FX.co ★ Hang Seng Rises 0.4% at Finish

The Hang Seng Index advanced by 98 points, or 0.4%, to settle at 26,585 on Wednesday, halting a four-day losing streak, with technology and consumer sectors driving the gains. Market sentiment improved somewhat, spurred by a slight rise in U.S. futures, as investors positioned themselves ahead of President Trump’s speech at the World Economic Forum scheduled for later that day. In China, stock markets saw limited gains following regulatory actions aimed at mitigating market volatility and addressing numerous irregular trading activities. Investigations into potentially misleading disclosures by some listed firms were also initiated by stock exchanges, contributing to a stabilization of investor confidence. However, gains were tempered by investor caution in anticipation of Hong Kong’s December inflation figures and the impending release of Q1 business sentiment data. Key stock performances included China Vanke, which rose 4.6% after bondholders consented to postpone repayment of 60% of the principal on a CNY 1.1 billion puttable bond by one year. Additionally, ASMPT increased by 4.3% after announcing its evaluation of strategic alternatives for its Surface Mount Technology division.