HSI Makes Modest Gains Despite US-Iran Crisis

Hong Kong shares started the week with small gains on Monday, brushing off worries about the brewing US-Iran crisis to focus on upcoming talks between President Xi Jinping and his American counterpart, Donald Trump, at this weekend's G20 summit in Osaka.

Dealers said the biggest uncertainty looming over the market remains the trade war between the world's two largest economies.

The Hang Seng Index added 39 points, to 28,513.

Across the border, the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index put on 6 points, to 3,008. But the Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China's second exchange, dipped slightly, closing at 1,576.

Most regional stocks were flat. The Nikkei in Japan rose 0.1 percent to 21,285. South Korea's Kospi was up less than 1 point, at 2,126. In Taiwan, the Weighted Price Index lost 0.2 percent at 10,779. Australia's S&P ASX 200 picked up 0.2 percent to finish at 6,665.