The benchmark Hang Seng Index advanced 668 points, or 2.53 percent, at the close of trading to hit 27,081, the strongest level since February 12.
The China enterprises index, which tracks major mainland firms listed in the city, bounced 237 points, or 2.65 percent, its best single-day gain in a month.
Mainland markets will resume trading on Tuesday after the nine-day Lunar New Year holiday.
Sentiment was largely upbeat following the US Supreme Court’s decision on Friday to strike down Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs, which China is making a “full assessment” of.
China should see the largest tariff reduction as it faces the highest tariff rates at the outset, declining to 24 percent from 32 percent, according to analysts at Morgan Stanley.
Trump will travel to China from March 31 to April 2 for a highly anticipated meeting between the leaders of the world’s two biggest economies.
“The US tariff ruling and Trump’s finalised China visit schedule is lending a support to risk appetite,” Zhang Qiyao, chief strategy analyst at Industrial Securities, wrote in a note.
“Although Trump may seek other tariff tools as substitutes which could still bring some uncertainty… the risk of sharp twists in US-China relations will be relatively controllable in near term ahead of his visit.”
The Hang Seng Tech Index rallied up to four percent to rebound from a seven-month low struck in the Friday trading session amid renewed optimism towards China’s AI developments.
It ended up 173 points, or 3.34 percent, at 5,385.
Alibaba jumped 3.5 percent and Tencent rallied 3.1 percent.
Chipmaker SMIC surged five percent for its best gain in nearly two months.
Investors are also digesting early data releases for the Chinese New Year holiday period, which delivered a “broadly firm” demand signal, with upbeat retail sales, resilient travel and improved home sales, according to Citi analysts.
“With the economy off to a steady start, market focus will shift to the National People’s Congress starting March 5,” they wrote in a note.
Around the region, MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was up 0.9 percent in light trade. (Reuters)
Edited by Tony Sabine
