Hong Kong stocks close 2.13% higher

Hong Kong stocks ended 2.13 percent higher on Monday, with the benchmark Hang Seng index rising 463.72 points to end at 22,271.28 points after trading between 21,735.06 and 22,283.03. Turnover totaled 64.75 billion HK dollars (about 8.34 billion U. S. dollars). The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index rose 328.58 points, or 3. 42 percent, to close at 9,928.04. All of the four sub-indices all gained ground, with the Finance sub-index rising the most by 2.36 percent, followed by the Commerce and Industry 2.17 percent, the Properties 1.40 percent and the Utility 1.30 percent. Banking giant HSBC, which accounts for the largest weighting of the Hang Seng Index, rose 1.2 percent to 85.75 HK dollars, while its local unit Hang Seng Bank closed 1.2 percent higher at 123.90 HK dollars. Bank of East Asia, another Hong Kong\'s major bank, closed up 1.3 percent to 30.90 HK dollars. Local bourse operator HKEX gained 4.2 percent to 124.40 HK dollars. Local developers Hang Lung Properties was up 3.0 percent at 25. 65 HK dollars. Henderson Land, another major developer in Hong Kong, increased 1.5 percent to 48.65 HK dollars, and Cheung Kong Holding, a powerful HK-based developer controlled by billionaire Li Ka-shing, added 0.4 percent to 115.00 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 to 5. 85 HK dollars. ICBC, the world\'s largest bank by market value, gained 3.2 percent at 5.13 HK dollars. Bank of China rose 2.2 percent to 3.24 HK dollars. Bank of Communications, China\'s fifth biggest lender measured by assets, advanced 3.0 percent to 5.21 HK dollars. As for energy stocks, China\'s top refiner Sinopec was up 3.6 percent to 5.83 HK dollars. PetroChina, the country\'s largest oil and gas producer, ended up 3.7 percent at 9.20 HK dollars. (1 U.S. dollar equals 7.761 HK dollars)