China stocks ended lower on Thursday, hurt by tech players, on news that US regulators are open to making changes to close a possible loophole in a new rule aimed at curbing global chip sales to Chinese firm Huawei Technologies Ltd.

At close, the Shanghai Composite index was down 0.55% at 2,867.92. The blue-chip CSI300 index was down 0.54%, with its financial sector sub-index shedding 0.56%, the real estate index falling 0.53%. The consumer staples sector gained 0.24% and the healthcare sub-index rose 1%.

The smaller Shenzhen index ended down 0.95% and the start-up board ChiNext Composite index was weaker by 0.882%. Leading the decline, the CSI IT index and CSI telecommunications services index shed 2.2% and 2.1%, respectively.