Citi Predicts Central and West Kowloon Offices Will Excel Compared to Other Areas Next Year, Favoring HLD and SHKP
JD-SW Acquisition: JD-SW has agreed to acquire a 50% stake in the CCB Tower in Central, Hong Kong for HK$3.5 billion, while a local institution purchased office space in Festival Walk for HK$1.96 billion.
Office Market Outlook: Citi predicts continued demand for office space in Hong Kong, driven by Chinese companies and initiatives like the “GoGlobal Task Force” aimed at helping mainland firms expand internationally.
Central and West Kowloon Performance: Citi expects office spaces in Central and West Kowloon to outperform other areas by 2026, with potential rent stabilization for major property owners.
Competition in Causeway Bay: With record-high new supply, competition in Causeway Bay is expected to intensify, impacting projects in Hong Kong Island East while benefiting developments like Hysan Development's Lee Gardens.
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Market Overview: The Hang Seng Index (HSI) fell by 3.5% to 24,400, while the Hang Seng Tech Index (HSTI) and the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index (HSCEI) also experienced significant declines of 3.1%.
Active Heavyweights Performance: Major stocks like PING AN, HKEX, and XIAOMI saw substantial drops, with PING AN down 6% and HKEX down 3.9%, reflecting a trend of short selling across these companies.
Notable Declines Among Constituents: Companies such as CHINAHONGQIAO and LAOPU GOLD faced severe losses, with CHINAHONGQIAO dropping 11.7% and LAOPU GOLD down 10.7%, indicating a broader market downturn.
Short Selling Trends: A significant amount of short selling was observed, particularly in stocks like XIAOMI and AIA, with ratios exceeding 30%, highlighting investor pessimism in the current market conditions.

Market Performance: The Hang Seng Index (HSI) fell by 182 points (0.7%) to close at 25,716, while the Hang Seng Tech Index (HSTI) and the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index (HSCEI) also experienced declines.
Active Heavyweights: Major stocks like Alibaba, Tencent, and Meituan saw slight declines, with Alibaba closing at $131.6 (-1.2%) and Tencent at $546.5 (-1%).
Notable Movers: Xpeng and JD Logistics were among the gainers, with Xpeng rising 4.4% to $78.45, while CSPC Pharma and Nongfu Spring faced significant losses, dropping 4.5% and 4.4%, respectively.
Short Selling Trends: High short selling ratios were observed in several stocks, including Meituan (46.5%) and Nongfu Spring (53.8%), indicating increased bearish sentiment among investors.
Market Performance: The HSI fell by 1.2% to 25,579 points, with significant losses in the HSCEI and HSTECH, while total market turnover reached HKD131.003 billion.
Sector Highlights: Oil stocks like PETROCHINA and CNOOC saw gains of 2.4% and 3.4%, respectively, while coal stocks also performed well, with YANKUANG ENERGY rising by 8.5%.
Inflation Impact: Inflation concerns negatively affected real estate and utility stocks, with major companies like HENDERSON LAND and SHK PPT experiencing declines of over 3%.
Tech Sector Trends: Major tech stocks such as TENCENT and BABA-W faced losses, with TENCENT dropping 1.1% and BABA-W falling 2.3%, while JD-SW managed a slight increase of 0.2%.

Market Performance: The Hang Seng Index (HSI) fell by 318 points (1.2%) to 25,579, while the Hang Seng Tech Index (HSTI) and the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index (HSCEI) also experienced declines.
Active Heavyweights: Major stocks like Alibaba, Meituan, and Tencent saw significant drops, with Alibaba closing down 2.3% and Tencent down 1.1%, amidst high short selling activity.
Notable Movers: CMOC and Nongfu Spring were among the biggest losers, dropping over 5%, while China Risun GP and Qingsong Health achieved notable gains, with China Risun GP up 18.3%.
Short Selling Trends: The report highlighted substantial short selling across various stocks, indicating bearish sentiment in the market, particularly for companies like Meituan and Techtronic Industries.

Mainland China Property Purchases: Mainland China buyers acquired 2,600 units in Hong Kong in 2M26, marking a 91% year-over-year increase, with total transactions reaching HKD28.2 billion, up 136% YoY.
Factors Driving Growth: The surge in purchases is attributed to a stronger RMB exchange rate, attractive rental yields, positive gross carry, and a recovery in property prices.
Morgan Stanley's Market Outlook: Morgan Stanley is optimistic about Hong Kong's residential market, selecting CK ASSET as its top pick with an Overweight rating, and favoring SHK PPT over HENDERSON LAND.
Short Selling Data: As of March 11, 2026, short selling data indicates significant activity in HK developers, with SHK PPT and HENDERSON LAND showing notable short selling ratios.

Market Concerns: JPMorgan's research indicates worries about potential rate hikes due to inflation or geopolitical factors, which could negatively impact the Hong Kong property sector's valuations.
Interest Rate Outlook: The broker expects interest rates to remain stable for the next four quarters, allowing homebuyers to benefit from a positive interest margin, which may help the sector endure unchanged rates.
Sensitivity to Rate Changes: NEW WORLD DEV and HENDERSON LAND are identified as the most sensitive to interest rate fluctuations, while other sector fundamentals remain strong, leading to a positive outlook from JPMorgan.
Top Picks: JPMorgan's preferred stocks include SHK PPT and SINO LAND among developers, and SWIRE PROPERTIES, Hongkong Land, and HANG LUNG PPT among landlords.






