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China, Hong Kong stocks end lower on Middle East tensions

China and Hong Kong stocks declined on Friday, tracking their regional peers, pressured by reports of an Israeli attack on Iran that stimulated rising safehaven bets.

** The most recent advancements triggered concerns over a widening of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza to consist of other countries in the Middle East, triggering financiers to rush to sweep up normal safe-haven assets.

** Initial U.S. news reports late on Thursday said Israel introduced rockets at Iran in retaliation for an April 13 attack on Israel that was in reaction to an alleged Israeli assault that killed Iranian military leaders on April 1. Iranian authorities on Friday told there was no missile attack.

** It's a big dampener on risk possessions, including equities and many currencies, said Christopher Wong, currency strategist at OCBC Bank.

** At the close, the Shanghai Composite index was down 0.29% at 3,065.26 points, while the blue-chip CSI 300 was down 0.79%.

** The financial sector, consumer staples , property and healthcare fell in between 0.44% and 1.55%.

** The smaller sized Shenzhen index ended down 0.73% and the start-up board ChiNext Composite index was weaker by 1.762%.

** The Hang Seng index closed 161.73 points or 0.99%. lower at 16,224.14. The Hang Seng China Enterprises index. fell 0.99% to 5,746.61.

** Around the area, MSCI's Asia ex-Japan stock index. was weaker by 1.64%, while Japan's Nikkei index. shut down 2.66%.

** The yuan was priced quote at 7.2409 per U.S. dollar. at 08:32 GMT, 0.04% weaker than the previous close of 7.2382.