Hong Kong stocks ended down 0.32 percent on Tuesday, with the benchmark Hang Seng index falling 74. 88 points to end at 23,333.69 points after trading between 23,269. 43 and 23,495.62.
Turnover totaled 78.03 billion HK dollars (about 10.03 billion U.S. dollars).
The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index fell 66.28 points, or 0. 56 percent, to close at 11,677.74.
Three sub-indices lost ground, with the Utility sub-index falling the most by 0.57 percent, followed by the Commerce and Industry 0.47 percent, the Finance 0.25 percent. The Properties closed flat.
Banking giant HSBC, which accounts for the largest weighting of the Hang Seng Index, closed up 0.2 percent to 74.25 HK dollars, while its local unit Hang Seng Bank fell 0.5 percent to 127.70 HK dollars. Local bourse operator HKEX decreased 0.30 percent at 171. 50 HK dollars.
Local developers Hang Lung Properties lost 0.9 percent to 21.35 HK dollars. Henderson Land, another major developer in Hong Kong, closed up 0.3 percent to 52.55 HK dollars, and Cheung Kong Holding, a powerful HK-based developer controlled by billionaire Li Ka- shing, climbed 0.2 percent to 129.90 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, sank 1.7 percent to 6.22 HK dollars. ICBC, the world's largest bank by market value, went down 0.4 percent to 5.53 HK dollars. Bank of China retreated 2.1 percent to 4.24 HK dollars.
PetroChina, the country's largest oil and gas producer, was down 1.5 percent to 8.59 HK dollars. (1 U.S. dollar equals 7.761 HK dollars)