Hong Kong stocks tepid after violence rocks markets

Hong Kong stocks inched up slightly Tuesday, a day after recording their worst day in months as violence escalated in the city.

The Hang Seng Index was up 0.3%. On Monday, the index dropped more than 2.6% — its worst single-day percentage loss since the beginning of August, according to Refinitiv data.

Markets plunged on Monday as violence escalated to new levels in Hong Kong. A traffic officer shot a protester, and in another part of the city, a man was set on fire when confronting a group of protesters.

Elsewhere in the region, China’s Shanghai Composite Index opened slightly higher, though was last down nearly 0.2%. That index recorded its worst drop in more than four months on Monday, thanks to the uncertainty surrounding US-China trade talks and disappointing economic data.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 and South Korea’s Kospi Index each edged up 0.1%.

US futures moved slightly lower during Asian trading hours on Tuesday, following a weak session. Futures for the Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq were all down between 0.1% and 0.2%.