Hong Kong stocks hit new record above 32,000 at open

Hong Kong stocks broke the 32,000 mark for the first time as trading got under way on Thursday, the day after the benchmark index hit a record high.

The Hang Seng rose 0.52 percent, or 165.04 points, to 32,148.45.

And the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.15 percent, or 5.21 points, to 3,449.88 but the Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China's second exchange, slipped 0.16 percent, or 3.09 points, to 1,918.65.

Tokyo stocks close down on late profit-taking

Tokyo shares closed lower Thursday on late profit-taking after its main index temporarily broke above the 24,000-mark for the first time in more than 26 years.

The Nikkei 225 index lost 0.44 percent, or 104.97 points, to 23,763.37, while the broader Topix index was down 0.74 percent, or 13.96 points, at 1,876.86.