HONG KONG - Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) celebrated the Year of the Dog's first trading day Tuesday with the unveiling of the HKEX Connect Hall, an iconic venue for Hong Kong's financial community.

Chief Executive of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor officiated the opening ceremony.

The event was attended by several hundred guests, including former floor traders and other market participants.

The launch of the Connect Hall, which features over 30,000 square feet (2,787 square meters) for events such as exhibitions, conferences, and ceremonies, follows a months-long transformation process of Hong Kong's most recognizable financial landmark, first opened in 1986 as the Stock Exchange's trading hall.

The space was closed for renovations after floor trading in Hong Kong's securities market ended on Oct 27, 2017.

The opening of the HKEX Connect Hall marks a new chapter for Hong Kong's financial industry, as Hong Kong is devoting more efforts to promote the role of its professional and excellent financial services industry, Lam said.

For decades, this hall linked traders and brokers and now it will become an intersection for finance industry professionals and entrepreneurs to gather, to innovate, and to help chart the next chapters of Hong Kong's financial markets, HKEX Chairman Chow Chung-kong said.