HK Hot Stocks: HSBC & China Life fall, Chongqing Iron up
HONG KONG, May 14 (Reuters) - Here are some stocks on the move in Hong Kong on Wednesday.
As of 0301 GMT, the benchmark Hang Seng Index .HSI had fallen 1.14 percent to 25,260.60 points. The index opened down 0.36 percent.
The China Enterprises Index of Hong Kong-listed mainland companies .HSCE, or H shares, was down 1.16 percent at 13,815.37 points.
STOCKS ON THE MOVE:
* Banking stocks and Chinese insurers came under pressue as investors weighed the impact of the earthquake in China and the U.S. Federal Reserve chairman's comments that financial markets were still troubled. Shares of HSBC (0005.HK: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), which topped the most heavily traded stock, fell 0.52 percent to HK$134.80.
China Life (2628.HK: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) lost 2.41 percent to HK$32.40 after it said it expected claims for the Sichuan earthquake to far exceed the claims for snowstorms that hit southern China early this year. PICC Property and Casualty (2328.HK: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), China's largest non-life underwriter, fell 1.29 percent to HK$6.91.
* Ping An Insurance (2318.HK: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) fell 2.26 percent to HK$69.25. The country's second-biggest life insurer said it had sought shareholders' approval on a general mandate in relation to the issue of shares representing up to 20 percent of its H shares but it gave no timetable or details of the issue. For details please see here
* Shares of Chongqing Iron and Steel (1053.HK: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) surged 17 percent to HK$3.79 after the steel producer said its production plants in Chongqing were not affected by the earthquake.
* Shares of Asia's top oil refiner Sinopec (0386.HK: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) tumbled 4.57 percent to HK$7.31 and China's second-largest oil refiner PetroChina (0857.HK: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) dropped 2.01 percent after crude prices hit a record near $127 a barrel overnight in New York, further squeezing their margins as domestic fuel prices are capped by the government.
* Shares of Anhui Conch Cement Co Ltd (0914.HK: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)(600585.SS: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), rose 1.37 percent to HK$66.70 after China's top cement maker said it planned to raise up to 11.5 billion yuan ($1.64 billion) by issuing A shares in Shanghai for expansion of cement and clinker production lines. [ID:nHKG279958]
* Shares of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd (0388.HK: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) fell 1.5 percent to HK$151.5 ahead of the release of its firts-quarter earnings due later on Wednesday. Hong Kong bourse should post a strong rise in first-quarter profit, but Asia's largest listed bourse faces an uncertain 2008 as China's turbulent markets and fears of a U.S. recession weigh. [ID:nHKG7775]
* Shares of China Railway Construction Corp Ltd (1186.HK: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), which built the world's highest railroad, fell 0.98 percent. The company said it aimed to realise an operational revenue of 200.8 billion yuan (US$28.72 billion) for 2008. [ID:nHKG278246]
* China Oilfield Services Ltd (2883.HK: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)(601808.SS: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), the drilling and equipment arm of top Chinese offshore oil producer CNOOC group, fell 1.9 percent to HK$15.5. The firm said late on Tuesday it had signed a turnkey drilling service contract with Devon Energy (DVN.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz).
* Shares of China Glass Holdings Ltd (3300.HK: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) jumped 6.05 percent to HK$2.98. The glass maker said it intended to set up a firm for the construction of a low emission glass production plant in Jiangsu province with total investment amounting to 800 million yuan.
* Investment firm ZZNode Technologies Co Ltd (2371.HK: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) jumped 11.86 percent to HK$2.64 after it said it would buy a firm to be involved in operation and broadcasting across a network of outdoor mega LED displays throughout major cities in the mainland for HK$2.93 billion, a deal to be settled mostly through the issue of convertible notes. (US$1=HK$7.8) (Reporting by Donny Kwok; Editing by Anne Marie Roantree)
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