The main contributor to the index was China Mobile. The strong sentiment for the stock spilled over to other blue chips and helped the index breach the 16,000 points level.

The low valuation coupled with the investor's enthusiasm over new shocks could push the shares up 30 to 40 per cent on the debut. However, the problem of overcapacity in the cement industry could cause uncertainty over the long-term prospect of the stock.

The local market was mainly boosted by overseas gains. Sentiment was strong, supported by fresh fund inflows, leading to a rally ahead of the Lunar New Year.

The market has widely digested trading leads that indicate further interest rate hikes will be needed and thus, investors were not very sensitive to that.

The market is still looking for direction from the earnings results and interest rates.

The market was consolidating after recent gains. Yue Yuen fell the most, following rumors of a share placement.

The market was driven higher by the gains in the US and Japanese markets. Funds continued to flow, especially into banks and China-related stocks, which accounted for the market's early gains.

The market was helped by the increase in the Tokyo market.

The market was in the midst of a mild correction after recent rally as investors took profits ahead of the upcoming Easter holiday.

The market was supported by Wall Street's rebound. There is also some optimism about HSBC driving up share prices.