HONG KONG, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong stocks closed up 223.85 points, or 0.86 percent, to 26,343.1 points on Wednesday.

The benchmark Hang Seng Index traded between 26,071.76 and 26,343.1. Turnover totaled 129.15 billion Hong Kong dollars (about 16.66 billion U.S. dollars).