Shares in Growth Enterprise Market-listed Hongkong.com surged 27.53 per cent yesterday on hopes for better earnings from its newly acquired short messaging service (SMS) operations amid the Sars outbreak in China. 'Mainland users prefer sending text messages to making mobile calls. On mounting fears of catching Sars, there will be more usage of SMS in China,' said Kenny Tang Sing-hing, associate director of Tung Tai Securities. The counter was closed at 44 Hong Kong cents yesterday. The stock soared following its purchase of mainland mobile application service provider, Newpalm (China) Information Technology early last month.