Money

Hong Kong stocks close up 0.39% - Oct 21

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-10-21 17:24

HONG KONG - Hong Kong stocks moved up slightly on Thursday with mainland lenders performing well.

The benchmark Hang Seng Index increased 92.98 points, or 0.39 percent, to close at 23,649.48 points, after trading between a day high of 23,736.79 points and a day low of 23,450.83 points.

Turnover totaled HK$94 billion ($12.11 billion), compared with Wednesday's HK$117.95 billion.

The H-Share Index moved up 166.58 points, or 1.24 percent, to end at 13,615.41 points.

Banking giant HSBC edged up 0.56 percent to close at HK$81.55. China Mobile, China's dominant mobile carrier, plunged 1.52 percent, to end at HK$81.

Mainland lenders listed in Hong Kong moved up. ICBC, China's largest bank by market value, jumped 0.64 percent to close at HK$6.3; CCB, the country's second largest lender by market capitalization, edged up 1.76 percent to close at HK$7.54; BOC, one of the "big four", increased 1.77 percent to HK$4.59.

Some major local developers dipped. Sun Hung Kai, Hong Kong's largest property developer by market value, moved down 0.15 percent to close at HK$135; New World Development, another major local developer, dropped 2.53 percent to close at HK$16.18.

China Life, one of the world's largest life insurers by market value, surged 1.25 percent to end at HK$36.45.

PetroChina, the country's largest oil and gas producer moved up 0.41 percent to HK$9.83; Sinopec, China's top refiner, decreased 1.07 percent to HK$7.39. ($1 is equivalent to HK$7.76)