HONG KONG: Hong Kong stocks opened higher on Thursday following a positive lead from Wall Street as data showed the US services sector added hundreds of thousands of jobs last month, while Shanghai edged up as it reopened after an extended holiday weekend.

The Hang Seng Index rose 0.81 percent, or 229.99 points, to 28,647.97.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index edged up 0.14 percent, or 4.94 points to 3,451.79, while the Shenzhen Composite Index on China's second exchange slipped 0.50 percent, or 11.50 points to 2,287.43.