HONG KONG, March 8 (Reuters) - Hong Kong shares are set to open up 1.5 percent on Monday with smaller-than-expected job losses in the United States lifting risk appetite and helping to send Chinese financial shares higher.
Top lender ICBC <1398.HK> rose 1.55 percent. China's second-largest lender China Construction Bank <0939.HK> climbed 2.13 percent, and China Life <2628.HK>, the world's biggest life insurer by market value, gained 1.6 percent.
The benchmark Hang Seng Index <.HSI> was set to open up 311.74 points at 21,099.71. The China Enterprises Index <.HSCE> of top locally listed mainland Chinese stocks was up 1.7 percent at 12,130.54.