HSI Sheds Over 700 Points As Protests Rock Hong Kong

Hong Kong shares tanked on Monday as the city was gripped by more protests, with at least one person shot by police and much of the transport system shut down.

The Hang Seng Index fell 2.6 percent, over 700 points, to 26,926.

On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite Index fell 1.8 percent, to 2,909 and the Shenzhen Composite Index, lost 2.3 percent, to 1,611.

Analysts will keeping tabs on mainland's annual "Singles' Day" shopping frenzy, the world's biggest 24-hour shopping event, which acts as a gauge of the country's consumer spending.

Total gross merchandise volume settled through e-commerce titan Alibaba's payments platform Alipay hit US$27.4 billion in the first 12 hours, the company said.

This put it on course to break last year's record of US$30.7 billion. The firm said the first US$1 billion was spent in just 68 seconds.

Tokyo ended 0.3 percent lower and Singapore shed more than one percent with Seoul, Mumbai, Taipei, Jakarta and Manila also sharply lower. Sydney and Wellington edged up.

On currency markets the pound edged up but struggled to recover losses suffered Friday that came in reaction to news that Moody's had downgraded the outlook for Britain's debt, citing mounting policy challenges as the Brexit saga rumbles along. (AFP)