SHANGHAI: China stocks were mixed on Wednesday but remained near their highest levels in more than 10 years, 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 ended 0.3 percent down, while the Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.1 percent. Hong Kong’s benchmark Hang Seng was down 0.9 percent.
Onshore turnover has picked up since the start of the New Year, reaching 2.8 trillion yuan (USD404.79 billion) on Wednesday, the highest since September 18, 2025.
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 percent and 12 percent, respectively, in 2026, driven almost entirely by earnings growth.
The bank expects corporate profits to accelerate from 4 percent in 2025 to 14 percent 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 percent, leading gains onshore.
Hong Kong tech shares weighed on the market, falling 1.5 percent as Alibaba slid 3.3 percent. Meanwhile, innovative drug shares extended their rally, up 3.2 percent. Investors are awaiting China’s inflation data, due on Friday, for clues on whether domestic demand is strengthening.