HONG KONG: Hong Kong stocks finished on a negative note Friday but Shanghai ended well up after data showed Chinese factory activity continued to improve in July, lifting hopes for the world's second biggest economy.

The Hang Seng Index slipped 0.47 percent, or 115.24 points, to 24,595.35.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index added 0.71 percent, or 23.18 points, to 3,310.01, while the Shenzhen Composite Index on China's second exchange gained 1.33 percent, or 29.54 points to 2,256.87.