A key gauge of Chinese stocks traded in Hong Kong is nearing a bear market as Beijing’s latest crackdown drives investors to dump shares of the nation’s technology giants.
The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index tumbled by as much as 2.9% on Thursday, extending its loss since a February high to about 19%. The gauge was dragged down by some of the biggest internet names including Meituan, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and Tencent Holdings Ltd., which were down by at least 3.6%.
The selloff comes after China’s cyberspace regulator suddenly ordered app stores toremoveDidi Chuxing over the weekend, dealing a major blow to the ride-hailing giant just days after it pulled off one of the biggest U.S. initial public offerings of the past decade.
Investors now worry that more troubles are ahead for the sector as Beijingmullsfurther rule changes that would allow them to block Chinese firms from listing overseas.
“We see every motivation for China to limit overseas listings going forward,” Jefferies analysts including Edison Lee wrote in a note Wednesday. “China wants to rely less on U.S. capital markets to have more say in the U.S.-China relationship, and to develop its own stock market and boost Hong Kong’s financial center status.”
The Hang Seng Tech Index, whose members include China’s biggest firms in the sector, fell 3.6% on Thursday, extending its weekly decline to more than 7%. That’s on track to be the deepest weekly loss since late February when a surprise stock trading taxhikeplan acceleratedprofit taking. The nation’s technology giants have lost more than$800 billionin market value since February highs.