Investors welcome program's launch

Shares rally after plan for Shanghai and Hong Kong exchanges given the green light

The go-ahead of the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect program sent share prices in the two exchanges soaring, as stockbrokers and investors were excited that the long wait for the program was over.

Bullish sentiments about the stock connect, which will begin operations next week, sent the bench mark Shanghai Composite Index up 2.3 percent and the Hang Seng Index up 0.83 percent on Monday. Blue chip shares, including steel, airways and airports, highways and distillers, led the rally in Shanghai.