Hong Kong stocks advanced 59 points, or 0.2%, to 26,013 in Wednesday morning trading, extending gains from the previous session amid firmer U.S. futures as Wall Street awaited clearer signals on the Iran conflict. Sentiment remained underpinned by strong Chinese trade data, with both exports and imports expanding more than expected in the first two months of 2025, reflecting resilient external and domestic demand.
On the corporate front, Chinese EV maker NIO posted its first-ever quarterly net profit in Q4 2025, supported by record sales and solid margins, helping to narrow its full-year loss. Still, upside in the broader market was capped by concerns that China’s lower 2026 GDP target, combined with robust export performance, might give Beijing scope to delay additional stimulus measures this year.
Sector-wise, consumer and technology shares led the advance, while property and financial stocks lagged. Notable early gainers included Geely Auto (up 3.9%), China Hongqiao Group (2.5%), Orient Overseas (2.4%), and Knowledge Atlas (2.1%).
