Roundup: HK stocks close 0.04 pct lower

Hong Kong stocks ended down 0.04 percent on Friday, with the benchmark Hang Seng index falling 10. 88 points to end at 24,486.20 points, after trading between 24,420. 47 and 24,549.88.

Turnover totaled 77.88 billion HK dollars (about 10.04 billion U.S. dollars).

The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index fell 21.60 points, or 0. 18 percent, to close at 11,898.09.

Two sub-indices gained ground, with the Properties sub-index rising by 1.25 percent and the Utility 0.48 percent. The Finance fell 0.31 percent, while the Commerce and Industry lost 0.16 percent.

Banking giant HSBC, which accounts for the largest weighting of the Hang Seng Index, closed flat at 67.35 HK dollars, while its local unit Hang Seng Bank fell 0.1 percent to 140.60 HK dollars. Local bourse operator HKEX increased 0.3 percent at 178.80 HK dollars.

Local developers Hang Lung Properties rose 0.9 percent to 21.40 HK dollars. Henderson Land, another major developer in Hong Kong, climbed 0.2 percent to 53.90 HK dollars, and Cheung Kong Holding, a powerful HK-based developer controlled by billionaire Li Ka- shing, went up 0.7 percent to 157.30 HK dollars.

As for mainland-based financial stocks, China Construction Bank, the country's second largest bank which accounts for the third largest weighting of the Hang Seng Index, retreated 1.1 percent to 6.31 HK dollars. ICBC, the world's largest bank by market value, slid 1.3 percent to 5.50 HK dollars. Bank of China lost 0.9 percent to 4.32 HK dollars.

PetroChina, the country's largest oil and gas producer, was down 0.1 percent to 8.34 HK dollars. (1 U.S. dollar equals 7.761 HK dollars) Endi