Hong Kong stocks rose 272.13 points, or 1.21 percent, to close on Monday at 22,730.93 points. The benchmark Hang Seng Index traded between 22,562.26 and 22, 779.50. Turnover totaled 87.23 billion HK dollars (11.26 billion U. S. dollars), down from 93.48 billion HK dollars of the previous trading day. All of the four sub-indices gained ground, with the Commerce and Industry sub-index rising the most by 1.57 percent, followed by the Finance, 1.03 percent, the Properties 0.98 percent and the Utilities 0.53 percent. Blue-chips led the rally. Banking giant HSBC, which accounts for the largest weighting of the Hang Seng Index, climbed 0.96 percent to 63.25 HK dollars, while its local unit Hang Seng Bank slid 0.63 percent to 141.4 HK dollars. Local bourse operator HKEX went up 2.94 percent at 199.5 HK dollars. Local developers Hang Lung Properties gained 3.97 percent to 18. 84 HK dollars. SHK Properties, another major developer in Hong Kong, rose 0.2 percent to 101.9 HK dollars, and Cheung Kong Holding, a powerful HK-based developer controlled by billionaire Li Ka-shing, advanced 2.34 percent to 104.8 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, closed 1.24 percent higher at 5.73 HK dollars. ICBC, the world's largest bank by market value, ended at 5.04 HK dollars, up 1.21 percent. Bank of China rose 1.37 percent to 3.7 HK dollars. Energy shares posted strong performances. PetroChina, the country's largest oil and gas producer, rose 1.43 percent to 6.39 HK dollars. Sinopec, the nation's top oil refiner, gained 3.3 percent to end at 5.63 HK dollars. (1 U.S. dollar equals 7.75 HK dollars).
