HSI ends up 60 pts at 22,861; turnover at HK$73.5bn

    Hong Kong stocks closed firmer on Thursday following the all-time high closing of both the Dow and the S&P 500 indexes overnight. The Hang Seng Index (HSI) opened up 226 points at 23,027. It briefly rose to an intra-day high of 23,076, and then gradually gave back part of its gains.
  The HSI closed the day up 60 points or 0.3% to 22,861. The H-share index rose 67 points or 0.7% to 9,896. Turnover increased to HK$73.5 billion from HK$62.5 billion on Wednesday.
  The northbound quota balance of the "Shanghai-HK Connect" program was RMB12.354 billion, accounting for 95% of the daily allowed quota of RMB13 billion. The southbound quota balance was RMB12.249, surpassing the daily allowed quota of RMB10.5 billion. It meant the sell trade value was larger than buy order value. 
  As for the Shenzhen-HK Connect, the northbound quota balance was RMB11.292 billion, accounting for 86.9% of the daily allowed quota of RMB13 billion. The southbound quota balance was RMB10.088 billion, accounting for 96.1% of the daily allowed quota of RMB10.5 billion.
  HSBC (00005) edged down 0.2% to HK$65.35. The global bank has started buying back its own shares since early August, but it did not issue repurchase notice today.
  AIA (01299) slipped 2% to HK$44.25 becoming the largest blue-chip loser. Nomura said in a research report that potential downside from UnionPay restriction is yet to play out fully. AIA today registered a HK$574 million block deal.
  Nomura also noted that HKEx's (00388) valuation is ahead of fundamentals. But it rebounded 0.7% to HK$195 after four-day decline. MTR Corp (00066) edged up 0.3% to HK$38.6.
  China Customs said exports and imports in November rebounded to 0.1% and 6.7% year-on-year in USD terms. COSCO Shipping Ports (01199) and Tianjin Port Development (03382) rose 2.9% and 1.7% to HK$7.92 and HK$1.22.