The benchmark Hang Seng Index rose 437 points, or 1.7 percent, to close at 25,650 on Friday, with the tech index gaining 2.3 percent. This surge followed Federal Reserve governor Christopher Waller's indication that he leans towards keeping interest rates steady this month if inflation data continues to moderate. Alibaba shares gained 2.4 percent, and Xiaomi climbed 3.6 percent. Mainland stocks, however, edged down, with the Shanghai Composite Index falling 0.3 percent, as AI shares lost momentum and concerns over higher US yields persisted.