SHANGHAI: Mainland China and Hong Kong stocks advanced on Friday, with the Shanghai benchmark topping the psychologically important 4,100 points to a decade high, as investor sentiment improved on signs of easing deflationary pressures.
China's annual consumer price inflation accelerated to a 34-month high in December, while producer deflation persisted, backing market expectations for additional stimulus to shore up soft demand.
At the close, the benchmark Shanghai Composite index rose 0.92% to 4,120.43 points, the highest since 2015. It jumped 3.82% for the week to record the biggest weekly percentage rise since November 2024.
The blue-chip CSI300 index added 0.45%, advancing 2.79% for the week.
Hong Kong's benchmark Hang Seng Index climbed 0.32%, but eased 0.41% for the week.
"We remain positive on Chinese equities, partly because we expect China's efforts to balance domestic demand and supply to be supportive for the earnings outlook and to drive upward consensus earnings estimate revisions," said William Bratton, head of cash equity research for APAC at BNP Paribas Exane.
"However, given the expected sequencing of realised impacts, we have a near-term preference for sub-industries in materials, industrials, and technology over their direct consumer-facing peers."
CSI 300 Material sub-index rose 1.51%, while the Hang Seng Material Index gained 2.29%.
Signs of easing trade tensions between the world's two largest economies, authorities' pledge to boost domestic demand and support the broad economy should continue to boost A shares, Zeng Wanping, investment director at Panshi Fund, said.
The overall valuation of A shares are not very high, he noted.
A firmer yuan and ample liquidity conditions also underpinned the market, analysts at Morgan Stanley said.
"We remain constructive on China on a six- to 12-months basis, considering sustained liquidity support, ongoing technological advancement and a broad set of thematic opportunities," they said.
Major global investment houses hold divergent views on the Chinese yuan after its breach of the psychologically important 7-per-dollar level at the end of 2025, though most expect its strength to persist into the new year.
Separately, markets will shift their focus to trade and credit lending data, due next week, for more clues into the health of the world's second largest economy. (Reporting by Shanghai Newsroom; Editing by Sumana Nandy and Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
