Hong Kong stocks closed 7 points lower and returned to 20,000-points level after the decline led by the United States tariffs narrowed down in the afternoon session.

The benchmark Hang Seng Index closed at 20,217 points, dipping down 0.04 percent, before once dropping to as low as 19,764 points, with a turnover of HK$124.96 billion.

Chinese tech stocks surged amid the market optimism on China artificial intelligence development as well as concerns of a new round of Sino-US trading war.

Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (0981) gained 10.3 percent to HK$41.9 apiece – the best performer among blue chips.