Brexit hits firms with heavy exposure to UK

With the Britain's divorce from the European Union confirmed on Friday, prominent Hong Kong-listed banks and companies with heavy business exposure to the United Kingdom were battered by a hefty fall in the stock market.

The benchmark Hang Seng Index snapped its five-session streak of gains to tumble by 2.9 percent on Friday, mainly led by the 9.48-percent plunge of London-based Standard Chartered Plc and 6.59-percent slump of London-headquartered HSBC Holdings Plc.

Li Ka-shing's CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd sank 5.07 percent, while Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings Ltd and Power Assets Holdings Ltd retreated by 5.48 percent and 4.76 percent, respectively.