US stocks closed down 0.3% to 0.5% overnight (17 Aug), as tensions in the Middle East escalated again and international oil prices rose more than 2%. The HSI opened down 84 pts this morning (18 Aug), with losses once widening to more than 200 pts. However, Hong Kong stocks reversed higher in the afternoon. The HSI closed at 25,471, up 17 pts or 0.07%, with full-day turnover of HKD255.541 billion. The HSCEI closed at 8,453, up 13 pts or 0.16%, while the HSTECH closed at 4,739, down 42 pts or 0.9%.

BABA-W (09988.HK) +4.500 (+3.682%) Short selling $1.40B; Ratio 23.687% supported the broader market, closing up 3.68%. XIAOMI-W (01810.HK) +0.300 (+1.159%) Short selling $449.07M; Ratio 28.661% , which announced results today, gained 1.16%. TENCENT (00700.HK) -4.000 (-0.896%) Short selling $482.90M; Ratio 8.666% fell 0.9%, while MEITUAN-W (03690.HK) -2.100 (-2.396%) Short selling $358.81M; Ratio 15.570% dropped 2.4%. JD-SW (09618.HK) -2.000 (-1.770%) Short selling $99.51M; Ratio 18.720% and KUAISHOU-W (01024.HK) -0.700 (-1.747%) Short selling $299.63M; Ratio 18.406% each declined about 1.7%.

AI-related shares were under pressure throughout the day. AI model stock Z.AI (02513.HK) -160.000 (-13.300%) Short selling $539.19M; Ratio 7.163% once fell below the HKD1,000 mark, hitting a low of HKD990, before closing down 13.3% at HKD1,043. MINIMAX-W (00100.HK) -15.000 (-4.494%) Short selling $185.52M; Ratio 4.613% also dropped 4.49%. PCB shares were likewise sold off, with KB LAMINATES (01888.HK) -3.420 (-8.120%) Short selling $390.01M; Ratio 13.944% falling 8.12%, KINGBOARD HLDG (00148.HK) -2.430 (-4.741%) Short selling $158.19M; Ratio 15.622% down 4.74%, and VGT (02476.HK) -15.200 (-5.924%) Short selling $38.63M; Ratio 6.493% declining more than 5%.

Oil stocks strengthened in line with higher international oil prices. PETROCHINA (00857.HK) +0.240 (+2.509%) Short selling $44.58M; Ratio 15.990% rose 2.51%, CNOOC (00883.HK) +0.500 (+2.090%) Short selling $19.60M; Ratio 2.252% gained 2.09%, and SINOPEC CORP (00386.HK) +0.020 (+0.466%) Short selling $14.39M; Ratio 17.465% added 0.47%. Among shipping stocks, OOIL (00316.HK) +6.000 (+3.776%) Short selling $35.67M; Ratio 19.871% climbed 3.78%, COSCO SHIP ENGY (01138.HK) +0.400 (+2.703%) Short selling $26.91M; Ratio 16.446% rose 2.7%, and SITC (01308.HK) +1.180 (+2.783%) Short selling $23.82M; Ratio 30.323% gained 2.78%.

Among blue chips, LENOVO GROUP (00992.HK) -1.680 (-5.088%) Short selling $249.99M; Ratio 11.631% was the worst-performing constituent, closing down 5.09%. CHINA LIFE (02628.HK) -1.100 (-3.931%) Short selling $172.91M; Ratio 20.101% fell nearly 4%. POP MART (09992.HK) -3.400 (-2.215%) Short selling $231.32M; Ratio 18.206% slipped 2.21% after M Stanley cut its TP on the company. WUXI BIO (02269.HK) +2.420 (+5.243%) Short selling $202.84M; Ratio 11.823% posted notable gains, rising 5.2% to become the best-performing blue chip, while BEONE MEDICINES (06160.HK) +6.800 (+3.178%) Short selling $95.83M; Ratio 21.480% advanced 3.18%.

Chip stocks showed mixed performance. BOCOM International raised the TP on SMIC (00981.HK) +0.700 (+0.931%) Short selling $230.22M; Ratio 4.245% to HKD108, with the stock closing up nearly 1%. HUA HONG GRACE (01347.HK) -11.000 (-7.863%) Short selling $262.86M; Ratio 9.538% dropped 7.86%, while MONTAGE TECH (06809.HK) -20.200 (-6.495%) Short selling $112.92M; Ratio 13.416% and ILUVATAR COREX (09903.HK) -31.000 (-6.798%) Short selling $6.51M; Ratio 1.271% each fell more than 6%.

Among individual stocks, 361 DEGREES (01361.HK) +0.140 (+3.001%) Short selling $529.27K; Ratio 4.645% reported an 8% increase in interim profit and closed up 3%. G Sachs said SENSETIME-W (00020.HK) -0.065 (-4.248%) Short selling $203.72M; Ratio 24.301% 's positive profit alert for the interim period beat expectations, though the stock still fell 4.25% for the day. CHINA LIT (00772.HK) -0.520 (-2.421%) Short selling $7.27M; Ratio 9.970% dropped 2.42% after Nomura downgraded the stock to Neutral. CHOW SANG SANG (00116.HK) +2.310 (+19.138%) Short selling $3.14M; Ratio 4.722% issued a positive profit alert, with its shares surging 19.14%. SKB BIO (06990.HK) +20.000 (+3.828%) Short selling $19.17M; Ratio 12.203% rose 3.83% after its 1H26 net profit beat expectations. (mn/da)(HK stocks quote is delayed for at least 15 mins.Short Selling Data as at 2026-08-18 12:25.)