Tokyo stocks ended higher on Wednesday after reports that the United States is making diplomatic efforts to end the conflict with Iran, raising hopes that tensions in the Middle East may ease.

Hong Kong's stock market ended higher on Wednesday with the benchmark Hang Seng Index up 1.09 percent to close at 25,335.95 points.

The ChiNext Index, tracking China's Nasdaq-style board of growth enterprises, gained 2.01 percent to close at 3,316.97 points Wednesday. The ChiNext Index, together with the Shenzhen Component Index and other indices, reflects the performance of stocks listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.

Chinese stocks closed higher on Wednesday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index up 1.3 percent to 3,931.84 points. The Shenzhen Component Index closed 1.95 percent higher at 13,801 points.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index gained 216.81 points, or 0.87 percent, to open at 25,280.52 points on Wednesday.

The ChiNext Index, tracking China's Nasdaq-style board of growth enterprises, was up 1.1 percent to open at 3,287.17 points Wednesday. The ChiNext Index, together with the Shenzhen Component Index and other indices, reflects the performance of stocks listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.

Chinese stocks opened higher on Wednesday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index up 0.28 percent to open at 3,892.27 points. The Shenzhen Component Index opened 0.98 percent higher at 13,669.05 points.

Hong Kong's stock market ended higher Tuesday with the benchmark Hang Seng Index up 2.79 percent to close at 25,063.71 points.

Hong Kong's stock market ended lower Monday with the benchmark Hang Seng Index down 3.54 percent to close at 24,382.47 points.

Tokyo stocks ended sharply lower on Monday, with the benchmark Nikkei stock index falling to its lowest level since Jan. 8, as crude oil futures surged amid the escalation in the Middle East conflict.

Hong Kong's stock market ended lower Monday with the benchmark Hang Seng Index down 3.54 percent to close at 24,382.47 points.

Chinese stocks closed lower on Monday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index down 3.63 percent to 3,813.28 points.

The ChiNext Index, tracking China's Nasdaq-style board of growth enterprises, lost 3.49 percent to close at 3,235.22 points Monday.

The ChiNext Index, tracking China's Nasdaq-style board of growth enterprises, was down 1.54 percent to open at 3,300.56 points Monday.

Chinese stocks opened lower on Monday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index down 1.32 percent to open at 3,904.95 points.The Shenzhen Component Index opened 1.78 percent lower at 13,619.94 points.

The STAR Composite Index, which reflects the performance of stocks on China's sci-tech innovation board, opened 2.02 percent lower at 1,636.20 points on Monday.

BEIJING, March 23 (Xinhua) -- The central parity rate of the Chinese currency renminbi, or the yuan, weakened 143 pips to 6.9041 against the U.S. dollar Monday, according to the China Foreign Exchange Trade System.In China's spot foreign exchange market, the yuan is allowed to rise or fall by 2 percent from the central parity rate each trading day.The central parity rate of the yuan against the U.S. dollar is based on a weighted average of prices offered by market makers before the opening of the interbank market each business day.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index fell 488.18 points, or 1.93 percent, to open at 24,789.14 points on Monday.

Hong Kong's stock market ended lower Friday with the benchmark Hang Seng Index down 0.88 percent to close at 25,277.32 points. The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index fell 1.4 percent to end at 8,574.07 points, and the Hang Seng Tech Index fell 2.48 percent to end at 4,872.38 points.

The STAR Composite Index, which reflects the performance of stocks on China's sci-tech innovation board, opened 0.54 percent higher at 1,698.5 points on Friday.