HK Stock Market Move | SITC (01308) rose over 5% again, with profits in the first half of the year exceeding market expectations and demand in the region maintaining robust growth.

SITC (01308) rose over 5% again, with a current increase of 5.66%, priced at HKD 46.68, with a transaction value of HKD 63.5245 million. On the news front, on August 19, SITC reported its interim results for the six months ending June 30, 2026, with revenue of approximately USD 1.842 billion, an increase of about 10.7% year-on-year; shareholders' profit attributable is USD 677 million, up 7.39% year-on-year; basic earnings per share are USD 0.25. A mid-term dividend of HKD 1.50 per share is proposed. CICC pointed out that SITC's profits in the first half exceeded expectations, mainly due to the company's cargo volume and freight rates performing better than anticipated. On the business front, the company's cargo volume in 1H26 experienced rapid year-on-year growth, while freight rates in 2Q26 showed significant improvement both year-on-year and month-on-month. From an industry perspective, CICC believes that due to this year's geopolitical conflicts, the demand for small vessels used for transshipment/feeder transport has increased, further exacerbating the tight supply situation in the region. On the demand side, within the Asian market, particularly the Southeast Asian market, the import and export volumes are expected to maintain strong growth, which will also further improve the balance of return trips on regional routes and enhance overall loading efficiency.