PetroChina Tops HK-Listed Firms.

(From SinoCast China Financial Watch)

HONG KONG, August 25, SinoCast -- China's biggest oil and gas company in the six months ended on June 30 reaped up to CNY 80.6 billion net profit, larger than that posted by HSBC Holdings (0005.HK), the British lender. The profit soared 29.4 percent from the same period of 2005, PetroChina (0857.HK) said on Wednesday. The energy company, whose shares are traded in both Hong Kong and New York, is to use 45 percent of net profits to pay dividend of about CNY 0.202 per share. The payout rate is to keep standing at 40 percent to 50 percent in the future, told Wang Guoliang, Chief Financial Officer. From January to June 2006, the …