Hang Seng Index gains as new rules allow Alibaba, Xiaomi to be added
Hong Kong benchmark Hang Seng Index managed to close just shy of 24,000 as it announced new rules to incorporate secondary listings and dual class shares.
Hong Kong stock benchmark Hang Seng Index (HSI) is off to a strong start this week, rallying a total of 1.23% on Monday 18 May 2020, as the bourse introduced new rules that would allow it to include Chinese tech giants like Alibaba, Xiaomi and Meituan Dianping.
The index managed to close just shy of the 24,000 mark for the day, based on IG trading data.
Monday’s gains reverse the losses made last Friday 15 May, when the Hang Seng descended nearly 1.0% after mid-day following renewed US-China tensions and lower China consumption and retail data for the month of April.
Hang Seng to add secondary listings and dual class shares
Under the new regulations, secondary-listed companies from the Greater China region (covering Hong Kong, Mainland China, Macau and Taiwan) as well as dual class shares will be included in the overall weightage of the index at an initial 5% weighting cap.
This would mean that share price movements of Chinese internet conglomerates like Alibaba Group Holding and Xiaomi Corporation, which have secondary listings on the Hong Kong stock exchange, will now be tracked and tabulated into the overall index.
Following the announcement, Alibaba’s Hong Kong share price rose to finish the day at HK$203 per share, its highest level, in a month.
IG is a world-leading online trading and investments provider for thousands of financial markets. With CFDs (read all about CFDs here), you can buy long or sell short on the Hang Seng Index and other indices depending on whether you think prices will rise or fall. Start today by opening an IG account.
HSI’s gains led by oil’s rebound
Hang Seng’s gains on Monday had also started with oil’s price rallies. WTI and Oil - Brent crude's July 2020 futures contracts both rose to their highest in more than a month on Monday, hitting US$31.05 per barrel and US$33.99 respectively.
Consequently, stocks of Chinese oil giants also rallied, led by China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), which soared nearly 8.0% on the day. Stocks of PetroChina and Sinopec rose 4.6% and 3.0% respectively.
Oil is rising on the back of output reduction and early signs of growing demand with more countries now starting to ease their travel and border restrictions.
Meanwhile, share prices of smartphone parts supplier Sunny Optical Technology Group and AAC Technologies Holdings were unable to participate in the excitement over the Hang Seng Index’s new changes. Each company’s stocks crashed over 11% and 6.0% as US-China trade concerns carried over from last week.
Market sentiments remain mixed: analyst
With US and China embroiled in yet another trade-related tussle, and US Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell warning that a full economic recovery could only take place toward the end of 2021, market sentiments remain mixed going into the rest of the week.
As IG analyst Pan Jingyi wrote in her latest note: ‘At the root of the oscillating sentiment may be the fact that there remains a significant bout of uncertainty with regards to the present Covid-19 situation.
‘The lack of information to assess the situation of this novel coronavirus and its long-term effect continue to underpin the likelihood of a bumpier ride ahead.’
How to trade Hong Kong and China stocks with IG
Are you bullish or bearish on Alibaba, Xiaomi, CNOOC shares and other Hang Seng Index stocks? Either way you can buy (long) or sell (short) the asset using derivatives like CFDs in a few easy steps:
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