Hong Kong's benchmark stock index rose for a fourth session in a row on Thursday, amid bullish sentiment in the region that pushed Asian stocks to their highest level in a month. At close of trade, the Hang Seng index was up 266.05 points or 0.9 percent at 29,863.71. The Hang Seng China Enterprises index rose 0.57 percent to 11,683.99.

The sub-index of the Hang Seng tracking energy shares dipped 0.1 percent while the IT sector rose 1.98 percent, the financial sector was 0.77 percent higher and property sector rose 1.64 percent. The top gainer on Hang Seng was Country Garden Holdings Company Ltd up 8.62 percent, while the biggest loser was China Mengniu Dairy Co Ltd, down 1.91 percent.

So far this year, the Hang Seng index is up 34.53 percent, while China's H-share index is up 23.7 percent. As of the previous close, the Hang Seng has risen 1.44 percent this month.

The top gainers among H-shares were New China Life Insurance Co Ltd up 3.29 percent, followed by China Vanke Co Ltd gaining 2.12 percent and Great Wall Motor Co Ltd up by 1.96 percent.

Copyright Reuters, 2017