Hong Kong stocks closed 0.25 percent higher Thursday along with the market optimism that the economic stimulus measures will ease the worries on economic recession in the U.S.
The benchmark Hang Seng Index gained 50.48 points, or 0.25 percent, to close at 20,585.33 points, after trading between 20, 572.97 and 20,975.30 points.
Turnover totaled 87.059 billion HK dollars (about 11.18 billion U.S. dollars) compared with Wednesday's 75.257 billion HK dollars.
The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index fell 20.76 points, or 0. 19 percent, to close at 10,922.53.
Four sub-indices ended mixed. The Commerce & Industry sub-index was the biggest gainer, rising 0.69 percent, followed by the Utilities, adding 0.43 percent, and the Properties, rising 0.09 percent. However, the Finance sub-index lost 0.14 percent.
Banking giant HSBC, which accounts for the largest weighting of the Hang Seng Index, rose 0.223 percent to close at 67.4 HK dollars, while its local unit Hang Seng Bank lost 1.656 percent to close at 112.8 HK dollars. Bank of East Asia, another Hong Kong's major bank, move down 1.954 percent to 30.1 HK dollars, and local bourse operator Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing shed 0.823 percent to 144.6 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, rose 1,038 percent to 5. 84 HK dollars. ICBC,The world's largest bank by market value, added 0.781 percent at 5.16 HK dollars. Bank of China went down 1. 863 percent at 3.16 HK dollars. Bank of Communications, China's fifth biggest lender measured by assets, fell 0.69 percent to 5.76 HK dollars
China's top refiner Sinopec lost 1.56 percent to 7.57 HK dollars. PetroChina, the country's largest oil and gas producer, fell 0.199 percent to 10.02 HK dollars. CNOOC, the HK-listed unit of China's National Offshore Oil Corp., rose 0.377 percent to 15. 96 HK dollars.
As for Hong Kong developers, Hang Lung Properties rose 0.173 percent to 28.9 HK dollars. Henderson Land, another major developer in Hong Kong, advanced 0.11 percent to 45.5 HK dollars, while Cheung Kong Holding, a powerful HK-based developer controlled by billionaire Li Ka-shing, lost 0.732 percent to 108.5 HK dollars.
HK-based consumer goods exporter Li & Fung, which manages supply chains for retailers, was the best-performing blue chip in the day, with its shares rising 5.698 percent to 14.84 HK dollars.
China Life, one of the world's largest life insurers by market value, was the worst-performing blue chip in the day, with its shares falling 2.352 percent to 19.1 HK dollars. (1 U.S. dollar equals to 7.785 HK dollars)
Source: Xinhua