Mainland China's Market Faces Sharpest Drop Since Last November

Mainland China's financial markets witnessed a sharp decline, closing the week with the largest drop since November. Investor sentiment took a hit as ongoing tensions in the Middle East weighed heavily on the market.

The Shanghai Composite index dropped by 1.24%, reaching its lowest level since December 2025, while the CSI300 index declined by 0.35%. Non-ferrous metal stocks particularly struggled, as they were impacted by the downturn in gold prices due to a robust U.S. dollar and a hawkish tone from the U.S. Federal Reserve.

Despite efforts by China's central bank to stabilize financial markets, imported energy costs present complications in policy decisions. Meanwhile, photovoltaic stocks saw gains, driven by reports of Tesla's large equipment purchase from Chinese suppliers. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index and tech stocks also fell, with Alibaba's shares plummeting post-earnings miss.