Hong Kong  - Hong Kong shares ended the week on a gloomy note Friday, falling 2.5 per cent and crashing back beneath 13,000.

The blue-chip Hang Seng Index shed 324.19 points, or 2.49 per cent, to close at 12,699.17.

Turnover was 39.7 billion Hong Kong dollars (5.12 billion US dollars).

Friday's losses, which saw bank and property stocks particularly badly hit, wiped out the minor recovery made since share prices fell almost 4 per cent on Tuesday. (dpa)