** At the close, the Shanghai Composite index was up 0.1% at 2,917.76. The blue-chip CSI300 index was flat.

** CSI300's financial sector sub-index was higher by 0.1%, the consumer staples sector fell 0.2%, while the healthcare sub-index eased 0.3%. *

* The smaller Shenzhen index ended down 0.1%, while the start-up board ChiNext Composite index was higher by 0.2%.

** China will release its second-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) data on Monday, July 15.

** Growth is expected to slow to a near 30-year low of 6.2% this year, a Reuters poll showed on Wednesday, despite a flurry of support measures to spur domestic demand to offset the trade war's impact. Some economists said they expected Beijing to roll out more stimulus soon to ward off a sharper slowdown.

** China will stabilise trade by reducing tariffs, improving export tax rebate policies and cutting insurance fees for export companies, state media reported on Wednesday, citing a state council meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang.

** Citic Securities analysts expect policy support to tame the economy's slowdown in the second half. They said in a note on Thursday that there was "more certainty on infrastructure (spending) accelerating, (which) can offset some of the downward pressure on industrial production prices."

** Analysts say the central bank could cut its benchmark policy rate for the first time in four years if the U.S. Federal Reserve delivers a widely expected cut in late July, as Chinese policymakers step up support for the slowing economy.

** U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Wednesday paved the way for the first U.S. interest rate cut in a decade later this month, pledging to 'act as appropriate' to defend an economic expansion threatened by trade disputes and a global slowdown.

** Shares raced higher around the region. MSCI's Asia ex-Japan stock index was firmer by 0.7%, while Japan's Nikkei index closed up 0.5%. The S&P 500 briefly crossed the 3,000-point mark for the first time overnight on Powell's remarks.

** The largest percentage gainers in the main Shanghai Composite index were Taiyuan Chemical Industry Co Ltd and Geo-Jade Petroleum Corp, up 10.1% each, and Jiangsu Chengxing Phosph-Chemical Co Ltd, up 10%.

** So far this year, the Shanghai stock index is up almost 17% and the CSI300 has risen 25.7%. Shanghai stocks have declined 2.1% so far this month.

** About 14.37 billion shares were traded on the Shanghai exchange. The volume in the previous trading session was 13.55 billion.

** The Shanghai stock index is below its 50-day moving average and above its 200-day moving average.