AsianFin -- Chinese technology shares continued their upward momentum on Thursday, driven by sustained investor enthusiasm for the nation’s fast-growing artificial intelligence sector.

The Hang Seng Tech Index rose as much as 2% during the session, led by strong gains in JD.com Inc., the e-commerce giant pushing aggressively into AI, and Xiaomi Corp., the smartphone maker with expanding smart ecosystem ambitions.

The benchmark gauge, which tracks major Chinese technology companies listed in Hong Kong, is now on pace for its eighth consecutive weekly advance — its longest winning streak since the index was launched.