On July 16, night trading for the Hang Seng Index July futures contract commenced at 24,540 points. By 17:15 Beijing time, the contract had inched up to 24,541 points, registering a marginal increase of 2 points or 0.008%. This level represented a 23-point premium over the underlying index. Trading activity remained subdued with just 31 contracts exchanged during the session.

Market data revealed substantial open interest positions, with total outstanding contracts reaching 132,424. The net open interest figure stood at 41,376 contracts, reflecting significant market participation despite the thin trading volume. The premium level suggests cautious optimism among night session traders regarding near-term index performance.