In half-day trading to mark the end of the Year of the Snake, the benchmark Hang Seng Index ended up 138 points, or 0.5 percent, at 26,705.

The tech index was seven points, or 0.1 percent, higher at 5,367 while the China enterprises index was up 37 points, or 0.4 percent, at 9,070.

CK Asset closed 34 HK cents, or 0.7 percent, up at HK$27.24.

Of those counters that saw the biggest moves, Zijin Mining was up HK$1.94, or 4.66 percent, at HK$43.52 while Yum China was down HK$20, or 4.57 percent, at HK$417.

In Tokyo, the Nikkei share average drifted higher with gains of 39 points, or 0.07 percent, at 56,981 in early afternoon trading.

The gains came after Japan earlier in the day reported its economy grew a miserly 0.1 percent annualised in the December quarter.

That was far below the 1.6 percent gain forecast but the disappointing figures lifted hopes that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi would push for more aggressive fiscal stimulus. (Additional reporting by Reuters)



Edited by Thomas McAlinden