Hong Kong stocks rose 62 points, or 0.3%, to 25,529 in early Monday trading, snapping a three-session losing streak as gains spread across most sectors. Sentiment improved alongside firmer U.S. stock futures, while reports that senior U.S. and Chinese officials met in Paris to discuss potential agreements on agriculture, critical minerals, and broader trade issues added optimism ahead of President Trump’s expected visit to Beijing later this month. Investors also welcomed Chinese activity data showing industrial output and retail sales both beating forecasts in the first two months of 2026. However, February’s jobless rate climbed to a six-month high of 5.3%, pointing to lingering labor-market weakness. Gains were further capped by ongoing Middle East hostilities that have kept oil prices elevated and complicated the global inflation outlook. Notable movers included Knowledge Atlas (9.8%), Pop Mart Intl. (4.6%), Meituan (3.5%), Xiaomi Corp. (2.3%), and China Resources Land (2.0%).
