Macau Casino Shares Fall on Tighter Quarantines for China Travelers

March 14, 2022 Macau Earnings & Filings Industry Updates

Hong Kong-listed casino shares fell broadly on Monday after Macau tightened quarantine requirements for some travelers amid a jump in Covid-19 cases in China.

SJM Holdings Ltd. was off 10% at 3.28 Hong Kong dollars (US$0.42) by midday, putting it on track for its biggest one-day percentage drop in six months. Sands China Ltd. fell 9.2% and Melco International Development Ltd. lost 9.1%.

Health authorities in the gambling hub said Sunday that travelers who visited certain areas of China’s Guangdong province will now have to serve seven to 14 days in quarantine upon arrival in Macau. The restriction applies to visitors of Zhongshan and Shenzhen cities and to areas of Guangzhou, Yangjiang and Dongguan.

The move came after Beijing imposed new lockdowns in Shenzhen and Shanghai to curb a surge in Covid-19 cases. China, battling its worst-ever outbreak of the virus in two years, on Sunday reported nearly 3,400 daily cases.