoyed by China's record trade surplus in 2025. December's exports surpassing USD 100 billion signaled that demand from non-US markets was able to withstand the risks of Trump-era tariffs.
However, the rally was not fully widespread. Pressure came from Wall Street, which fell for two consecutive days, influenced by the earnings season and rising geopolitical risks weighing on the global technology and banking sectors. In mainland China, regulators plan to raise the minimum margin requirement for new loans to 100% from 80% starting January 19, a move that could potentially temper the euphoria following record-breaking trading activity.
Looking ahead, market participants await China's credit data release today, followed by a series of major data next week, such as fourth-quarter GDP, December activity data, and the setting of the Loan Prime Rate. At the stock level, S.F. Holding strengthened after agreeing to buy an 8.5% stake in J&T Global for HKD 8.3 billion. Strengthening was also seen in ZTO Express, KE Holdings, and China Resources Land. (asd)
Source: Newsmaker.id
