Around the World's Markets: Hong Kong

LEADING STOCKS closed down but off the day's lows as investors backed away ahead of the release of key jobs data in the United States. The Hang Seng index was down 87.28 points or 0.66 per cent at 13,167.06.

"People are more or less waiting for the economic data from the US," said William Li, stock market analyst with Celestial Asia Securities Holdings. Many fund managers had already started to take holidays, further dampening turnover, traders said.