Hong Kong shares flat on small turnover

Hong Kong shares shuffled sideways yesterday, with market turnover hitting its lowest level in more than a year as mainland markets dropped to a 15-month low.

But refiner Sinopec Corp bucked the trend to rise 2.8 percent to HK$7.72 on hopes that the government will increase prices of refined oil products before the Beijing Olympics.

The Hang Seng Index closed up 28.30 points, or 0.12 percent, at 23057.99, after vacillatiing between 23128.58 and 22872.33 during the day.