Hong Kong shares rose on Thursday as signs of progress in trade talks between the United States and China boosted investor hopes that the countries could reach an agreement to end their bruising seven-month trade war. The Hang Seng index settled 115.87 points higher, or 0.41 percent, at 28,629.92. The Hang Seng China Enterprises index rose 0.68 percent to 11,305.98. The sub-index of the Hang Seng tracking energy shares rose 0.4 percent, while the IT sector gained 1.43 percent, the financial sector was flat and the property sector added 0.48 percent.

The top gainer on the Hang Seng was Sands China Ltd, which rose 4.66 percent, while the biggest loser was China Mengniu Dairy Co Ltd, which fell 3.65 percent. The top gainers among H-shares were Air China Ltd, up 7.73 percent, followed by Great Wall Motor Co Ltd, which rose 5.02 percent and Guangzhou Automobile Group Co Ltd, up by 4.19 percent.

Copyright Reuters, 2019