Reuters Published April 14, 2026 Updated about 5 hours ago HONG KONG: China and Hong Kong stocks closed flat on Monday as the collapse of US-Iran peace talks dampened risk appetite across the region. The Shanghai Composite Index–– gained less than 0.1 percent to 3,988.56 at market close, and the blue-chip CSI300 Index added 0.2 percent, both clawing back from steep losses at the opening hour. Hong Kong’s benchmark Hang Seng lost 0.9 percent to 25,660.85. The Hang Seng Tech Index was down 0.8 percent. Around the region, MSCI’s Asia ex-Japan stock index was 0.8 percent lower. The US military said it would begin a blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports and coastal areas on Monday after weekend talks failed to reach a deal to end the war in Iran, jeopardizing a fragile two-week ceasefire. “Ongoing geopolitical tensions are making it hard for the market to break out of its current slump,” analysts at Soochow Futures wrote in a note. “High volatility and choppy, range-bound trading are…