HONG KONG, Dec 21 (Reuters) - By 0231 GMT, the benchmark Hang
Seng Index had eased 0.16 percent to 21,141.79.
The China Enterprises Index of top locally listed mainland Chinese stocks was down 0.06 percent at 12,326.82.
Here are some of the stocks on the move:
* Banking stocks retreated on worries that they might need to make provisions for their Dubai exposure as debt-ridden conglomerate Dubai World was expected on Monday to ask key creditors for more time to pay off its loans while leaving unsettled the prospects of being paid back in full.
Index heavyweight HSBC fell more than 1.6 percent to a session low of HK$86, its lowest since Nov 5. Standard Chartered slipped 2.04 percent to HK$187.40.
* Underlying weak sentiment on Chinese property stocks extended to Hong Kong property developers on concerns over what the Chinese government would do next to temper the overheating property sector.
'Major local developers, which have big exposure in the mainland, have no exemption and will be affected by the Chinese property measures,' said Alfred Chan, chief dealer at Cheer Pearl Investment.
Wharf fell 3.4 percent to HK$42.60, Sun Hung Kai Properties was down 0.79 percent to HK$112.80 and Cheung Kong eased 0.21 percent to HK$95.85.
* Bucking a soft market, Renhe Commercial Holdings rose 2.5 percent after it said it would realise a gain of HK$2.16 billion ($278 million) from sales of a Zhengzhou development project for HK$2.77 billion.
* China Zenith Chemical Group surged 3.7 percent after it said it was considering a spin-off of its polyvinyl-chloride and related calcium carbide business on the stock exchange and had engaged professionals to advise and assist on the matter.
(US$1=HK$7.75)
(Reporting by Donny Kwok; editing by Jonathan Hopfner)
((donny.kwok@thomsonreuters.com; +852 2843 6470; Reuters Messaging: donny.kwok.reuters.com@reuters.net)) ASIA-PACIFIC STOCK MARKETS: Pan-Asia...... Japan........ S.Korea.... S.E. Asia............ Hong Kong... Taiwan..... Australia/NZ......... India....... China...... OTHER MARKETS: Wall Street........... Gold......... Currency.. Eurostocks........... Oil........... JP bonds... ADR Report.......... LME metals.. US bonds... Stocks News US... Stocks News Europe... DIARIES & DATA: IPO diary & data Asia earnings diary U.S. earnings diary European diary Taiwan diary Wall Street Week Ahead Eurostocks Week Ahead World forecasts TOP NEWS: For top Asian company news, double click on: U.S. company news European company news Forex news Global Economy news Technology news Telecoms news Media news Banking news Politics/General news Asia Macro data A multimedia version of Reuters Top News is available at: http://topnews.session.rservices.com LIVE PRICES & DATA: World Stocks Currency rates Dow Jones/NASDAQ Nikkei FTSE 100 Debt Hong Kong Dollar LME price overview Keywords: MARKETS HONGKONG STOCKS (If you have a query or comment on this story, send an email to news.feedback.asia@thomsonreuters.com) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
The China Enterprises Index of top locally listed mainland Chinese stocks was down 0.06 percent at 12,326.82.
Here are some of the stocks on the move:
* Banking stocks retreated on worries that they might need to make provisions for their Dubai exposure as debt-ridden conglomerate Dubai World was expected on Monday to ask key creditors for more time to pay off its loans while leaving unsettled the prospects of being paid back in full.
Index heavyweight HSBC fell more than 1.6 percent to a session low of HK$86, its lowest since Nov 5. Standard Chartered slipped 2.04 percent to HK$187.40.
* Underlying weak sentiment on Chinese property stocks extended to Hong Kong property developers on concerns over what the Chinese government would do next to temper the overheating property sector.
'Major local developers, which have big exposure in the mainland, have no exemption and will be affected by the Chinese property measures,' said Alfred Chan, chief dealer at Cheer Pearl Investment.
Wharf fell 3.4 percent to HK$42.60, Sun Hung Kai Properties was down 0.79 percent to HK$112.80 and Cheung Kong eased 0.21 percent to HK$95.85.
* Bucking a soft market, Renhe Commercial Holdings rose 2.5 percent after it said it would realise a gain of HK$2.16 billion ($278 million) from sales of a Zhengzhou development project for HK$2.77 billion.
* China Zenith Chemical Group surged 3.7 percent after it said it was considering a spin-off of its polyvinyl-chloride and related calcium carbide business on the stock exchange and had engaged professionals to advise and assist on the matter.
(US$1=HK$7.75)
(Reporting by Donny Kwok; editing by Jonathan Hopfner)
((donny.kwok@thomsonreuters.com; +852 2843 6470; Reuters Messaging: donny.kwok.reuters.com@reuters.net)) ASIA-PACIFIC STOCK MARKETS: Pan-Asia...... Japan........ S.Korea.... S.E. Asia............ Hong Kong... Taiwan..... Australia/NZ......... India....... China...... OTHER MARKETS: Wall Street........... Gold......... Currency.. Eurostocks........... Oil........... JP bonds... ADR Report.......... LME metals.. US bonds... Stocks News US... Stocks News Europe... DIARIES & DATA: IPO diary & data Asia earnings diary U.S. earnings diary European diary Taiwan diary Wall Street Week Ahead Eurostocks Week Ahead World forecasts TOP NEWS: For top Asian company news, double click on: U.S. company news European company news Forex news Global Economy news Technology news Telecoms news Media news Banking news Politics/General news Asia Macro data A multimedia version of Reuters Top News is available at: http://topnews.session.rservices.com LIVE PRICES & DATA: World Stocks Currency rates Dow Jones/NASDAQ Nikkei FTSE 100 Debt Hong Kong Dollar LME price overview Keywords: MARKETS HONGKONG STOCKS (If you have a query or comment on this story, send an email to news.feedback.asia@thomsonreuters.com) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
