Hong Kong: Stocks recoup losses as developers shine

[SHANGHAI] Hong Kong shares recovered most of their early losses and ended slightly lower on Thursday amid street protests, thanks to gains in real estate firms and mainland money flows.

The Hang Seng index dropped as much as 1.8 per cent before ending 0.1 per cent lower at 27,294.71, while the China Enterprises Index ended 0.2 per cent lower at 10,472.44, also recovering from earlier losses.

Stocks were still under pressure amid large-scale protests. Scuffles broke out between protesters and police in Hong Kong on Thursday as hundreds of people remained on the streets to protest a planned extradition law with mainland China, a day after police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at demonstrators.

Gainers in the sector were led by mainland home builders, including Sunac China, China Evergrande and Country Garden which all climbed more than 3 per cent, as Beijing talked up policy boost to support the economy.

REUTERS