Tech drags Hong Kong stocks, dollar squeezed as US inflation slows

Asian stocks struggled on Thursday, dragged by selling in Hong Kong tech shares, while the dollar was under pressure and short-dated bonds were firm as softening U.S. inflation seemed to suggest the U.S. rate hike cycle was nearing its end.

Early in the Asia day the euro hit a 2-1/2 month top at $1.10. Investors reckon Europe’s central bankers will need to stay on the hawkish side for longer than their U.S. counterparts to rein in rising prices.

MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) slid 0.3%, largely pressured by a 1.5% drop in Hong Kong tech stocks (.HSTECH) in the wake of the Financial Times reporting SoftBank was selling down its Alibaba stake.

Alibaba shares (9988.HK) were down 3% in early trade and SoftBank (9434.T) shares flat and neither immediately responded to Reuters enquiries.

Overnight data showed U.S. consumer prices barely rose in March. The annual 5% headline rise was the smallest since May 2021 and down from 9.1% last June. Core CPI, which strips out energy and food prices, remained sticky at an annual 5.6%.

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