Hong Kong stocks end higher, tracking global gains

Hong Kong stocks closed higher on Tuesday, following a global rally boosted by expectations that the European Central Bank and the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates. ** The Hang Seng index rose 0.3% to 28,466.48, while the China Enterprises Index gained 0.4% to 10,809.92.

** Around the region, MSCI's Asia ex-Japan stock index was firmer by 0.16%, while Japan's Nikkei index closed up 0.95%. ** The yuan was quoted at 6.879 per U.S. dollar at 08:14 GMT, 0.04% firmer than the previous close of 6.8817.

** The top gainers among H-shares were Hengan International Group Company Ltd up 5.6%, followed by PICC Property and Casualty Co Ltd, gaining 3.93% and China Resources Beer Holdings Co Ltd, up by 2.54%. ** The three biggest H-shares percentage decliners were Country Garden Holdings Co Ltd, which was down 2.15%, China Vanke Co Ltd, which fell 1.95% and China Pacific Insurance Group Co Ltd, down by 1.82%.

** About 979.41 million Hang Seng index shares were traded, roughly 67.9% of the market's 30-day moving average of 1.44 billion shares a day. The volume traded in the previous trading session was 1.14 billion. ** At close, China's A-shares were trading at a premium of 27.62% over Hong Kong-listed H-shares.