Hong Kong stocks battered by China security proposal

Real estate companies and financials were among the biggest victims in a stock market sell-off in Hong Kong on Friday after China submitted a security law proposal for the city that has fanned fears of fresh protests.

With the economy already on the ropes because of the coronavirus, investors fled for the hills with many worried about Beijing's increasing influence in the semi-autonomous finance hub and what that could mean for doing business there. 

At its annual National People's Congress, lawmakers put forward a proposal to enact new legislation to strengthen "enforcement mechanisms" in Hong Kong, which was rocked last year by seven months of massive and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests that crippled the city.

Plans for the proposal had sparked warnings of "the end of Hong Kong" and fears of further unrest, while the US State Department said the move was "highly destabilising, and would be met with strong condemnation from the United States and the international community".

Earlier President Trump promised a response, saying: "I don't know what it is, because nobody knows yet. If it happens, we'll address that issue very strongly."

Markets are now worried that the city's freedoms—unseen on the mainland and protected by an agreement made before Britain handed the territory back in 1997—could be curtailed. 

US lawmakers have already passed a law that would strip the city's preferential trading status in the United States if it no longer enjoys autonomy from the mainland.

The virus has sent the Hong Kong economy into a tailspin, fuelling a record 8.9 percent contraction in the first three months of the year, with worse expected in the current quarter.

"Investors, especially foreign funds, will be cautious about parking their money in the Hong Kong market," said Ronald Wan, chief executive officer of Partners Capital International Ltd.

The Hang Seng Index fell more than four percent on Friday morning.

Property firms—already under pressure from the virus impact—were battered in early trade. 

Sun Hung Kai Properties lost 7.1 percent and New World Development dropped 8.1 percent, while Wharf Real Estate Investment shed 8.7 percent.

Swire Pacific was seven percent off and Hang Lung Properties was more than five percent lower.

And the picture was no less gloomy for financials, whose profits in the city could be threatened by companies leaving.

Market heavyweight HSBC lost 4.7 percent and BOC Hong Kong shed nearly six percent, while insurance giant AIA was down 6.2 percent and China Life dropped 5.8 percent.

Subway operator MTR Corp, which was battered during the protests as its stations were targeted by demonstrators, dived 8.8 percent.

The Hong Kong dollar, which has been at the strongest end of its trading band with the US dollar for several weeks, also dropped as dealers began selling the unit.

"Traders around the world are playing the waiting game to see details of the new Hong Kong law to gauge how severe the terms are," said Stephen Innes of AxiCorp. "And more specifically, the White House response to decide whether Hong Kong's special economic status will be affected." With Bloomberg News