HK shares enjoy first gain in 3 days

HONG KONG -- Hong Kong stocks enjoyed first gain in three days Thursday with the benchmark Hang Seng Index moved up 64.23 points, or 0.34 percent, to close at 19,209.3.

The Index traded between 19,216.08 and 19,076.79 during the day 's session. Turnover totaled HK$43.73 billion (about $5.64 billion), compared with Wednesday's HK$51.27 billion.

The China Enterprises Index rose 67.25 points, or 1.59 percent, to end at 9,069.39 points.

Market heavyweight China Mobile edged up 0.66 percent to HK$81.50. Banking giant HSBC gained 1.59 percent at HK$67.25. Its local unit Hang Seng Bank ended flat at HK$110.10.

Mainland lenders went up. ICBC, China's largest bank by market value, ended up 0.74 percent at HK$4.1. CCB, the country's second largest lender by market capitalization, gained 0.61 percent at HK$4.99. BOC, one of the "Big Four," ended flat at HK$2.76.

China Life, one of the world's largest life insurers by market value, rose 1.2 percent to HK$21.15. Another major Chinese insurer Ping An lost 0.09 percent at HK$55.10.

As for local property developers, Sun Hung Kai, HK's largest property developer by market value, fell 0.4 percent to close at HK$100.10. Cheung Kong properties, owned by billionaire Li Ka-shing, decreased 0.86 percent to HK$103.80. Another major developer Henderson Land lowered 0.52 percent to HK$47.75.

PetroChina, the country's largest oil and gas producer increased 0.44 percent to HK$9.12. Sinopec, China's top refiner, gained 0.91 percent to HK$6.91. CNOOC edged up 0. 35 percent at HK$14.16.