HSI Declines by 65 Points at Opening; CATL and CMOC Start Strong Among Blue Chips; Alibaba and Baidu Struggle
US Inflation and Stock Market Update: US inflation was below expectations while core inflation met them; the DJIA rose by 0.1% last Friday.
Hong Kong Stock Market Performance: The Hong Kong bourse opened lower, with the HSI down 0.2% and other indices also showing declines.
HSI Quarterly Review Changes: CATL, CMOC, and LAOPU GOLD were added to the HSI, while ZHONGSHENG HLDG was removed; CATL and CMOC saw slight increases in their stock prices.
Notable Stock Movements: Stocks like BABA-W and BIDU-SW dropped significantly after being listed as Chinese military companies, while ANTA SPORTS received approval for a stake acquisition in PUMA.
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Macau's GGR Performance: Macau's gross gaming revenue (GGR) for the first eight days of March was MOP5.65 billion, showing a 33% week-over-week decline, but if the daily average GGR remains between MOP680 million and MOP730 million, March's total GGR could reach MOP21.3-22.4 billion, reflecting an 8-14% year-over-year growth.
HSBC's Ratings on Casino Stocks: HSBC Global Research maintained a "Buy" rating on SANDS CHINA LTD with a target price of $22.5, citing ongoing initiatives to sustain market share, while also expressing optimism for GALAXY ENT and MGM CHINA, with target prices of $49 and $17, respectively.
Stock Performance: Several casino stocks in Hong Kong showed positive gains, with Galaxy Entertainment up by 1.895% and MGM China by 1.751%.
Short Selling Data: Galaxy Entertainment had the highest short selling amount at $40.21M, while MGM China had the highest short selling ratio at 58.844%.
Analyst Ratings: UBS upgraded Sands China Ltd and Melco International Development to "Buy" while maintaining a 5% GGR growth forecast for the year.
Current Ratings: SJM Holdings and Wynn Macau are rated as "Hold," with target prices of 2.2 and 6.5 respectively.

Market Performance: The Hang Seng Index (HSI) fell by 656 points (2.5%) to 25,101, while the Hang Seng Tech Index (HSTI) and the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index (HSCEI) also experienced declines of 2.3% and 1.8%, respectively.
Notable Stock Movements: Major companies like PING AN, BABA, and TENCENT saw significant drops in their stock prices, with PING AN down 5% and BABA down 4%. Conversely, CNOOC experienced a notable increase of 7%, reaching a new high.
Short Selling Activity: High short selling ratios were observed across various stocks, with notable figures including SHK PPT at 47.783% and Meituan at 26.644%, indicating increased bearish sentiment among investors.
Sector Highlights: While many stocks faced declines, some, like YANCOAL AUS and YANKUANG ENERGY, reported gains, with YANCOAL AUS up 8.4%, reflecting a mixed performance across different sectors in the market.
Stock Ratings and Target Prices: Various companies in the gaming sector have received updated ratings and target prices, with Melco Resorts rated as "Buy" and Sands China downgraded from "Neutral" to "Buy".
Short Selling Data: Significant short selling activity is noted across several companies, with Sands China experiencing the highest short selling ratio at 52.992%.
Market Performance: Most companies listed, including Galaxy Entertainment and MGM China, have seen declines in their stock prices, with Galaxy down by 4.522%.
Analyst Recommendations: CLSA has highlighted Galaxy Entertainment and MGM China as top picks following a positive report on Macau's gaming revenue for February.

Market Performance: The Hang Seng Index (HSI) fell by 717 points (2.8%) to 25,051, while the Hang Seng Tech Index (HSTI) and the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index (HSCEI) also experienced declines of 2.0% and 2.4%, respectively.
Notable Stock Movements: Major companies like Ping An, Alibaba, and AIA saw significant drops in their stock prices, with Ping An down 4.6% and Alibaba down 4.2%.
Short Selling Activity: High short selling volumes were reported for several stocks, including Alibaba ($1.56B) and Tencent ($1.91B), indicating bearish sentiment among investors.
Gainers and Losers: While many stocks declined, XIAOMI showed a slight increase of 1.5%, and XXF surged by 22.8%, contrasting with significant losses from companies like DALIPAL HLDG and COSCO SHIP ENGY, which dropped over 10%.

Macau Gaming Revenue: Macau's GGR for February reached MOP20.6 billion, reflecting a 4% year-over-year increase and a 1% month-over-month increase, although it fell short of market estimates.
Broker Insights: Jefferies reported a preference for premium operators like GALAXY ENT and Wynn Resorts, despite the GGR data being below initial market expectations.
Visitor Activity: HSBC Research maintained a Buy rating on GALAXY ENT, citing strong visitor and commercial activity during the Lunar New Year, indicating resilience in travel spending.
Market Performance: The report noted short selling activity of $188.25 million with a ratio of 36.397%, highlighting ongoing market dynamics.







