Hong Kong stocks end flat

HONG KONG, May 26 (AFP): Hong Kong stocks closed almost unchanged on Monday as profit-taking offset early gains that were fuelled by a record close in New York.

The benchmark Hang Seng Index edged down 2.68 points to 22,963.18 -- snapping a four-day winning streak -- on turnover of HK$39.20 billion (US$5.06 billion).

Traders took a breather after last week's advances, which followed an improvement in Chinese manufacturing activity and upbeat comments on interest rates from the US Federal Reserve.

Wall Street jumped last Friday after the Commerce Department said new single-family homes were sold at an annual rate of 433,000 units in April, well above analysts' forecasts of 415,000.