US Treasury debt surpassed the USD40 trillion mark. Rising US Treasury yields and higher oil prices also fueled investor concerns over rising US inflation. The three major US stock indices fell overnight (20th), with the DJIA closing down 703 points or 1.3%. Hong Kong bourse opened higher this morning (21st). The HSI opened at 25,807, up 109 points or 0.42%; the HSCEI opened at 8,579, up 31 points or 0.37%; and the HSTECH opened at 4,710, up 9 points or 0.21%.

Among major techs, BABA-W (09988.HK) -1.000 (-0.792%) Short selling $2.48B; Ratio 21.279% reported a 38% YoY decline in adjusted net profit for the last quarter and said AI investments were expected to break even within three years. Its share price opened 2.38% higher. NTES (09999.HK) +0.600 (+0.310%) Short selling $570.46M; Ratio 38.660% opened 1.55% lower after its adjusted net profit for 2Q26 fell 18.7%. XIAOMI-W (01810.HK) +0.740 (+2.666%) Short selling $976.03M; Ratio 19.407% opened 2.31% higher. TENCENT (00700.HK) -3.400 (-0.753%) Short selling $1.18B; Ratio 13.295% edged down about 0.1% at market open. BIDU-SW (09888.HK) -0.600 (-0.651%) Short selling $449.80M; Ratio 28.155% opened 1.47% lower.

For blue chips, POP MART (09992.HK) -7.900 (-5.140%) Short selling $401.08M; Ratio 24.058% opened 8.2% lower after results, as the company admitted it may fail to achieve its full-year 20% growth target. LI NING (02331.HK) +0.010 (+0.069%) Short selling $61.81M; Ratio 17.958% logged a 4.5% hike in interim profit and raised its interim dividend, with shares opening 1.8% higher. J&T EXPRESS-W (01519.HK) +0.460 (+4.582%) Short selling $135.63M; Ratio 36.713% posted nearly 1.9x growth in interim profit, opening 4.28% higher. HENDERSON LAND (00012.HK) +1.860 (+6.600%) Short selling $66.27M; Ratio 40.744% reported over 66% growth in interim underlying profit and opened 3.62% higher this morning. PING AN (02318.HK) +1.000 (+1.848%) Short selling $311.73M; Ratio 17.070% opened 1.85% higher after results. CHINA TELECOM (00728.HK) +0.105 (+2.220%) Short selling $44.69M; Ratio 13.799% reported a 15% decline in interim profit and reduced its dividend payout, though the stock still opened 0.85% higher.

Spot gold stabilized above USD4,500 per ounce, lifting gold mining stocks at the open. ZIJIN GOLD INTL (02259.HK) +4.800 (+3.237%) Short selling $494.61M; Ratio 15.965% remained strong, opening nearly 4% higher. ZIJIN MINING (02899.HK) +0.680 (+1.850%) Short selling $668.48M; Ratio 22.413% and LINGBAO GOLD (03330.HK) +1.140 (+4.880%) Short selling $49.87M; Ratio 6.570% both opened over 2% higher. Gold jewelry stocks were also sought after, with LAOPU GOLD (06181.HK) +16.400 (+4.430%) Short selling $106.02M; Ratio 11.730% opening 2.11% higher and CHOW TAI FOOK (01929.HK) +0.010 (+0.075%) Short selling $253.55M; Ratio 58.338% opening 1.79% higher.
(HK stocks quote is delayed for at least 15 mins.Short Selling Data as at 2026-08-20 16:25.)