HK stocks close 1.02 pct lower

Hong Kong stocks closed down 239 points, or 1.02 percent, to 23,325.43 points on Wednesday.

The benchmark Hang Seng Index traded between 23,310.23 and 23,464.03. Turnover totaled 52.11 billion HK dollars (about 6.72 billion U.S. dollars).

The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index dropped 138.85 points, or 1.41 percent, to close at 9,698.85.

Banking giant HSBC, which accounts for the largest weighting of the Hang Seng Index, edged down 0.75 percent to close at 58.8 HK dollars. Local bourse operator HKEX fell 1.05 percent to end at 206.4 HK dollars.

As for other heavyweights, China Mobile dropped 0.55 percent to 90 HK dollars. Tencent retreated 1.21 percent to 212.2 HK dollars. Local airline Cathay Pacific moved down 0.85 percent to 10.4 HK dollars.

CKH Holdings, a powerful HK-based developer controlled by billionaire Li Ka-shing, lost 1.21 percent to 97.3 HK dollars.

Most mainland-based financial stocks closed lower. Bank of China shrank 1.40 percent to 3.52 HK dollars. Bank of Communications closed down 0.66 percent to 5.96 HK dollars. China Construction Bank sunk 1.71 percent to 5.72 HK dollars. ICBC dropped 1.46 percent to 4.72 HK dollars.

As for energy stocks, PetroChina dipped 2.12 percent to 5.52 HK dollars. CNOOC lost 2.05 percent to 10.48 HK dollars. Sinopec edged down 2.20 percent to 5.76 HK dollars. (1 U.S. dollar equals 7.75 HK dollars) Endit