Roundup: HK stocks close 0.43 pct higher

Hong Kong stocks ended higher on Thursday with the benchmark Hang Seng index rising 0.43 percent, or 102.78 points to end at 24,018.80 points. Turnover totaled 86. 81 billion HK dollars (about 11.16 billion U.S. dollars).

The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index rose 38.13 points or 0.35 percent, to close at 11,080.92.

Three sub-indices lost ground, with the Properties sub-index falling the most by 0.23 percent, followed by the Utility 0.08 percent and the Finance 0.07 percent. The Commerce and Industry rose 1.28 percent.

Banking giant HSBC, which accounts for the largest weighting of the Hang Seng Index, rose 0.9 percent at 68.50 HK dollars, while its local unit Hang Seng Bank closed up 0.7 percent to 154.70 HK dollars. Local bourse operator HKEX went down 0.6 percent at 205. 80 HK dollars.

Local developers Hang Lung Properties slid 1.0 percent to 19.80 HK dollars. Henderson Land, another major developer in Hong Kong, closed flat at 48.40 HK dollars, and Cheung Kong Holding, a powerful HK-based developer controlled by billionaire Li Ka-shing, decreased 0.1 percent to 111.70 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, went up 0.2 percent to 6. 22 HK dollars. ICBC, the world's largest bank by market value, was down 0.2 percent to 5.25 HK dollars. Bank of China closed down 0.7 percent to 4.10 HK dollars.

PetroChina, the country's largest oil and gas producer, climbed 1.9 percent to 7.43 HK dollars. (1 U.S. dollar equals 7.761 HK dollars) Endi