Hong Kong shares seen weak, poised for monthly index gain

June 29 (Reuters) - Hong Kong shares could start weaker on
Friday ahead of the release of the official China PMI over the
weekend and the outcome of a two-day European leaders summit
later in the day, but the benchmark index should record a
monthly gain.

Data due over the weekend is expected to show that activity
at China's factories fell to seven-month lows in June. That
would compound market concerns that the economy is stuck in a
deeper and longer downturn than anticipated.

On Thursday, the Hang Seng Index closed down 0.8
percent at 19,025.3. It is up 2.1 percent in June.

Elsewhere in Asia, Japan's Nikkei was down 0.6
percent and South Korea's Kospi was down 0.3 percent by
0047 GMT.

FACTORS TO WATCH:

* Tsingtao Brewery Co Ltd , China's
second-largest beer maker by volume, has said chairman Jin
Zhiguo has resigned with immediate effect for health reasons.
The company said late on Thursday Jin would become honorary
chairman, and president and executive director Sun Mingbo would
take over as chairman.

* Manulife Financial Corp , Canada's
largest life insurer, is expanding into Cambodia as part of a
long-term bet on southeast Asia that could see the region
eventually become the prime growth engine for the company.

* Telekom Austria's planned acquisition of budget
mobile operator Yess from Orange faces an extended
review by Austria's competition authorities, delaying Hutchison
3G's agreed $1.6 billion takeover of Orange Austria.
Hutchison 3G Austria says still
confident of approval of sale of Yess to Telekom Austria
.

* China's Xinjiang Goldwind Science & Technology Co
, China's second-biggest wind turbine
maker, said it has sold its 19.5 megawatt Mortons Lane wind farm
in Australia to CGN Wind Energy Ltd (CGNWE), a unit of China
Guangdong Nuclear Power Group.

* Apple Inc's suppliers in China have violated
local labour laws when they imposed excessive overtime and
skimped on insurance, a New York-based labour rights group said.
China Labor Watch interviewed 620 workers at 10 factories run by
Apple suppliers, including Toyo Precision Appliance and BYD
Electronic (International) Co. The group also spoke
with workers at factories run by units of Quanta Computer Inc
, Wintek Corp and U.S.-listed Jabil Circuit
Inc.

* Chinese piped gas distributor China Gas Holdings Ltd
posted 52.4 percent rise in profit to 953.9 million
yuan for year ended in March, with revenue rising to 18.9
billion yuan from 15.9 billion yuan in a year ago period.

* China three major bourses, Hong Kong Exchanges Clearing
Ltd (HKEx), the Shanghai Stock Exchange and the
Shenzhen Stock Exchange, have formed a joint venture company to
develop financial products and services, HKEx said in a
statement on Thursday.

* Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said the rating and
outlook on MIE Holdings Corp. are not affected by the
company's announcement that it plans to invest in Sino Gas &
Energy Ltd.

* China Agri-Industries Holdings Ltd said it
expected to record a substantial decrease in its consolidated
net profit for six months ending June as its profit margin has
been squeezed due to rigorous challenges faced by the relevant
industries and higher raw materials cost. For statement, here

* China Yurun Food Group Ltd said it noted of
recent decrease in stock price and was not aware of any reason
for the decrease. It also clarifies that the allegations and
comments on its accounting misstatements are untrue, groundless
and without basis. For statement, here

(Reporting by Clement Tan and Donny Kwok; Editing by Eric
Meijer)