Hong Kong Stocks Extend Rally To End With Gains

Hong Kong shares closed on a positive note on Monday following a strong lead from Wall Street, extending a rally at the end of last week, though markets across Asia were mixed as traders remain on edge over rising coronavirus numbers in parts of Asia.

The Hang Seng Index climbed 0.6 percent, or 166 points, to 28,194.

In company news, trading in Hong Kong's largest pro-democracy media group was suspended on Monday, days after authorities froze the assets of its jailed owner Jimmy Lai under a new national security law.

Next Digital Limited – which publishes the Apple Daily newspaper – said it would halt trading "pending the release of an announcement" about Lai's frozen assets, in a statement to the city's stock exchange.

Across the border, the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index added 0.8 percent, or 27 points, to 3,517, while the Shenzhen Composite Index on China's second exchange gained 1.2 percent, or 26 points, to 2,320.

Sydney, Singapore, Manila, Mumbai Wellington all rose. But Tokyo, Seoul, Bangkok, Jakarta and Taipei were all lower as some governments in the region struggle to contain new cases of coronavirus.

The rise in infections has forced Taiwan to order stricter social distancing measures for the capital and surrounding areas, while Japan extended a state of emergency as calls grow for the Olympics to be scrapped.

And in Singapore, most in-school classes have been scrapped while an already once-delayed travel bubble planned for this month with Hong Kong was deferred again owing to a sharp pick-up in infections in the city.

There are also worrying new outbreaks in Thailand and Malaysia. (AFP)