Key Points:Hang Seng Index slipped 0.56% to 24,941, weighed by weak earnings from Chinese chipmaker SMIC and a broader tech sector retreat.Investor caution rises ahead of China’s July inflation and producer price data, key for assessing deflation risks.Hopes for US-China trade progress and Beijing stimulus may lift the Hang Seng Index toward 25,736 or even 26,000.Hang Seng Index Dips on Earnings WoesIs there an end in sight to China’s deflation troubles? The Hang Seng Index fell in early trading