Hong Kong: Shares dive at open on passage of US rights bill

[HONG KONG] Hong Kong shares plunged more than one per cent in the opening exchanges of Thursday after US lawmakers passed a bill supporting Hong Kong rights in a move investors fear could jeopardise ongoing China-US trade talks.

The Hang Seng index dived 1.62 per cent, or 434.40 points, to 26,455.21.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index lost 0.29 per cent, or 8.50 points, to 2,902.55 and the Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China's second exchange, fell 0.39 per cent, or 6.44 points, to 1,628.72.

AFP