China, Hong Kong stocks slip as investors weigh Trump — Xi summit outcome

By Summer Zhen HONG KONG, Sept 24 (Reuters) — China and Hong Kong stocks extended losses on Thursday as investors remained sceptical that a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington would produce a broader breakthrough. * China's blue-chip CSI300 Index fell 1.3% by the lunch break, while the Shanghai Composite Index lost roughly 1%. * Hong Kong's benchmark Hang Seng Index was down 0.5%. * Trump welcomed Xi to Washington on Wednesday for a three-day visit that will test relations between the two superpowers. * Xi's first trip to the US in nearly three years was not expected to yield major breakthroughs, but Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the two countries agreed to extend trade truce by two months. * The extension is "shorter than market expectations" for a one-year rollover but nonetheless helps preserve stability in the bilateral relationship, UBS said in a sales note. * Also weighing on sentiment was the absence of a delegation of Chinese business leaders during Xi's visit, which Beijing had sought to bring for meetings with Trump, * Most sectors were lower by midday, led by gold equities, mat