SHANGHAI: China shares closed higher on Wednesday, led by electric vehicle and healthcare stocks on the back of strong earnings, while investors waited for a likely politburo meeting later this week.

At the close, the Shanghai Composite index was up 0.42% at 3,457.07, while the blue-chip CSI300 index was up 0.56%.

Leading the gains, the new energy vehicle sector sub-index gained 2.58%, while the healthcare sub-index added 2.11%.

The consumer staples sector was down 0.03%, while the real estate index edged lower 0.14%.

The smaller Shenzhen index ended up 0.8% and the start-up board ChiNext Composite index was higher by 2.162%. The tech-focused STAR 50 index rose 0.94%.

Shares in Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd, the world’s biggest battery maker for new energy vehicles, climbed 5.3% after reporting a 22% jump in its 2020 net profit.