Hong Kong equities started the trading day on a softer note, with the benchmark index pulling back in early deals.

The Hang Seng Index opened 0.59% lower at 25,415.72 points, while the Hang Seng Tech Index shed 0.62% to 4,591.12 points. The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index also declined 0.63% to 8,459.32 points. Pre-market turnover stood at approximately HK$9.486 billion.

Where to look for weakness

Artificial intelligence and technology names led the decline. BOSS Zhipin-W (02076) dropped more than 3%, while BABA-W (09988) fell close to 2%. On the upside, Jifeng Medical-B (02675) advanced nearly 5%, and Sany International (00631) along with Global New Material International (06616) each gained over 4%. Xizhi Technology-P (01879) rose nearly 4%, and Botech Connect (02889) climbed more than 3%.

Overnight, all three major US indices closed in the red, with the Dow down 0.70%, the S&P 500 off 0.33%, and the Nasdaq losing 0.12%. The Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index fell 2.18%, and Alibaba's US-listed shares dropped more than 4%. The weaker performance of US-listed Chinese equities weighed on sentiment, prompting Hong Kong tech counters to open lower this morning.

Why only a handful of stocks are driving the early moves highlights the market's cautious tone, as investors digest global cues and sector-specific pressure.