China stocks overcame an early morning wobble and ended firmer by the lunch break on Monday, with better-than-expected factory activity data lifting sentiment without dashing hopes of fresh stimulus.
But Hong Kong equities tracked global markets lower, with investors bracing for a possible US rate rise later this week.
In both markets, though, stocks with ties with China’s Fosun Group all slumped, as investors had their first chance to react to news that Fosun’s billionaire chairman was assisting authorities with an investigation.
At the end of the morning session, China’s blue-chip CSI300 index was up 0.6 per cent to 3,628.33 points, while the Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.5 per cent to 3,453.16 points.
Reflecting government calls for economic restructuring, as well as investor’s shifting taste, 20 companies - including cinema operator Wanda Cinema Line Co and green energy firm CECEP Wind-Power Corp were added to the flagship CSI300 index, replacing a score of constituents that include many resources companies.
But on Monday, many sectors that represent China’s old growth model, including property, infrastructure , resources and energy had a decent performance, after weekend data showed China’s factory output growth picked up to a five-month high.
Nonetheless "We believe the faster growth in industrial production is transitory as the headwinds from industry overcapacity remain," Barclays said in a report on Monday.
“We continue to look for more fiscal and monetary easing to support growth.’’
In Hong Kong, The Hang Seng index dropped 0.9 per cent to 21,281.37 points, while the Hong Kong China Enterprises Index lost 0.3 per cent to 9,278.37.
Fosun-related shares in both China and Hong Kong commanded investors’ attention on Monday.
Even though Fosun Chairman Guo Guangchang made his first public appearance on Monday since reports he had gone missing last week, Fosun-related shares still tumbled.
Hong Kong-traded Fosun International and Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical (Group) Co slumped 11 per cent and 12.1 per cent respectively. In China, Fosun Pharmaceutical lost nearly 6 per cent, while Shanghai Ganglian E-Commerce Holdings Co, another Fosun affiliate, tumbled 8.9 per cent.
Some stocks with exposure to climate change-related solutions, such as China Nuclear Power and China Longyuan were firm after a landmark accord was reached in Paris to reduce green gas emissions.
But counterintuitively, Chinese coal miners also jumped on Monday.