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Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearings Limited (HKEx) announced Wednesday its profit attributable to shareholders surged 27 percent over 2004 to 1.34 billion HK dollars (172 million U.S. dollars) last year, with the total dividend per share at 1.13 HK dollars.

According to the final results published Wednesday, HKEx's income rose 13 percent to 2.69 billion HK dollars (345 million U.S.dollars), while operating expenses fell 1 percent to 1.15 billion HK dollars (147 million U.S. dollars), resulting in an operating profit of about 1.55 billion HK dollars (199 million U.S. dollars).

Earnings per share was 1.26 HK dollars, an increase of 26 percent over a year earlier. The interim dividend per share was 0.49 HK dollars and the final dividend per share was 0.64 HK dollars, totaling 1.13 HK dollars per share, up 26 percent when compared with 0.9 HK dollars in 2004. The dividend per ratio was 90 percent.

Last year also saw an average daily turnover value of 18.3 billion HK dollars (2.35 billion U.S. dollars) on the Stock Exchange, up 14 percent over 2004.

The average daily number of derivatives contracts traded on the Futures Exchange went up 20 percent to 68,157 last year. The average daily number of stock-options contracts traded on the Stock Exchange also grew 56 percent to 35,385.

HKEx remains optimistic about the long-term prospects of its business and the market though uncertainties on the external front over global oil prices, interest rates and valuation of the Renminbi could affect trading activity and hence the profitability, the report said.