Hong Kong stocks ended down on Friday as investors locked in gains after the benchmark index hit a new four-year high in the previous session.

The benchmark Hang Seng Index closed down 146 points, or 0.54 percent, at 27,140, snapping a three-day winning streak.

Shares of tech giants, which had surged in the previous session, fell 0.9 percent.

Automakers BYD and Xpeng dropped four percent and 2.8 percent, respectively.

Short-video app Kuaishou lost 3.4 percent.

Hong Kong-listed mainland property firms were among the worst performers, down 1.3 percent.

Market participants attributed Friday's decline to some profit-taking, given that the Hang Seng logged five consecutive monthly gains since May and has surpassed the key 27,000 level.

Short-term volatility aside, some analysts believe Hong Kong stocks' bull run still has legs.

"Valuations in Chinese equities remain very attractive and the rapid development of the country's huge tech sector has generated a lot of interest," Sandy Pei, senior portfolio manager for Asia ex-Japan at Federated Hermes, said in a note.

Mainland markets are closed from October 1 to 8 for the Golden Week holiday. (Reuters)