Hong Kong stocks opened with a small loss Thursday morning following another soft lead from Wall Street ahead of key US inflation data due later in the day.

The Hang Seng Index dipped 0.05 percent to 16,985.

The Shanghai Composite Index was marginally lower, inching down 0.58 points to 3,021, and the Shenzhen Composite Index on China's second exchange edged down 0.15 percent to 1,887. (AFP)