Hong Kong - Banking giant HSBC Tuesday tried to reassure small investors in Hong Kong who have seen the value of their shares plunge 24 per cent then rebound
14 per cent within 24 hours.

HSBC's chief executive for the Asia-Pacific Sandy Flockhart said Monday's sudden plunge in share prices just before the market closed was caused by "technical trade" and not panic selling.

Hong Kong  - Hong Kong shares rebounded by more than 3 per cent Tuesday as HSBC Holdings partially recovered from massive 24 per cent losses sustained in a brutal Monday trading session.

The blue-chip Hang Seng Index climbed from a four-month low by 349.47 points, or 3.08 per cent, to end the day at 11,694.05 points. Turnover was 33.4 billion Hong Kong dollars (4.3 billion US dollars.)

Hong Kong - A group of pro-democracy Hong Kong legislators on Tuesday announced plans to try to enter Macau, where academics and politicians have been refused entry after a crackdown on so-called anti-China elements.

The six members of the League of Social Democrats plan to take a ferry Sunday to the gambling resort west of Hong Kong to test the ban after a series of deportations.

Hong Kong- Hong Kong shares plummeted by nearly 5 per cent Monday, sliding steeply in late trading as shares in HSBC bank fell by a massive 24 per cent.

The blue-chip Hang Seng Index fell by 576.94 points, or 4.84 per cent, to end the day at 11,344.58. Turnover was 35.7 billion Hong Kong dollars (4.6 billion US dollars.)

Monday's trading was dominated by a sell-off of HSBC shares which fell 24 per cent to close at 33 Hong Kong dollars, their lowest level since 1995.

Hong Kong  - More than 3,000 Hong Kong-owned factories in southern China have been idled or closed as the global economic slump takes its toll, an industry leader said in an interview Monday.

Around 3,200 factories have remained closed since the Chinese New Year holiday because of a lack of business, according to Danny Lau, chairman of the Hong Kong Small and Medium Enterprises Association.

Hong Kong  - Hong Kong is close to agreeing on an extradition treaty with Thailand that could be used to send ousted prime minster Thaksin Shinawatra back home, a news report said Sunday.

Talks are at an advanced stage over the wide-ranging treaty which could affect regular visitor Thaksin, facing a two-year jail sentence for corruption in Thailand, according to the Sunday Morning Post.