Market Blues: China and Hong Kong Stocks Dip Amid Trade Talks

Mainland China and Hong Kong stocks took a downturn on Tuesday, retreating from earlier gains as investors closely monitored U.S. President Donald Trump's current Asia tour. Anticipation is building up for his upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, which could bring a potential agreement to de-escalate ongoing trade tensions between the two nations.

The Shanghai Composite Index dipped by 0.22%, closing at 3,988.22 points. This decline came after it exceeded the critical 4,000-point mark for the first time since August 2015, hitting an intraday peak of 4,010.73 points. Meanwhile, the blue-chip CSI300 Index recorded a 0.51% loss, with losses predominantly driven by a 3.23% drop in non-ferrous metal stocks, in line with a downturn in global gold prices.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was not immune, falling by 0.33%. Investors are heading into this week's U.S.-China trade discussions with mixed emotions, hopeful for a truce yet wary of an outcome lacking substance. The focus remains on how innovation and technological self-reliance will persist as Beijing's priorities amidst this competition, as emphasized by experts.