FX.co ★ Hong Kong Shares Rise for 5th Session

Hong Kong stocks rose by 89 points, or 0.3%, reaching 27,067 on Thursday, marking their fifth consecutive session of gains. The rally was primarily driven by property and financial sectors. The market sentiment was bolstered by China’s unprecedented trade surplus in 2025, with exports in December surpassing USD 100 billion. This strong performance was largely due to increased shipments to markets outside the US, which helped mitigate the risks associated with tariffs imposed during the Trump administration. However, the gains were tempered by a second consecutive day of declines on Wall Street, where tech and bank stocks were under pressure from earnings reports and geopolitical concerns. In response to a buoyant stock market, Chinese regulators announced plans to increase the minimum margin requirement for new borrowings from 80% to 100%, effective January 19. This move comes as market turnover reaches unprecedented levels. Investors are now looking forward to China’s credit lending figures, which will be released later today, followed by next week’s announcements on Q4 GDP, December activity data, and loan prime rate adjustments. In corporate news, S.F. Holding saw a rise of 3.2% after agreeing to acquire an 8.5% stake in J&T Global for HKD 8.3 billion, which increased by 2.2%. Other notable performers included ZTO Express, up 4.8%, KE Holdings, gaining 2.8%, and China Resources Land, rising 1.9%.