Hong Kong stocks end flat on disappointing China export data

Hong Kong stocks erased earlier gains to end flat on Monday, as investors remained wary over China's latest dismal export data and the months-long protests in the Asian financial hub.

** The Hang Seng index was unchanged at 26,494.73, while the China Enterprises Index was unchanged at 10,408.05. ** China's exports in November shrank for the fourth consecutive month, underscoring the pressure on manufacturers from the tariff war with the United States, but growth in imports may be a sign that Beijing's stimulus steps are helping to stoke demand.

** The 17-month long trade dispute has heightened the risks of a global recession and fuelled speculation that China's policymakers could unleash more stimulus, as growth in the world's second-largest economy cooled to nearly 30-year lows. ** As far as the latest Chinese trade numbers suggest, the impetus is on for some form of Sino-U.S. trade resolution to ease the pressure on the trade front, Jingyi Pan, a Singapore-based market strategist with financial services firm IG, said in a note.

** Investors remained keen for more concrete details on the Sino-U.S. trade talks. ** Top White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said on Friday that a Dec. 15 deadline is still in place to impose a new round of U.S. tariffs on Chinese consumer goods, but President Donald Trump likes where trade talks with China are going.

** Vast crowds of black-clad demonstrators thronged Hong Kong on Sunday in the largest anti-government protests since local elections last month that boosted the pro-democracy movement seeking to curb controls by China. ** Around the region, MSCI's Asia ex-Japan stock index was firmer by 0.21%, while Japan's Nikkei index closed up 0.33%.

** The yuan was quoted at 7.0391 per U.S. dollar at 0816 GMT, 0.06% weaker than the previous close of 7.035. ** About 1.30 billion Hang Seng index shares were traded, roughly 85.1% of the market's 30-day moving average of 1.53 billion shares a day. The volume traded in the previous trading session was 1.64 billion.

** At close, China's A-shares were trading at a premium of 28.83% over Hong Kong-listed H-shares.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)