Hong Kong stocks fall as market reopens after 3-day Lunar New Year holiday - SCMP

Hong Kong stocks fall as market reopens after 3-day Lunar New Year holiday - SCMP

Hong Kong Stocks Fall as Market Reopens After Lunar New Year Holiday

Hong Kong’s stock market declined upon reopening on February 19, 2026, following a three-day closure for the Lunar New Year break, as investors trimmed positions and reduced liquidity weighed on trading activity. The Hang Seng Index fell 0.3% to 26,501.20 at the open, while the Hang Seng Tech Index dropped 0.2%. The decline mirrored a broader trend of profit-taking ahead of the extended holiday, during which mainland Chinese markets remained closed all week.

Tech and e-commerce giants led the sell-off. Alibaba Group Holding slid 1.8% to HK$152.60, JD.com fell 0.7% to HK$105.50, and Baidu dropped 1.5% to HK$133.80. Meituan, the food-delivery platform, lost 0.6% to HK$81.65. The weakness reflected ongoing investor caution amid global concerns over artificial intelligence-driven disruptions to business models, which had triggered a broader sell-off on Wall Street earlier in the week.

Despite the overall decline, some sectors and stocks gained ground. Online-game provider NetEase rose 1.8% to HK$189.10, while power-tools manufacturer Techtronic Industries advanced 1.1% to HK$119.90. Gold miner Zijin Mining and property developer Longfor Group also posted modest gains, rising 0.7% and 1.5%, respectively.

The Lunar New Year holiday, a major economic pause for China, typically reduces liquidity in Asian markets and amplifies volatility in commodities and currencies. With mainland exchanges closed until February 24, global investors are closely monitoring risk sentiment and commodity markets for spillover effects. Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s role as a gateway to Chinese assets means its limited trading activity further constrains market dynamics during the holiday period.

As the market resumes full operations later in the week, analysts will watch for policy signals from Beijing, consumption data from the holiday period, and yuan movements to gauge investor sentiment.

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