HONG KONG: Hong Kong shares closed on the front foot Wednesday as investors welcomed signs of progress in Ukraine ceasefire talks after Russia said it would scale down its military activity around two cities.

The Hang Seng Index added 1.39 percent, or 304.40 points, to 22,232.03.

Hong Kong stocks begin marginally higher

The Shanghai Composite Index climbed 1.96 percent, or 62.66 points, to 3,266.60, while the Shenzhen Composite Index on China’s second exchange jumped 2.55 percent, or 53.14 points, to 2,137.61.