The Hang Seng Index gained 0.44 percent on Friday to open at 17,079.67 points, shrugging off a weak performance by Wall Street overnight..

Traders are now setting their sights on Friday's release in the US of the personal consumption expenditures price index. It's he Federal Reserve's favoured gauge of inflation and the upcoming data could play a role in whether the US central bank cuts interest rates in September. (with additional reporting from Xinhua and AFP)