Hong Kong shares closed 1.51 percent higher on Thursday, lifted by a rally on Wall Street and by plans to give the city's investors greater access to the Shanghai stock market. The benchmark Hang Seng Index rose 343.79 points to 23,186.96 on turnover of HK$106.91 billion (US $13.79 billion). In China the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index rose 1.38 percent, or 29.06 points, to 2,134.30 on turnover of 129.8 billion yuan ($20.9 billion).
The Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China's second exchange, rose 0.44 percent, or 4.81 points, to 1,092.70 on turnover of 120.8 billion yuan.