The Hang Seng Index jumped 1.8% to 25,230 on Wednesday, extending its earlier gains as improved global risk sentiment lifted regional markets following a strong rally on Wall Street overnight. Optimism grew after President Donald Trump indicated that U.S. military operations in Iran could be scaled back within two to three weeks, easing fears of potential disruptions to energy supplies. Sentiment was further supported by a sharp rebound in mainland Chinese equities after Tuesday’s pullback.
All sectors in the Hong Kong market participated in the advance, with property, financials, and consumer-related shares among the leading gainers. The upside, however, was partly capped by a private survey showing that China’s factory activity slowed more than expected in March, as rising energy costs weighed on output. This contrasted with official data released earlier in the week, which pointed to the strongest post–Spring Festival expansion in a year.
Among notable movers, Tencent Holdings rose 2.7%, Knowledge Atlas Technology surged 21.7%, Semiconductor Manufacturing added 3.6%, and Xiaomi Corporation edged up 0.6%.
