Hong Kong-Shenzhen index to launch despite linkup lacking launch date

The Hang Seng Indexes Company and Shenzhen Securities Information Company will launch a new composite index with 100 constituent stocks from Hong Kong and Shenzhen on August 17 ahead of a market linkup between the two bourses, which still lacks a firm launch date, South China Morning Post reported. Five sub-indices with 20 stocks each are planned under the new composite index for market segments including information technology, consumption, financials, real estate and infrastructure and transportation. Since November, Beijing has allowed cross-trading between Hong Kong and Shanghai of up to RMB550 billion (US$88.5 billion), with a similar tie-up with Shenzhen expected in the second half of this year.