HONG KONG: Hong Kong stocks opened sharply higher Thursday with traders tracking a surge across US and European markets as bargain-buyers stepped in following a Ukraine-fuelled rout.

The Hang Seng Index climbed 2.32 percent, or 478.86 points, to 21,106.57.

The Shanghai Composite Index added 1.71 percent, or 55.79 points, to 3,312.18, while the Shenzhen Composite Index on China's second exchange added 2.33 percent, or 49.27 points, to 2,165.42.