Roundup: HK stocks close 0.12 pct lower

Hong Kong stocks ended lower on Friday with the benchmark Hang Seng index falling 0.12 percent, or 27.77 points to end at 23,991.03 points. Turnover totaled 64.20 billion HK dollars (about 8.25 billion U.S. dollars).

The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index fell 20.86 points or 0.19 percent, to close at 11,060.06.

Three sub-indices lost ground, with the Properties sub-index falling the most by 0.52 percent, followed by the Commerce and Industry 0.10 percent and the Finance 0.07 percent. The Utility rose 0.25 percent.

Banking giant HSBC, which accounts for the largest weighting of the Hang Seng Index, lost 0.7 percent at 68.00 HK dollars, while its local unit Hang Seng Bank closed down 0.6 percent to 153.80 HK dollars. Local bourse operator HKEX went up 1.0 percent at 207.80 HK dollars.

Local developers Hang Lung Properties slid 0.4 percent to 19.72 HK dollars. Henderson Land, another major developer in Hong Kong, fell 0.2 percent to 48.30 HK dollars, and Cheung Kong Holding, a powerful HK-based developer controlled by billionaire Li Ka-shing, increased 1.8 percent to 113.70 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, closed flat at 6.22 HK dollars. ICBC, the world's largest bank by market value, closed flat at 5.25 HK dollars. Bank of China climbed 0.5 percent to 4.12 HK dollars.

PetroChina, the country's largest oil and gas producer, slid 2. 0 percent to 7.28 HK dollars. (1 U.S. dollar equals 7.761 HK dollars) Endi