Quote from Cdntrader:
up another 160 pts @ 4900 after 1/2 hour. 188 after 45 minutes.
insanity!
HK stocks rise despite SARS fears, H-shares shine
Reuters, 12.30.03, 4:16 AM ET
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(Adds close, key stocks, comment)
By Tara Joseph
HONG KONG, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Leading Hong Kong stocks climbed higher on Tuesday with China shares shining, though talk of a suspected SARS case across the border hurt retail and travel-related stocks.
The benchmark Hang Seng Index ended up 0.50 percent, or 62.45 points, at 12,526.74. The index eased from higher levels reached in morning trade on worries a suspected SARS case may soon be confirmed.
"SARS is affecting sentiment even though it won't be easy to have an outbreak in Hong Kong so the impact is not that strong," said Kenny Tang associate director at Tung Tai securities.
Shares in retailers popular with the growing number of mainland Chinese tourists were hard hit.
Discount cosmetic retailer Sa Sa International Holdings fell 3.53 percent to HK$2.05, while Bonjour Holdings Ltd fell 5.05 percent to close at HK$1.88. Jeweller Hang Fung Gold Technology Ltd shed 3.03 percent to HK$1.60.
China's largest carrier, China Southern Airlines Co Ltd also fell, losing 3.73 percent to HK$3.225, though Hong Kong's dominant carrier Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd gained 0.34 percent to close at HK$14.60.
Traders said fears over a return of SARS in Hong Kong centred on a possible slowing of mainland Chinese tourists to Hong Kong. A sharp rise in mainland visitors has provided a strong boost to the territory's economy.
H-shares, or Chinese companies listed in Hong Kong, continued to outperform the broader market, jumping 2.57 percent, or 122.21 points to 4883.33.
The H-share index has more than doubled this year, beating a near 35 percent rise in the Hang Seng Index.
"It seems like everyone has gone mad. Investors don't want to be the last kid on the block and miss this party," said Francis Lun, general manager of Fulbright Securities.
Oil giant PetroChina Ltd, the most heavily weighted stock on the index, extended Monday's gain with a surge of 6.13 percent to HK$4.325.
Another energy heavyweight, Sinopec Corp, Asia's largest refiner, rallied 7.32 percent to HK$3.3 after the company said on Tuesday it would buy two units from its parent for 356 million yuan ($43 million).
The acquisitions, to be funded with cash from its internal resources, will help boost the firm's asphalt and refining capacity.
Trading volume was heavy with HK$21.9 billion ($2.8 billion) changing hands, compared to HK$14 billion on Monday. Traders said activity was punctuated by the expiry of futures contracts, though volume may thin out on Wednesday when Hong Kong markets will close at midday. They will reopen on Friday after the New Year holiday.
A rally in H-share freshman China Life Insurance Co Ltd finally ran out of steam with the shares ending unchanged at HK$6.40 after touching an intraday high of HK$7.05 on strong demand from institutional investors.
China Life shares, which began trading several weeks ago in the world's largest IPO this year, have gained 78 percent from their debut price of HK$3.59.
Elsewhere, HSBC Holdings Plc, the largest stock by market capitalisation, slipped 0.41 percent to HK$122 after it said it will buy half of China's Fujian Asia Bank Ltd for up to $20 million to expand in China. The shares had risen as high as HK$123 in intraday trade, touching a new high for the year.
Market players said earnings contributions from the newly acquired lender would be meagre, but HSBC could capitalise gains if China further opened its financial sector.
On the downside, investors continued to punish CNOOC Ltd after the giant oil producer said its 2004 production will fall short of target.
CNOOC extended Monday's four percent loss to dip 3.11 percent to HK$15.60. ($1=HK$7.795)
Copyright 2003, Reuters News Service