Hong Kong

HONG KONG conglomerate CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd, the ports-to-telecoms group, brushed off talk of an imminent retirement for chairman Li Ka-shing, saying on Tuesday that the tycoon was in "very good health".

Yet the company, whose assets include mobile phone company 3 Group, stopped short of denying a report in The Wall Street Journal that said Mr Li had told associates he planned to step down as chairman by next year, when he turns 90.