Hong Kong shares have climbed 1.00 per cent, in line with a regional rally, as investors followed a strong lead from Wall Street hours before the release of crucial US jobs data.
The benchmark Hang Seng Index added 213.72 points to end Friday at 21,636.85 on turnover of HK$62.45 billion ($A9.01 billion).
At the end of a week that started with turmoil in global markets, traders were a lot calmer hours before the US Labor Department reports its non-farm payrolls data for January.
The figures will be used as a gauge for the strength of the US economy and have taken on huge significance since the Federal Reserve began winding down its stimulus program from last month.
Hopes of an upbeat set of figures were boosted by data on Thursday showing new claims for US unemployment insurance benefits, which indicate the pace of layoffs across the economy, fell back last week.
Among Hong Kong stocks, Chinese internet giant Tencent gained 3.15 per cent to HK$524.5, oil giant CNOOC climbed 3.95 per cent to HK$12.12, HSBC Holdings added 0.7 per cent to HK$79.3, while insurance giant AIA was up 0.56 per cent to HK$35.65.
Chinese shares closed up 0.56 per cent on traders' first day back after a week-long Lunar New Year holiday.
The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index climbed 11.42 points to 2,044.50 on turnover of 67.8 billion yuan.
"The index is helped by a positive market sentiment. Investors expect a good start after the Chinese New Year," Shenyin Wanguo Securities analyst Qian Qimin told AFP.
Media shares led the gainers, with Chinese Universe Publishing and Media surging by its 10 per cent daily limit to 24.70 yuan as Jishi Media soared 10 per cent to 11.42 yuan and Northern United Publishing & Media leapt 9.94 per cent to 7.74 yuan.
Shipmakers were also higher. China CSSC Holdings soared by its 10 per cent daily limit to 23.98 yuan, Guangzhou Shipyard International rose 7.43 per cent to 19.09 yuan, and CSSC Jiangnan Heavy Industry gained 6.95 per cent to 9.70 yuan.
