Hong Kong  - Bargain-hunters drove Hong Kong share prices up by more than 2 per cent Friday as nerves eased slightly following heavy losses a day earlier.

The blue-chip Hang Seng Index rose 321.31 points, or 2.43 per cent, to end the week at 13,542.66 points. Turnover was a relatively light 44.7 billion Hong Kong dollars (5.76 billion US dollars).

The minor rebound came after the index fell back more than 5 per cent Thursday. Shares jumped more than 3.5 per cent in early trading Friday but fell back later in the day.

Analysts said bargain-hunters, encouraged by overnight gains on Wall Street, moved in early Friday but were cautious and backed off rapidly when the index crossed the 13,700-point barrier.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index is one of the region's hardest hit by the recent global turmoil, shedding a third of its value in the past two months and more than 50 per cent since the beginning of 2008. (dpa)