Hong Kong stocks drop in opening trade

Hong Kong tumbled in the first few minutes of trade on Thursday after separatists called for help from Moscow to repel Ukrainian forces, ramping up fears of a Russian invasion.

The Hang Seng Index sank 1.66 percent to 23,268.

The Shanghai Composite Index fell 0.42 percent to 3,474, while the Shenzhen Composite Index lost 0.63 percent to 2,323.