The Hang Seng fell 153 points or 0.6% to end at 25,343 on Wednesday, slipping for the second day as global equities retreated due to growing concerns over fiscal strains worldwide.
Meanwhile, Dow Jones futures were notably lower, pressured by the sixth straight monthly drop in U.S. manufacturing.
Adding to uncertainty, a divided U.S. appeals court ruled most of President Trump’s tariffs illegal, though the measures will remain in place until October 14 pending a likely Supreme Court appeal.
All sectors moved in the red after a military parade in China, attended by Russia’s Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, prompted a profit-taking in defense-related shares.
Locally, Hong Kong regulators launched an insider trading probe involving at least two individuals at HKEX. Losses were cushioned by private survey data showing China’s services activity rose the most in 15 months during August. Major decliners included Henderson Land (-3.7%), Swire Properties (-3.2%), and BYD Co. (-2.5%).
