Shares of Chinese Internet gaming and social media giant Tencent Holdings gave up early gains to fall as much as 2.5% to HK$374.60 in the early afternoon, after Prosus and Naspers said they would gradually sell shares in the firm.
Tencent stock surged as much as 4.2% in morning trade to HK$400.20, its highest since 9 June, before sliding in the afternoon. The stock last traded down 1.3%, the third biggest percentage decliner in the Hang Seng Tech Index.
The Hang Seng Tech Index rose 2.1% and the benchmark Hang Seng Index surged 2.3%.
Dutch technology investment company Prosus and its controlling shareholder, Naspers of South Africa, said on Monday they intend to sell down their enormous stake in Tencent to fund a share purchase programme.
Naspers, which holds 28.78% stake in Tencent through Amsterdam-listed subsidiary Prosus, posted a 16% drop in full year profit as it reinvested its earnings into other businesses and as the contribution from its shareholding in Tencent dropped after a stake sale last year. — Donny Kwok, (c) 2022 Reuters