INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
China stocks on Monday posted their worst single-day drop in six weeks, weighed down by a correction in tech shares after a state fund
announced plans to cut its stakes in some of these companies, while focus remained on the Sino-US trade deal.
The blue-chip CSI300 index
fell 1.3 per cent to 3,967.10, while the Shanghai Composite Index dropped 1.4 per cent to 2,962.75, both their steepest drop since Nov
11.
The National Integrated Circuitry Investment Fund, also known as the "Big Fund", planned to cut its stakes in Gigadevice Semiconductor
603501.SS, chipmaker Shenzhen Goodix Technology 603160.SS and Hunan Goke Microelectronics 300672.SZ by about one percentage point each,
according to those companies' statements.
These three stocks as well as the broader tech sector came under pressure after the
announcement.
The CSI IT index and CSI telecoms services index sank 2.6 per cent and 2.9 per cent, respectively.
The strong gains in China's
growth stocks this year have more than factored in most of the expectations for their earnings in next two to three years, Luo Kun, an
analyst with Fortune Securities, wrote in a report.
For the short-term, the A-share market is expected to consolidate recent gains while
awaiting for new upward momentum following the Sino-US trade deal, Luo added.
Leading brokerage China Merchants Securities noted the state
fund's plan could dent market sentiment for the short-term, though China's long-term support for tech sector will remain intact.
Foreigners
have spent a record 190 billion yuan ($27.11 billion) via the Stock Connect so far in 2019 purchasing shares listed on the tech-heavy
Shenzhen Stock Exchange.
They bought China's A-shares via the Stock Connect for the 28th session on Monday, the longest buying spell this
year.
US President Donald Trump on Saturday said the United States and China would "very shortly" sign their so-called Phase One trade
pact.
China will lower tariffs on products ranging from frozen pork and avocado to some types of semiconductors next year as Beijing looks
to boost imports amid a slowing economy and a trade war with the United States.
Around the region, MSCI's Asia ex-Japan stock index was
weaker by 0.05 per cent while Japan's Nikkei index was up 0.02 per cent.
The yuan was quoted at 7.011 per US dollar, 0.06 per cent weaker
than the previous close of 7.0065.
At 0709 GMT, China's A-shares were trading at a premium of 24.96 per cent over the Hong Kong-listed