January 2, 2019: Hong Kong stocks edged down in the first few minutes of trade Wednesday as investors assess the ongoing US government shutdown and the outlook for a trade deal between China and the United States.

The Hang Seng Index eased 0.08 percent, or 21.26 points, to 25,824.44.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.16 percent, or 3.98 points, to 2,497.88, while the Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China's second exchange, opened 0.21 percent higher, or 2.63 points, to 1,270.50.

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