SHANGHAI: China stocks edged up to their highest levels in more than 10 years on Wednesday, supported by stronger trading volumes and expectations of corporate profit growth, while Hong Kong shares pulled back after a three-day rally.
- China’s blue-chip CSI300 Index was roughly flat by the lunch break, while the Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.3%.
- Hong Kong’s benchmark Hang Seng was down 1%.
- Onshore turnover has picked up since the start of the New Year, reaching 2.79 trillion yuan ($399.36 billion) on Tuesday, the highest since September 18,2025.
- Half-day turnover on Wednesday topped 1.8 trillion yuan.
- The Shanghai Composite Index crossed the key 4,000-point threshold this week, logging its highest level since July 2015.
- Goldman Sachs analysts expect MSCI China and the CSI300 to rise 20% and 12%, respectively, in 2026, driven almost entirely by earnings growth.
- The bank expects corporate profits to accelerate from 4% in 2025 to 14% in both 2026 and 2027, underpinned by advances in artificial intelligence, Chinese firms’ “Going Global” strategy and domestic policies aimed at curbing “involution”.
- Adding to the positive backdrop, China’s central bank said on Tuesday it will cut the reserve requirement ratio and interest rates in 2026 to keep liquidity ample and continue to implement appropriately loose monetary policy.
- Semiconductor shares rose rose 2.4%, leading gains onshore.
- Investors are awaiting China’s inflation data, due on Friday, for clues on whether domestic demand is strengthening.
- Tech majors traded in Hong Kong fell 1.7%, while innovative drug shares extended their rally, up 2.5%.‑Reuters
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