HSI Ends The Week On A High Over Trade Talks

Hong Kong stocks finished another healthy week on a positive note on Friday as investors cheered a report that the US is considering lifting Chinese tariffs in a bid to hammer out a trade deal between the world's top two economies.

The Hang Seng Index rose 1.3 percent, to end at 27,090.

On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite Index climbed 1.4 percent, to close at 2,596 while the Shenzhen Composite Index added 1 percent, to 1,322.

Tokyo jumped 1.3 percent.

Sydney added 0.5 percent, Seoul gained 0.2 percent and Singapore put on 0.8 percent, while there were also advances in Wellington, Taipei and Manila.

On currency markets the pound edged up and was sitting around two-month highs against the US dollar as dealers bet that Britain will not leave the European Union without a deal.

"For the most part the [pound's] move higher appears to be more in hope than expectation, given the default position as it stands now remains that the UK leaves the EU without a deal," said Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets UK. (AFP)