Hong Kong shares posted marginal gains in choppy trade on Thursday after a late rally in Hutchison Whampoa Ltd helped pare losses in China-related names.
The benchmark Hang Seng Index finished up 0.06 percent at 21,940.2. The China Enterprises Index finished up 0.27 percent at 12,327.21 points.
The Shanghai Composite Index finished up 0.54 percent at 2,810.44, boosted by gold-related issues on the back of surging gold prices.
HIGHLIGHTS:
* The “Big Four” Chinese banks were the most actively traded stocks among Hang Seng Index constituents, Bank of China ltd , China Construction Bank Corp and Agricultural Bank of China Ltd (AgBank) all retreated on the day. Only Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd (ICBC) eked out marginal gains but in volume below its 30-day average. Bank of China's 1.1 percent loss pushed the stock back into technically oversold territory.
* China Telecom Corp Ltd has gained almost 7 percent since Reuters reported on Wednesday that it would be joining China Unicom in offering Apple Inc's iPhone in the mainland. It was the biggest two-day gain since January this year. China Unicom also firmed on Thursday, but China Mobile Ltd closed down. - Reuters