Hong Kong stocks finished lower on Tuesday, surrendering gains from the previous session, as sentiment soured following the release of China's disappointing trade data.
The Hang Seng Index shed 0.50%, or 102.81 points, to 20,311.28. The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index retreated 0.74%, or 54.51 points, to 7,306.16.
China's export growth moderated in November, rising 6.7% year-over-year, below the estimated 8.5% expansion in a Reuters poll.
This marked a significant slowdown from October's 12.7% increase, which was the fastest pace since July 2022.
Meanwhile, China's import slump deepened in November, with a 3.9% year-over-year contraction.
This missed expectations of a 0.3% growth and marked a further deterioration from the 2.3% decline seen in the previous month.
The figures exacerbated concerns about the health of the Chinese economy as consumer demand remains weak and the threat of increased tariffs looms.
In corporate news, MAO Geping Cosmetics (HKG:1318) made a stellar trading debut in Hong Kong as the cosmetics maker closed at HK$52.6 per share, up 76.5% from its IPO price of HK$29.80.
