Hong Kong and mainland stocks rallied on Thursday, in line with gains across Asia and Wall Street, as traders welcomed news that China's investment fund had bought a stake in the country's banking giants.

The Hang Seng Index climbed 1.93 percent, or 345.11 points, to 18,238.21.

The Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.94 percent, or 28.95 points, to 3,107.90, while the Shenzhen Composite Index on China's second exchange added 0.72 percent, or 13.72 points, to 1,920.57. (AFP)