Hong Kong stocks rose higher on Monday partly due to the mainland's better-than-expected manufacturing data in November.

The benchmark Hang Seng Index closed up 157.26 points, or 0.66 percent, at 24,038.55after trading between a day high of 24,111.55 points and a day low of 23,844.24 points.

Turnover totaled 59.86 billion HK dollars (7.72 billion U.S. dollars) compared with Friday's 48.12 billion HK dollars.

The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index rose 0.93 percent, or 106. 8 points, to close at 11,548.07.

The mainland's manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index, released on Sunday, came in at 51.4 for November, matching the 18- month high reached in October.

Mainland lenders and insurers listed in Hong Kong led the rises as the mainland prepares to lift a ban on initial public offerings. ICBC, China's largest bank by market value, edged up 0.54 percent at 5.6 HK dollars. CCB, the country's second largest lender by market capitalization, ended up 0.16 percent at 6.29 HK dollars. BOC, one of the "big four", ended up 0.53 percent at 3.77 HK dollars. Ping An Insurance, jumped 4.15 percent to close at 75.3 HK dollars

For local financial stocks, banking giant HSBC, which accounts for the largest weighting of the Hang Seng Index, ended 0.52 percent higher at 87.05 HK dollars. Its local unit Hang Seng Bank notched a 0.87-percent increase to close at 127.6 HK dollars. However, Bank of East Asia, another big bank in the city, dropped 0.29 percent to end at 34.35 HK dollars.

Local property developers also closed higher. Sun Hung Kai, HK' s largest property developer by market value, added 0.35 percent at 99.9 HK dollars. Cheung Kong properties, a powerful HK-based developer controlled by billionaire Li Ka-shing, edged 0.41 percent higher to close at 123.1 HK dollars.

PetroChina, the country's largest oil and gas producer ended up 0.44 percent at 9.21 HK dollars. Bucking the trend, Sinopec, China 's top refiner, slid 0.15 percent at 6.65 HK dollars. Endi

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