Roundup: Hong Kong stocks close 0.53 pct lower

Hong Kong stocks snapped a two-day rising streak to close lower on Friday, with a key index down 0.53 percent.

The benchmark Hang Seng Index fell 116.5 points, or 0.53 percent, to close at 21,755.56 points, after trading between 21,625.82 and 21,956.49.

Turnover totaled 74.85 billion HK dollars (about 9.66 billion U.S. dollars).

The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index slid 0.33 percent, or 32.11 points, to close at 9,634.41 points.

All of the four sub-indices lost ground, with the Utilties falling the most by 0.75 percent, followed by the Commerce and Industry 0.66 percent, the Finance 0.49 percent, and the Properties 0.14 percent.

Local financial shares were broadly lower. Banking giant HSBC, which accounts for the largest weighting of the Hang Seng Index, declined 0.48 percent to 61.5 HK dollars.

Bank of East Asia, one of the largest local banks in Hong Kong, dropped 1.09 percent to close at 27.15 HK dollars.

Local bourse operator HKEX decreased 0.95 percent to 198.9 HK dollars.

Property developers closed mixed. Sun Hung Kai, one of Hong Kong's largest property developer by market value, closed down 0.21 percent to 94.65 HK dollars. Henderson Land ended 0.63 percent higher at 47.75 HK dollars.

Mainland-based financial stocks also fell. Bank of China, the country's third-largest lender, edged down 0.29 percent to close at 3.45 HK dollars. Bank of Communications retreated 0.38 percent to 5.29 HK dollars.

Oil majors ended lower. Sinopec, the largest oil refiner, decreased 1.7 percent to 4.62 HK dollars. PetroChina, the country's largest oil and gas producer, fell 2.12 percent to close at 5.09 HK dollars.(1 U.S. dollar equals to 7.75 HK dollars) Endit