24.12.202502:33:32UTC+00Hong Kong Stocks Inch Higher Ahead of Early Market Close

In Wednesday morning trading, Hong Kong's stock market saw a modest rise as shares increased by 51 points, or 0.2%, reaching 25,824. This uptick comes after mild declines in the previous session, fueled by Wall Street's S&P 500 achieving a new record high overnight, supported by data revealing the U.S. economy's fastest growth in two years. Investors are also evaluating news that China intends to enhance urban renewal efforts and stabilize the property market starting in 2026, as part of its newly unveiled Five-Year Plan (2026–2030). However, any potential gains were curbed by local data indicating a reduction in Hong Kong's current account surplus to HKD 98.2 billion in the third quarter of 2025, down from HKD 113.3 billion the previous year. Additionally, inflation data showed that annual consumer prices remained steady at 1.2% in November, marking the highest rate since July 2025. In terms of sectors, financial and property stocks were the frontrunners, while consumer shares remained muted in anticipation of an early market closure for the Christmas Eve holiday. Among the notable performers were SMIC with a 2.5% increase, HKEX rising by 1.3%, AIA Group up by 1.0%, and Techtronic Industries, which gained 0.8%.