Hong Kong shares closed up on Thursday, tracking Asian markets higher on growing expectations that the US Federal Reserve will likely cut interest rates in September.

At the close of trade, the Hang Seng Index was up 51 points or 0.3 percent at 18,476.

The Shanghai Composite Index ended down 0.5 percent at 3,048, while the smaller Shenzhen index ended down 1.7 percent. (Reuters)