Hong Kong stocks seen lower as earthquake weighs

HONG KONG, May 14 (Reuters) - Hong Kong stocks are expected
to fall on Wednesday, tracking soft regional markets, as
investors weigh the impact of the earthquake in China and the
U.S. Federal Reserve chairman's comments that financial markets
were still troubled.

"The market will remain volatile, particularly after the
disaster," said Patrick Yiu, associate director from CASH Asset
Management. "Trade will turn quiet and thin as investors stay on
the sidelines for hints of direction."

The blue chip index is expected to remain trapped in the
25,200 to 25,700 range for the day.

Brokers said investors would turn more cautious to see what
further damage after the earthquake in the mainland might
bring.

The benchmark Hang Seng Index closed up 1.95 percent at
25,552.77 on Tuesday. The China Enterprises Index .HSCE of Hong
Kong-listed mainland companies, or H shares, rose 2.31 percent to
end at 13,997.91.
----------------------MARKET SNAPSHOT @ 2300 GMT ------------

INSTRUMENT LAST PCT CHG NET CHG
S&P 500 .SPX 1403.04 -0.04% -0.540
USD/JPY <JPY=> 104.63 -0.05% -0.050
10-YR US TSY YLD <US10YT=RR> 3.9131 -- 0.000
SPOT GOLD <XAU=> 865.65 0.02% 0.150
US CRUDE CLc1 125.87 0.06% 0.070
DOW JONES .DJI 12832.18 -0.34% -44.13
ASIA ADRS .BKAS 163.79 0.40% 0.65
--------------------------------------------------------------

FACTORS TO WATCH:
* Nikkei flat, exporters up on softer yen [.T]
* U.S. stocks-Oil, financials hot Dow; techs lift Nasdaq [.N]
* STOCKS NEWS ASIA-Market factors, main events [STXNEWS/ASIA]
* Oil hits record near $127 as Iran mulls output cut [O/R]
* Dollar rallies broadly after retail sales data [USD/]
* For upcoming Hong Kong events, click on [HK/DIARY]
* For Hong Kong press digest, click on [PRESS/HK]

STOCKS TO WATCH:

* China's top cement maker, Anhui Conch Cement Co Ltd
(0914.HK: Quote, Profile, Research)(600585.SS: Quote, Profile, Research), said it planned to raise up to 11.5 billion
yuan ($1.64 billion) by issuing A shares in Shanghai for
expansion of cement and clinker production lines. [ID:nHKG279958]

* Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd (0388.HK: Quote, Profile, Research) should post
a strong rise in first-quarter profit, but Asia's largest listed
bourse faces an uncertain 2008 as China's turbulent markets and
fears of a U.S. recession weigh. [ID:nHKG7775]

* China COSCO Holdings Co Ltd (1919.HK: Quote, Profile, Research) (601919.SS: Quote, Profile, Research), the
listed flagship of the country's top shipping conglomerate, has
ordered four new container ships worth $280 million, the company
said on Wednesday. [ID:nSHA279365]

* China Railway Construction Corp Ltd (1186.HK: Quote, Profile, Research), which built
the world's highest railroad, said it aimed to realise an
operational revenue of 200.8 billion yuan (US$28.72 billion) for
2008. [ID:nHKG278246]

* China Shenhua Energy Co Ltd (1088.HK: Quote, Profile, Research) said its commercial
coal production rose 24 percent in April to 15 million tonnes and
sales was up 24.7 percent year-on-year to 19.7 million in the
same month. For details please read
here

* Ping An Insurance (2318.HK: Quote, Profile, Research) said it had sought
shareholders' approval on a general mandate in relation to the
issue of shares representing up to 20 percent of its H shares but
it gave no timetable or details of the issue. For details please
see
here

* China Glass Holdings Ltd (3300.HK: Quote, Profile, Research) said it intended to set
up a firm for the construction of a low emission glass production
plant in Dongtai, in Jiangsu Province with total investment
amounting to 800 million yuan. For full statement please see
here

* China Eastern Airlines (0670.HK: Quote, Profile, Research) said it would seek
approval in a general meeting to be held on June 30 for the
airline to issue up 1.4 billion yuan worth of short-term
debentures in China within 12 months period. For details please
see
here

KEY HK ADR MOVERS (by % change)

Aluminum China (ACH.N: Quote, Profile, Research)(2600.HK: Quote, Profile, Research) +3.83

CNOOC Ltd (CEO.N: Quote, Profile, Research)(0883.HK: Quote, Profile, Research) +2.43

China Mobile (CHL.N: Quote, Profile, Research)(0941.HK: Quote, Profile, Research) +1.92

China Life (LFC.N: Quote, Profile, Research)(2628.HK: Quote, Profile, Research) +1.49

Yanzhou (YZC.N: Quote, Profile, Research)(1171.HK: Quote, Profile, Research) +1.47

HSBC Holdings (HBC.N: Quote, Profile, Research)(0005.HK: Quote, Profile, Research) +0.39
(US$1=HK$7.8)
(Reporting by Donny Kwok; Editing by Anne Marie Roantree)