1st LD Writethru: HK stocks close 0.77 pct lower

Hong Kong stocks closed lower on Friday, down 177 points or 0.77 percent to 22,954.81 points.

The benchmark Hang Seng Index traded between 22,847.73 and 23,157.73. Turnover totaled 68.34 billion HK dollars (about 8.82 billion U.S. dollars).

The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index dropped 93.59 points, or 0.97 percent, to close at 9,515.32.

Banking giant HSBC, which accounts for the largest weighting of the Hang Seng Index, edged down 0.6 percent to close at 58.35 HK dollars. Local bourse operator HKEX shrank 0.78 percent to end at 204 HK dollars.

As for other heavyweights, China Mobile dropped 1 percent to 88.2 HK dollars, Tencent slumped 1.24 percent to 208 HK dollars. Local airline Cathay Pacific sunk 1.37 percent to 10.06 HK dollars.

CKH Holdings, a powerful HK-based developer controlled by billionaire Li Ka-shing, lost 1.2 percent to 95.1 HK dollars.

Most mainland-based financial stocks closed lower. Bank of China shrank 1.15 percent to 3.44 HK dollars. Bank of Communications dropped 1.02 percent to 5.81 HK dollars. China Construction Bank sunk 1.24 percent to 5.6 HK dollars. ICBC dropped 1.28 percent to 4.63 HK dollars.

As for energy stocks, PetroChina dipped 0.56 percent to 5.38 HK dollars. CNOOC slumped 1.57 percent to 10.04 HK dollars. Sinopec edged down 0.35 percent to 5.66 HK dollars. (1 U.S. dollar equals 7.75 HK dollars) Endit