SHANGHAI: China stocks fell on Friday after benchmark lending rates were unexpectedly kept unchanged, but the main indexes were headed for their first weekly gain in a month as the US rate cut strengthened bets that Beijing will soon unveil fresh stimulus.

China stocks rebound as Fed rate relief lifts easing hopes

• Hong Kong shares jumped more than 1%, on track for a sixth day of gains, and the best weekly performance in five months, amid a broad rally in global markets.

• China’s blue-chip CSI300 index was down 0.27% at the midday break, while the Shanghai Composite index fell 0.23%. But both indexes were set for rare weekly rises.

• Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index gained 1.5%, on track for a weekly gain of more than 5%, as the Federal Reserve kicked off its rate-cutting cycle on Wednesday with a bigger than expected 50-basis-point cut.

• Hong Kong stocks are more sensitive to US rates than shares in China, where regulators impose strict capital controls.

• In China, sectors that benefit from lower rates - including real estate and tech rose. Banking shares also gained on China’s Friday inaction on rates. Lower lending rates hurt banks’ profitability.

• The Fed starting to cut rates is good news for Chinese assets, but “whether the A-share market can stabilise is mainly determined by economic fundamentals,” China International Capital Corp said in a note.

• Around the region, MSCI’s Asia ex-Japan stock index was firmer by 0.76% while Japan’s Nikkei index was up 1.80%.

• China’s CSI financial sector sub-index was higher by 0.21%, the consumer staples sector down 0.64%, the real estate index up 1.33% and the healthcare sub-index fell 1.65%.

• The smaller Shenzhen index was down 0.34%, the start-up board ChiNext Composite index was weaker by 0.8% and Shanghai’s tech-focused STAR50 index was down 0.95%.