HONG KONG, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) Hong Kong stocks ended down 0. 97 percent on Monday, with the benchmark Hang Seng index falling 238.33 points to end at 24,356.99 points, after trading between 24, 300.57 and 24,471.80. Turnover totaled 66.64 billion HK dollars ( about 8.59 billion U.S. dollars).

The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index fell 179.96 points, or 1. 63 percent, to close at 10,834.73.

Four sub-indices all lost ground, with the Utility sub-index falling the most by 1.26 percent, followed by the Commerce and Industry 1.22 percent, the Properties 0.78 percent and the Finance 0.75 percent.

Banking giant HSBC, which accounts for the largest weighting of the Hang Seng Index, closed down 0.1 percent to 82.50 HK dollars, while its local unit Hang Seng Bank closed 0.1 percent lower at 130.60 HK dollars. Local bourse operator HKEX lost 1.1 percent at 177.30 HK dollars.

Local developers Hang Lung Properties decreased 1.2 percent to 24.50 HK dollars. Henderson Land, another major developer in Hong Kong, closed flat at 55.80 HK dollars, and Cheung Kong Holding, a powerful HK-based developer controlled by billionaire Li Ka-shing, declined 0.6 percent to 138.20 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, retreated 1.0 percent to 5.72 HK dollars. ICBC, the world's largest bank by market value, slid 0.6 percent to 5.13 HK dollars. Bank of China ended down 1.1 percent to 3.60 HK dollars.

PetroChina, the country's largest oil and gas producer, was down 0.9 percent to 10.44 HK dollars. (1 U.S. dollar equals 7.761 HK dollars)