The Hang Seng dropped 188 points, or 0.7%, to 26,384 on Monday, extending losses from the prior session amid broad falls across sectors. Traders shunned riskier assets after Chinese stocks retreated further amid heightened Beijing-Tokyo tensions, with China warning citizens against traveling to Japan. Sentiment was also pressured by lower bets for a U.S. interest rate cut in December, following cautious signals from policymakers. Still. a rise in U.S. futures capped further losses ahead of key data releases after the longest U.S. government shutdown. Meanwhile, monthly loan prime rate fixings in the mainland will be held later this week, after the PBoC kept rates at record lows for a fifth straight month in October. On the fiscal side, China plans a “more proactive” policy over the next five years while managing debt risks. Key decliners included Geely Auto (-1.8%), Trip.com and Lenovo Group (-3.8% each), Horizon Robotics (-4.2%), Zhaojin Mining (-2.8%), and Orient Overseas (-1.8%).
