HK exchange website hacked, trading halted

The Hong Kong stock exchange halted trading Wednesday afternoon after its website experienced "technical difficulties" allegedly from a hacking attack. In a news release, the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing said its board of directors suspended trading at 1:30 p.m. due to the "technical problems." "Due to technical problems encountered at the HKExnews website (www.hkexnews.hk), the interim results announcement of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited ('HKEx' or 'the Company') and its subsidiaries for the six months ended 30 June 2011 submitted by the Company at 12:44 pm today for publication on the HKExnews website may not have been publicly accessible. HKEx Board of Directors announces that trading in the shares of HKEx on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited has been suspended with effect from 1:30 pm on Wednesday, 10 August 2011," it said. A separate news release said HKEx is investigating the problem and the HKExnews website services "will resume as soon as the technical problem is resolved." Radio Television Hong Kong quoted HKEx as saying that a hacking attack on its website disrupted the stock market trading. It said trading in seven companies which released price-sensitive information today had to be suspended. They included HSBC, Cathay Pacific and the exchange itself. The RTHK report said the website crashed around lunchtime. HKEx Chief Executive Officer Charles Li defended the decision to suspend trading in shares such as HSBC and Cathay Pacific, the RTHK report said. — TJD, GMA News