Roundup: Hong Kong stocks close 4.1 pct higher

Hong Kong stocks rose 872.27 points, or 4.1 percent, to close on Wednesday at 22,131.31 points.

The benchmark Hang Seng Index traded between 21,529.81 and 22, 228.59. Turnover totaled 115.43 billion HK dollars (14.89 billion U.S. dollars), up from 82.66 billion HK dollars the previous trading day.

All of the four sub-indices gained ground, with the Finance sub- index rising the most by 4.64 percent, followed by the Utilities 4. 01 percent, the Commerce and Industry 3.77 percent and the Properties 3.09 percent.

Blue-chips were broadly higher. Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd. rose 0.85 percent to close at 23.8 HK dollars. Banking giant HSBC, which accounts for the largest weighting of the Hang Seng Index, climbed 3.49 percent to 62.2 HK dollars, and its local unit Hang Seng Bank gained 2.21 percent to 147.9 HK dollars. Local bourse operator HKEX went up 3.66 percent at 189.9 HK dollars.

Local developers Hang Lung Properties gained 4.83 percent to 18. 24 HK dollars. SHK Properties, another major developer in Hong Kong, rose 2.15 percent to 100 HK dollars, and Cheung Kong Holding, a powerful HK-based developer controlled by billionaire Li Ka- shing, advanced 6.08 percent to 109.9 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 5.57 percent higher at 5.5 HK dollars. ICBC, the world's largest bank by market value, ended at 4.72 HK dollars, up 5.36 percent. Bank of China rose 7.4 percent to 3.63 HK dollars.

Energy shares posted strong performances. PetroChina, the country's largest oil and gas producer, rose 6.78 percent to 6.3 HK dollars. Sinopec, the nation's top oil refiner, gained 8.49 percent to end at 5.37 HK dollars. (1 U.S. dollar equals 7.75 HK dollars) Endi