Hong Kong stocks closed modestly higher on Monday morning session in narrow trade following the mixed performance of the US equity markets on Friday. The benchmark index opened up 57 points at 25,727. It briefly rose 153 points to 25,823 at one stage.
The Hang Seng Index ended the morning up 98 points or 0.4% to 25,768. The H-share index rose 55 points or 0.5% to 10,485. Half-day turnover was unchanged at HK$35.8 billion from Friday.
BOC Hong Kong (02388) jumped 4.3% to HK$36.15 after Morgan Stanley lifted its target price to HK$46. Bank of China (03988) edged up 0.5% to HK$3.83. China Construction Bank (00939) put on 0.7% to HK$6.15. Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (01398) also gained 0.6% to HK$5.23.
Entering peak season of power consumption, China's coal price continued its rally to RMB622/tonne. It crossed the alert line of RMB600/tonne. China Shenhua (01088) added 2.4% to HK$20.15. Yanzhou Coal (01171) rose 1% to HK$6.54. China Coal (01898) was barely up 0.3% to HK$3.78.
Chinese financials were firmer, with Ping An (02318) adding 1% to HK$52.8. China Life (02628) rose 0.2% to HK$24.25. China Pacific Insurance (02601) shot up 2.3% to HK$30.6. China Taiping Insurance (00966) rose 1.7% to HK$20.45. New China Life Insurance (01336) added 1.6% to HK$40.45.