China's mainland investors have played an unprecedented role in a rally on Hong Kong's equity market that has pushed the benchmark index to its highest level since 2022. Mainland investors typically buy or sell Hong Kong-listed shares via the southbound link of the Stock Connect scheme.

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing reported full-year profits of HK$13.1bn (US$1.7bn) on Thursday, topping the previous record of HK$12.5bn set in 2021 amid a pandemic-era trading boom. Fourth-quarter profits rose 46 per cent year on year to HK$3.

Net profit in 2024 rose 10 per cent to HK$13 billion (US$1.7 billion), aided by higher fees from handling market transactions and new stock listings.

A Hong Kong court on Thursday sentenced veteran democrat Lam Cheuk-ting and six other men to jail terms of several years for rioting after being attacked by a white-shirted mob in the summer of 2019 as pro-democracy protests raged.

A court in Hong Kong on Thursday (February 27) handed down prison terms of up to some three years to a former pro-democracy lawmaker and six other men for rioting, after they were attacked by a mob in the summer of 2019 when mass protests were raging.