Chinese shares fell in weak trading on Tuesday, dragging down Hong Kong markets, after data showed that direct foreign investment in China fell for a tenth straight month and big Chinese consumer firms reported weak results.
The Hang Seng Index closed down 0.2%, while the China Enterprises Index of the top Chinese listings in Hong Kong shed 0.5% in their first loss in three days.
In the mainland, the CSI300 Index of the top Shanghai and Shenzhen listings had a fourth-straight loss, sliding 0.5% to its lowest close since March 2009. The Shanghai Composite Index shed 0.4%.
Foreign direct investment inflows into China fell 3.5% in the first 10 months of the year from a year ago, extending the longest run of decline in three years, affecting sentiment in the market.
Shanghai volume was at its lowest in almost a year, as money rates inched higher as the central bank allowed a slight net drain of funds, with banks and companies preparing for a spike in demand for cash at the end of the month.
Hong Kong turnover was the highest in three sessions, but was still some 11% below its average in the past month.
Chinese financials led the reversal, as losses for Ping An Insurance deepened following a confirmation by HSBC that it is in talks to sell a $9.3 billion stake in China's second-largest insurer.
Ping An shed 1.2% in Hong Kong and 3.2% in Shanghai, partly suffering from weak A-share markets. Chinese insurers such as Ping An are seen as proxy plays on mainland stock markets given their high levels of investment there.
The Chinese consumer sector was again mostly weak after GOME Electrical Appliances posted late on Monday weak third-quarter earnings, following the lead of Parkson Retail Group and Tingyi Holdings.
GOME and Tingyi each lost 3.7%, while Parkson lost another 5$% after diving 8.8% on Monday.
Food and beverage giant Tingyi slid to HK$22.10, its lowest close since Aug. 22, also hurt by a JP Morgan downgrade after its underwhelming third quarter earnings on Monday.
JP Morgan analysts downgraded Tingyi from "neutral" to "underweight", while reducing their June 2013 price target from HK$18.00 to HK$16.00, saying the premium it typically trades over its sector peers is now "stretched".
Citic Pacific tumbled 4.3% after it filed a court injunction against Australian mining tycoon Clive Palmer over disputed royalties at the $8 billion Sino Iron project in Western Australia, the latest in a long list of hurdles for the troubled project.
China's Longfor Properties sank 4.2% on concerns of a change of management control after local media reported its chairwoman's recent divorce from her husband.
TENCENT, FOXCONN STRONG
Bucking broader market weakness, Chinese internet giant Tencent Holdings rose 2.3%, rebounding from a two-month low set on Monday after rival, Nasdaq-listed Sina Corp SINA.O, soared 7.8% overnight.
Chinese media reported that Alibaba Group, the country's largest e-commerce company, planned to buy a stake in Sina's popular "Weibo" microblogging service.
Foxconn International gained 3.3% in relatively heavy volume after IT news outlet Digitimes reported Apple suppliers will enjoy a particularly strong first quarter next year with Apple expected to introduce its next generation iPad and iPhone series in mid-2013.
There has been no official confirmation that Foxconn International, which assembles handsets for the likes of Nokia, Huawei Technologies Co and ZTE Corp, is now also an Apple supplier, but a Citi report in early November had raised hopes of that.
