Hong Kong stocks open sharply lower

Hong Kong stocks started Monday with steep losses as investors were spooked by more violent protests in the embattled city.

The Hang Seng Index fell 1.05 per cent, or 289.73 points, to 27,361.41.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index shed 0.93 per cent, or 27.44 points, to 2,936.75 and the Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China's second exchange, fell 1.21 per cent, or 20.01 points, to 1,628.67.