HK stocks rise ahead of reopen of China markets after holiday break

* Hang Seng index gains 0.65%

* China Enterprises index HSCE rises 1.12%

* HS Tech Index climbs 0.75%, HSI finance sector up 1.02%

Feb 17 (Reuters) – Hong Kong stocks rose on Wednesday, extending a bull run after the Lunar New Year holidays and on course for seven consecutive sessions of gains, with increasing risk appetite from investors on optimism over global economic recovery.

** The market sentiment is strong and positive on the back of an improving pandemic situation and on anticipation the bull run will continue when China markets reopen, brokers said.

** The Hang Seng index rose 0.65% at 30,946.10 by mid-day, the highest since June 2018, while the China Enterprises Index increased 1.12% to 12,171.05 points.

** The Hang Seng Tech Index gained 0.75% and the Hang Seng sub-index, tracking information technology firms, rose 0.76%.

** China’s mainland markets will remain closed for the Lunar New Year celebrations and are scheduled to reopen on Feb. 18.

** MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan ticked up 0.59% while Japan’s Nikkei slid 0.47%.

** The Hong Kong Hang Seng sub-index, tracking property firms, slid 0.65% and the Hang Seng Finance Index surged 1.02%.

** The top gainer in the Hang Seng Index was Sands China , which was up 4.93%, while the biggest percentage loser was Sunny Optical, which dropped 2.79%.

** The biggest gainer in Hang Seng Tech Index was Tongcheng-Elong Holdings Limited, which soared 11.13%, while the top percentage loser was Hua Hong Semiconductor , down 7.31%

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