Hong Kong: Stocks open with sharp gains

[HONG KONG] Hong Kong stocks notched up healthy gains in the first few minutes of trade Tuesday, tracking another record on Wall Street and in line with rallies across Asia as worries about Italy's political uncertainty faded.

The Hang Seng index was up 0.99 per cent, or 223.66 points, to 22,729.21 soon after opening.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index inched down 0.08 per cent, or 2.68 points, to 3,202.03 but the Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China's second exchange, climbed 0.16 per cent, or 3.28 points, to 2,071.45.

AFP