** Shares of CK Hutchison's 0001.HK climb 2.9% to HK$53.8, their highest since May 2023; set for 12th consecutive session of gains
** Stock on track to end the week up 9.4%, biggest weekly pct gain since early March
** Second-biggest pct gainer on Hang Seng Composite Index tracking conglomerates .HSCIC, which is up 0.9%
** CK Hutchison's plan to sell most of its $22.8 billion ports business is unlikely to be finalised anytime soon, with sources saying that a Sunday deadline for exclusive talks was likely to be extended
** The outlook for the deal has been clouded further in recent days, with a source telling Reuters that China Cosco Shipping Corp (COSCO) was also looking to join the consortium to buy the ports business
** COSCO did not respond to a request for comment
** YTD, CK Hutchison up 28.9%
(Reporting by Donny Kwok)
((donny.kwok@thomsonreuters.com))