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China stocks increase as commodities shine; Hong Kong snaps winning streak

China shares rose on Thursday as strong efficiencies in copper and gold miners balance out the drag from weak customer data, while Hong Kong stocks tracked over night losses in Wall Street.

** At the midday break, the Shanghai Composite index was up 0.4% at 3,038.58 points.

** China released worse-than-expected March consumer data on Thursday, preserving pressure on policymakers to launch more stimulus as demand remains weak.

** Yet a rally in worldwide products has raised the CSI Coal Index and the A-share Resources Index by 2% and 1.7%, respectively.

** Hong Kong stocks snapped a three-day winning streak as U.S. sticky inflation numbers lessened rate-cut hopes and dragged down U.S. shares over night.

** China's blue-chip CSI300 index was flat, with its financial sector sub-index losing 0.23%, the customer staples sector down 0.86%, the realty index dropped almost 1% and the health care sub-index slipped 1.04%.

** Chinese H-shares noted in Hong Kong fell 0.7% to 5,974.63, while the Hang Seng Index was down 0.76% at 17,009.49.

** The smaller Shenzhen index was up 0.3%, the start-up board ChiNext Composite index was weaker by 0.37% and Shanghai's tech-focused STAR50 index was up 0.61%?.

** Around the region, MSCI's Asia ex-Japan stock index was weaker by 0.53% while Japan's Nikkei index was down 0.54%.

** The yuan was estimated at 7.2361 per U.S. dollar, 0.02% weaker than the previous close of 7.2345.

** The largest percentage gainers in the primary Shanghai Composite index were Xiamen XGMA Equipment Co Ltd, up 10.12%, followed by Shaanxi Building Equipment Co Ltd. , gaining 10.06% and Xinjiang Baodi Mining Co Ltd. , up by 10.05%.

** The largest portion losses in the Shanghai index were. Sanxiang Advanced Materials Co Ltd, down 10.018%,. followed by Dali Pharmaceutical Co Ltd, losing. 9.974% and SEC Electric Machinery Co Ltd, down by. 9.974%.

** In Hong Kong, the sub-index of the Hang Seng index. tracking energy shares increased 1.3%, while the IT sector. fell 0.6%.

(source: Reuters)