Hong Kong: Stocks start Friday on positive note

[HONG KONG] Hong Kong stocks rose in the first few minutes of trade Friday as Italy's populist parties agreed to form a coalition government and avoid holding snap elections, though gains were tempered by fresh trade war fears.

The Hang Seng Index added 0.26 per cent, or 80.22 points, to 30,548.78.

But the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index shed 0.35 per cent, or 10.72 points, to 3,084.75, while the Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China's second exchange, lost 0.41 per cent, or 7.26 points, to 1,760.29.

AFP