Hong Kong shares ended higher after slipping to four-month lows

Hong Kong stocks ended higher on Tuesday after plumbing a four-month low in the previous session, but gains were capped as investor sentiment remained fragile amid broad uncertainties over trade and economic growth.

The Hang Seng index rose 0.4%, to 27,390.81 points, while the China Enterprises Index gained 0.1%, to 10,416.55 points. ** Trade worries remained high on investors' list of concerns.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that Washington was not ready to make a deal with Beijing but he expected one in the future, while at the same time pressing Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to even out a trade imbalance with the United States. ** Markets showed a scant reaction to a Reuters report that Alibaba is planning a $20 billion Hong Kong listing to boost investment war chest.

Around the region, MSCI's Asia ex-Japan stock index was firmer by 0.16%, while Japan's Nikkei index closed up 0.37%. ** The yuan was quoted at 6.9142 per U.S. dollar at 08:14 GMT, 0.24% weaker than the previous close of 6.8974.

The top gainers among H-shares were Guangzhou Automobile Group Co Ltd, up 6.42%, followed by Byd Co Ltd, gaining 4.75%, and Great Wall Motor Co Ltd, up by 3.89%. ** The three biggest H-shares percentage decliners were China Mobile Ltd, which was down 1.26%, Guangdong Investment Ltd, which fell 1.2%, and Hengan International Group Company Ltd, down by 1.2%.

About 3.14 billion Hang Seng index shares were traded, roughly 178% of the market's 30-day moving average of 1.76 billion shares a day. The volume traded in the previous trading session was 1.30 billion. ** At close, China's A-shares were trading at a premium of 26.80% over Hong Kong-listed H-shares.