Hong Kong shares rose to a 52-week high yesterday, buoyed by expectations of further capital inflows said to be mainly due to a third round of quantitative easing by the US Federal Reserve.

The Hang Seng Index ended up 0.3 per cent at 21,763.8, its ninth straight daily gain, helping the benchmark to its highest close this year after it hit its highest intraday level this year at 21,802.5 in late afternoon trade.

The benchmark is now up 18.1 per cent this year after slumping 20 per cent last year.