Hong Kong stocks end higher on upbeat China data

Hong Kong stocks closed higher on Monday as upbeat Chinese data pointed to a continued recovery in the world's second-largest economy, with sentiment aided by the establishment of a China-backed trade bloc. ** The Hang Seng index ended 224.81 points or 0.86% higher at 26,381.67.

Hong Kong stocks closed higher on Monday as upbeat Chinese data pointed to a continued recovery in the world's second-largest economy, with sentiment aided by the establishment of a China-backed trade bloc.

** The Hang Seng index ended 224.81 points or 0.86% higher at 26,381.67. The Hang Seng China Enterprises index rose 0.32% to 10,578.94. ** The sub-index of the Hang Seng tracking energy shares rose 1.8%, while the IT sector rose 1.16%, the financial sector ended 1.55% higher and the property sector dipped 0.8%.

** The top gainer on the Hang Seng was HSBC Holdings PLC , which gained 4.16%, while the biggest loser was China Overseas Land & Investment Ltd, which fell 5.06%. ** China's factory output rose faster-than-expected in October and retail sales continued to recover although at a slower-than-forecast pace.

** Materials firms led the climb, with the Hang Seng materials index surging 5.7% to a more than 1-1/2 year high. ** Fifteen Asia-Pacific economies formed the world's largest free trade bloc on Sunday, which had left a rival Asia-Pacific grouping under President Donald Trump.

** Around the region, MSCI's Asia ex-Japan stock index was firmer by 0.45%, while Japan's Nikkei index closed up 2.05%. ** The yuan was quoted at 6.5765 per U.S. dollar at 0819 GMT, 0.45% firmer than the previous close of 6.606.

** At close, China's A-shares were trading at a premium of 40.71% over Hong Kong-listed H-shares.