AFP/APP: Hong Kong stocks dipped in the opening minutes of trade on Thursday, coming under pressure from profit-takers following a 12-day rally and following losses on Wall Street.

The Hang Seng Index ticked down 7.51 points to 31,066.21 at the open.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index slipped 0.18 percent, or 6.24 points, to 3,415.59 and the Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China's second exchange, shed 0.21 percent, or 4.06 points, to 1,941.60.

On the Japanese island, Tokyo stocks opened lower on Thursday after Wall Street fell for the first time in 2018 the previous day, while a strong yen weighed on sentiment.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 index fell 0.58 percent or 137.89 points to 23,650.31 in early trade while the broader Topix index opened down 0.49 percent or 9.18 points at 1,882.93.