China and HK shares dip as Apple suppliers, auto makers slip on tariffs

China and HK shares dip as Apple suppliers, auto makers slip on tariffs

Apple suppliers tumbled after an appeals court kept US President Donald Trump's tariffs in effect.

Pan-Gongsheng-AFP
Pan Gongsheng, governor of People’s Bank of China, will announce several major financial policies at the Lujiazui Forum opening ceremony next month. (AFP pic)
HONG KONG:
Chinese stocks fell today as Apple suppliers weakened after a US court reinstated the tariffs, while automakers extended losses amid ongoing price war concerns, pushing major indices toward weekly declines.

At the midday break, China’s blue-chip index weakened 0.3%, heading to the second week of loss. The Shanghai Composite index also dropped 0.3% to 3,353.07 points.

Declines were sharper in Hong Kong.

The Chinese H-share index listed in Hong Kong, the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index, fell 1.7% and Hong Kong’s benchmark Hang Seng Index lost 1.5%, both set to snap a six-week winning streak.

“Sentiment dropped further amid lower turnover and lukewarm macro prints,” Laura Wang, chief China equity strategist at Morgan Stanley wrote in a note today.

“No signs of near-term stimulus step-up as the interim tariff truce continues.”

Weighing on the markets today, Apple suppliers tumbled after an appeals court kept president Donald Trump’s tariffs in effect, a day after a trade court blocked them, saying the president exceeded his authority.

iPhone assembler Foxconn lost 3.5%, BYD Electronics tumbled 5% and Lens Tech weakened 3.8%.

Auto shares continued the downward trend as price war concerns linger. Shares of Xpeng, BYD and Nio all slipped more than 4%.

Cushioning the losses, the CSI Banks Index advanced 1% after news that People’s Bank of China (PBOC) governor Pan Gongsheng will attend the opening ceremony of the Lujiazui Forum in Shanghai next month and announce several major financial policies.

Around the region, MSCI’s Asia ex-Japan stock index was weaker by 0.5% while Japan’s Nikkei index was down 1.3%.

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