Jun 4, 2025, 11:43 GMT+7
(Reuters) -China and Hong Kong stocks extended gains on Wednesday, supported by a rally in biotech and rare earth shares and hopes that a call between the U.S. and China would cool trade tensions.
** China's blue-chip CSI 300 Indexclimbed 0.5% by the lunch break, while the Shanghai Composite Indexrose 0.4%.
** Hong Kong benchmark Hang Sengwas up 0.7% and the Hang Seng Techrallied 1%.
** Hang Seng Healthcare Index jumped 3% to lead gains in Hong Kong, as investors bet on earnings growth in innovative drug makers.
** In A-shares, an index tracking shares of Hong Kong brokers advanced 2.9% while CSI Rare Earth Industry Indexgained 2.3%.
** The export of rare earths has been thrust into the spotlight in the U.S.-China trade negotiations.
** Investor concerns over the latest U.S.-China dispute regarding access to chips and rare earths were slightly eased by the prospect of a possible call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping later this week.
** Trump has previously signaled that China's slow pace of easing the critical mineral export ban represents a violation of the Geneva agreement.
** Analysts say tariff uncertainties and U.S. debt issues will continue to roil markets.
** "(Trade) expectations are unstable, economic disturbances are still large, and the macro environment continues to be under pressure," analysts at Cinda Futures said in a note, expecting mainland A-shares to remain rangebound in the near term.
** The smaller Shenzhen index was up 0.88%, the start-up board ChiNext Composite indexwas higher by 1.22% and Shanghai's tech-focused

STAR

50 indexwas up 0.57%.
** Around the region, MSCI 's Asia ex-Japan stock index was firmer by 0.90% while Japan's Nikkei indexwas up 0.84%

Sumber : Reuters