HONG KONG, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong stocks rose 2.33 percent on Friday. The benchmark Hang Seng index closed up 501.05 points to end at 22,013.57 points, after trading between 21,496.29 and 22,016.97. Turnover totaled 65.98 billion HK dollars (about 8.50 billion U.S. dollars).
The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index rose 320.73 points, or 3.12 percent, to close at 10,597.32.
Four sub-indices all gained ground, with the Properties sub-indice rising the most by 2.85 percent, followed by the Finance 2.73 percent, the Commerce and Industry 1.93 percent and the Utility 0.44 percent.
Banking giant HSBC, which accounts for the largest weighting of the Hang Seng Index, rose 1.8 percent to 81.10 HK dollars, while its local unit Hang Seng Bank closed 1.5 percent higher at 124.80 HK dollars. Bank of East Asia, another Hong Kong's major bank, closed up 2.4 percent at 30.15 HK dollars. Local bourse operator HKEX gained 1.9 percent at 128.40 HK dollars.
Local developers Hang Lung Properties ended up 2.2 percent at 30.25 HK dollars. Henderson Land, another major developer in Hong Kong, increased 2.6 percent to 56.05 HK dollars, and Cheung Kong Holding, a powerful HK-based developer controlled by billionaire Li Ka-shing, closed up 2.0 percent to 116.50 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, jumped 3.7 percent at 6.24 HK dollars. ICBC, the world's largest bank by market value, advanced 4.0 percent at 5.26 HK dollars. Bank of China added 3.0 percent to 3.52 HK dollars. Bank of Communications, China's fifth biggest lender measured by assets, grew 2.8 percent to 5.88 HK dollars.
As for energy stocks, China's top refiner Sinopec climbed 1.8 percent to 8.50 HK dollars. PetroChina, the country's largest oil and gas producer, ended up 1.7 percent at 9.47 HK dollars. (1 U.S. dollar equals 7.761 HK dollars)
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