* Hang Seng index slides 0.78%
* China Enterprises index HSCE eases 0.69%
* Property sector falls 1.2%, Hang Seng Tech Index down 0.56%
HONG KONG, Oct 8 (Reuters) - Hong Kong shares slid on Thursday on news that Washington might impose restrictions on Tencent Holdings over concerns that the payment platform threatens its national security, while the market showed scant reaction to potential U.S. stimulus.
** According to a Bloomberg News report, the United States is considering restrictions on Alibaba-backed Ant Group as well.
** Such a move would mark a new deterioration in relations between the world's two largest economies, which have been stained by disputes over trade, Hong Kong's autonomy, cyber security and the spread of the novel coronavirus.
** By midday, the Hang Seng index was down 189.12 points, or 0.78%, at 24,053.74, on track to snap four straight sessions of gains.
** China's H-shares index slid 0.69% to 9,562.76.
** The sub-index of Hang Seng tracking property fell 1.2%, and the energy index declined 1.07%. IT sector slid 0.9%, Hang Seng Tech Index eased 0.56%, and the financial sector edged down 0.33%.
** Sunny Optical, which gained 2.31%, was the top gainer in the Hang Seng, while Xiaomi Corp was the top drag with a 4.84% drop.
** Chinese markets are closed for holidays until Oct. 9.
** Around the region, MSCI's Asia ex-Japan stock index was firmer by 0.83%, while Japan's Nikkei index was up 0.96%.
** The top gainers among H-shares were Sunny Optical, followed by China Conch Venture, which was up 0.98%, and Fosun International, which gained 0.89%.
** The three biggest H-shares percentage decliners were Xiaomi, followed by China Resources Beer, which fell 2.75%, and China Unicom, which was down 2.52%. (Reporting by Donny Kwok; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
