INVESTOR appetite for bank stocks was the main factor behind yesterday's 16.16-point rise in the Hang Seng Index, with most other large stocks holding steady or slipping slightly.
There was also strong demand for Swire Pacific A shares, apparently on hopes of an end to the strike at associate Cathay Pacific. Many analysts have been telling their clients to switch to Swire from Cathay.
Swire Pacific A was the best performing share in the Hang Seng Index.
The index closed at 5,939.89 on volume of $2.03 billion.
The market closed before the mainland attack on Secretary for Economic Services Anson Chan over the awarding of the contract for Container Terminal 9.
HSBC Holdings added 50 cents to $62.50, while Bank of East Asia added 75 cents to $36 and Hang Seng Bank added $1 to $58.50.