09.01.202608:16:50UTC+00Hang Seng Falls 0.4% Weekly

On Friday, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index experienced a boost, climbing 82 points, or 0.3%, to settle at 26,232. This uptick ended a two-day slump, spurred by modest yet broad-based gains, particularly within the consumer and property sectors, which helped bolster market sentiment. Meanwhile, China's Shanghai index hovered around a decade high following the release of new data revealing that consumer prices for December surged at the quickest annual rate in nearly three years. This surge was driven by the most significant rise in food prices observed over the past 14 months. Additionally, deflationary pressures on producer prices eased, with the decline rate slowing to the mildest in 16 months, signaling Beijing's efforts to reduce aggressive price competition and stabilize profit margins. Leading market performers included Laopu Gold at 5.4%, Kuaishou Technology at 3.7%, Zhaojin Mining and CK Hutchison both at 3.6%, and Zijin Gold International at 2.6%. Despite these gains, the city's markets saw a weekly decline of 0.4%, erasing previous gains due to heightened geopolitical tensions and caution ahead of China's trade and credit figures. Market attention also shifted towards the United States, with anticipation building over significant employment data and a critical Supreme Court decision regarding tariffs.