Hang Seng Marks Third Weekly Fall on Global Risks

2026-03-20 08:21 By Farida Husna 1 min. read

The Hang Seng fell 223 points, or 0.9%, to end at 25,277 on Friday, extending losses for the second session as most sectors dropped.

Sentiment remained cautious after global central bankers warned the Middle East war could reignite inflation, while the IMF noted the impact depends on its duration and intensity.

Tech and consumers posted steep declines, with property also weaker.

Weekly, the index logged a third straight drop, down 0.7%, amid worries that China may delay new support measures until growth shows deeper strain.

The PBoC held key lending rates at record lows for a tenth month in March, even as surging oil prices from the Iran conflict put Beijing on track to exit deflation earlier than expected.

Still, losses were offset by data showing China's youth jobless rate hit an 8-month low in February.

Xiaomi slipped 7.8%, followed by SMIC (-4.9%), China Unicom (-4.5%), and Sunny Optical (-3.5%).

Traders now await Hong Kong’s February inflation and Q4 current account later today.



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