HONG KONG -- Hong Kong stocks ended lower on Wednesday as the benchmark Hang Seng Index eased 23.29 point, or 0.12 percent to close at 19,788.51 points.

The index traded between a day high of 19,863.47 points and a day low of 19,770.54 points. Turnover was HK$43.74 billion ($5.64 billion).

The Hang Seng Enterprises Index shrank 51.31 points, or 0.54 percent, to end at 9,470.46 point.

Banking giant HSBC ended down 0.29 percent to close at HK$68.2. China Mobile, China's dominant mobile carrier lost 0.38 percent at HK$83.85.

Mainland lenders listed in Hong Kong ended mixed. ICBC, China's largest bank by market value, lost 1.39 percent to close at HK$4.27; CCB, the country's second largest lender by market capitalization, increased 0.38 percent to close at HK$6; BOC, one of the "big four", ended down 0.69 percent to close at HK$2.89.

China Life, one of the world's largest life insurers by market value, ended up 1.97 percent at HK$20.7.

For local property developers, Sun Hung Kai, HK's largest property developer by market value, ended up 1.18 percent to close at HK$102.8; Cheung Kong properties, owned by billionaire Li Ka-shing, edged down 0.65 percent to HK$106.7.

PetroChina, the country's largest oil and gas producer gained 0. 11 percent to HK$9.45. Sinopec, China's top refiner, moved up 0.81 percent to HK$7.46.

Hengan International became the best-performing blue chip of the trading day with its stocks soaring 3.03 percent to close at HK$76.45. Want Want China, which suffered 4.54 percent loss to end at HK$9.68, is the worst-performing blue chip. ($1 equals HK$7.6)