Hong Kong stocks close 0.19 pct higher

Hong Kong stocks moved up 47.20 points, or 0.19 percent, to close at 24,832.08 points on Wednesday, the last trading day before Lunar New Year.

The benchmark Hang Seng Index traded between 24,806.06 and 24, 871.79. Turnover totaled 28.93 billion HK dollars (about 3.73 billion U.S. dollars).

The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index ended up 67.59 points, or 0.56 percent, to close at 12,066.10.

All of the four sub-indices gained ground. The Commerce & Industry sub-index rose the most at 0.38 percent, followed by the Utilities at 0.33 percent, the Properties at 0.16 percent the Properties at 0.3 percent, the Finance at 0.03 percent.

Banking giant HSBC, which accounts for the largest weighting of the Hang Seng Index, lowered 0.14 percent to 71.95 HK dollars. Bank of East Asia, another major bank in Hong Kong, fell 0.16 percent to 31.85 HK dollars.

Local bourse operator HKEX fell 0.11 percent to 177.10 HK dollars.

China Mobile, China's dominant mobile carrier, dropped 0.28 percent to 106.9 HK dollars. China Unicom, another Chinese telecom giant, rose 1.23 percent to 13.14 HK dollars.

Local property shares closed up. Sun Hung Kai, one of Hong Kong 's largest property developer by market value, edged up 0.08 percent to 123.40 HK dollars. Cheung Kong properties, controlled by billionaire Li Ka-shing, ended up 0.13 percent to 153 HK dollars. Hang Lung rose 0.45 percent to 22.25 HK dollars.

As for mainland-based financial stocks, Bank of China added 0. 23 percent to 4.41 HK dollars. Bank of Communications went up 0.15 percent to 6.6 HK dollars. China Construction Bank ended flat at 6. 44 HK dollars. ICBC ended flat at 5.68 HK dollars.

As for energy stocks, China's top refiner Sinopec surged 4.66 percent to 6.52 HK dollars. PetroChina, the country's largest oil and gas producer, gained 3.1 percent to 8.98 HK dollars. CNOOC rose 2.71 percent to 11.38 HK dollars (1 U.S. dollar equals 7.75 HK dollars)