Hong Kong stocks climb a 14th day for new record

HONG KONG: The record rally in Hong Kong stocks moved into a 14th day on Friday, in line with a broad advance across Asia and following healthy annual Chinese trade data.

The Hang Seng Index rose 0.9 percent, or 292.15 points, to close at 31,412.54. The index is within two percent of its all-time high of 31,958.41 hit in October 2007.

And the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index climbed 0.11 percent, or 3.60 points, to 3,428.94 but the Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China’s second exchange, lost 0.21 percent, or 4.19 points, to 1,948.93.