Hong Kong stocks tanked at the open Friday morning following a rout on Wall Street fuelled by worries over the banking sector, while traders awaited the release of US jobs data later in the day.

The Hang Seng Index fell 1.73 percent to 19,581.

The Shanghai Composite Index shed 0.63 percent to 3,256, while the Shenzhen Composite Index on the mainland's second exchange lost 0.56 percent to 2,102. (AFP)