Hong Kong Stocks Slip Ahead Of Easter Break

Hong Kong stocks sank on Thursday morning, in line with a regional retreat and following losses on Wall Street as investors began to wind down for the long Easter break.

The Hang Seng Index fell 0.6 percent, to 29,942 by the break.

On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite Index dipped 0.2 per cent to 3,255 and the Shenzhen Composite Index inched down 0.3 percent to 1,768.

Most other Asian markets fell, with positive comments on the China-US trade talks and healthy Chinese growth unable to fire buying activity.

Oanda senior market analyst Jeffrey Halley said the fact that markets "continue to bumble along in sideways ranges" indicated "a lot of good news – both present and future - is already baked into prices at these levels.

"Ahead of the extended Easter holidays and into the end of the month, the markets may be much more vulnerable to negative headlines than they have been in recent times."

Seoul shed 0.9 percent and Singapore eased 0.1 percent. Tokyo went into the break 0.5 percent lower.

Wellington and Taipei were also lower, though Sydney was flat.

Jakarta jumped more than one percent – and the rupiah rose 0.5 percent – as early polls suggested business-friendly incumbent Joko Widodo was on course to win Indonesia's presidential election. (AFP)

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