Hong Kong shares end lower weighed down by tech stocks

** The Hang Seng index fell 0.4% to 24,112.78, while the China Enterprises index lost 0.2% to 8,449.00 points. ** The Hang Seng Tech index fell 0.5%, with Tencent Holdings down 2.8% and Alibaba Group Holding off 1.6%.

Hong Kong stocks ended lower on Tuesday weighed down by technology stocks, including index heavyweights Tencent and Alibaba, against the backdrop of a possible U.S. Federal Reserve rate hike as soon as March and overhang from China's regulatory crackdown on the tech sector. ** The Hang Seng index fell 0.4% to 24,112.78, while the China Enterprises index lost 0.2% to 8,449.00 points.

** The Hang Seng Tech index fell 0.5%, with Tencent Holdings down 2.8% and Alibaba Group Holding off 1.6%. ** The Hang Seng Composite index tracking financial stocks was down 0.2% and the Hang Seng Finance index fell 0.3%.

** Insurer AIA Group Ltd lost 1.1% on Tuesday after Capital Group Cos Inc's long position in AIA fell to 6.84% from 7.03%. ** Mainland developers listed in Hong Kong gained 1.8%, as sentiment was lifted by China's central bank cutting the borrowing costs of its medium-term loans.

** China will retain continuity and stability in its property financing policy, central bank official Zou Lan said in a briefing in Beijing on Tuesday, adding that property sales and financing were steadily returning to normal levels. ** Hong Kong-listed shares of Shimao Group gained 4.1% after it won approval from creditors to extend the payment deadline of a 450 million yuan ($70.86 million) asset-backed security.

** Country Garden Holding Co Ltd's shares jumped by 4.9%, after saying it plans to repurchase some of its senior notes. ** The blue-chip CSI300 index rose 1% to 4,813.35, while the Shanghai Composite index gained 0.8% to 3,569.91.

($1 = 6.3508 Chinese yuan renminbi)