HK stocks end 1.03pc higher

HONG KONG, May 14 (AFP): Hong Kong shares climbed 1.03 per cent Wednesday for a fifth straight gain after a record close on Wall Street, while property firms surged after China's central bank called for more mortgage lending by banks.
The benchmark Hang Seng Index added 230.39 points to 22,582.77 on turnover of HK$59.48 billion (US$7.67 billion).
In New York Tuesday the Dow and S&P 500 extended Monday's gains despite weaker than expected retail sales data.
The Dow added 0.12 per cent and the S&P 500 edged up 0.04 per cent, both setting new closing records, but the Nasdaq dipped 0.33 per cent after surging 1.77 per cent Monday.
The Hong Kong market was also boosted by the People's Bank of China's call for major lenders to give priority to first-time buyers as part of a bid to stem the fall in real estate prices.
HSBC rose 1.20 per cent to HK$80.10, China Mobile added 0.93 per cent to HK$75.85 and Cathay Pacific Airways put on 1.34 per cent to HK$15.18, while Internet giant Tencent was up 0.89 per cent at HK$512.0.
China Resources Land jumped 6 per cent to HK$16.02 and China Overseas Land & Investment gained 4 per cent to HK$19.84.
But in China the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index slipped 0.14 per cent, or 2.82 points, to 2,047.91 on turnover of 56.5 billion yuan ($9.1 billion).
The Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China's second exchange, rose 0.14 per cent, or 1.42 points, to 1,040.81 on turnover of 67.6 billion yuan.