China stocks inch higher, set to end week flat as investors await fresh cues

SHANGHAI, Dec 19 (Reuters) - China stocks rose on Friday but were headed for a flat week as an earnings lull kept investors cautious ahead of fresh policy signals, while Hong Kong shares were set for a weekly decline.

China's blue-chip CSI300 Index .CSI300 and the Shanghai Composite Index .SSEC both gained 0.6% by the lunch break. Hong Kong benchmark Hang Seng .HSI was up 0.7%.

The CSI300 Index was up just 0.1% so far this week, while the Hang Seng Index was down 1.1%. The CSI Index was largely flat this month after a 16% rally this year.

Chinese chip stocks were little changed after Reuters reported the Trump administration has launched a review that could allow the first shipments of Nvidia's NVDA.O second-most powerful artificial intelligence chips to China.

Onshore AI shares .CSI930713 rose 1.3%，while Hong Kong-listed tech majors .HSTECH were 1.1% higher, after hitting a five-month low earlier this week.

The CSI Tourism Index .CSI930633, with the China Tourism Group Duty Free 601888.SS up 7.3%, after China launched a $113 billion free-trade experiment on Hainan island.

Nomura analysts said the gap between the property sector and exports is likely to persist, forecasting China's GDP growth at 4.3% in 2026, easing to 4.1% in the first half before rebounding to 4.5% in the second on expected spring stimulus and a lower base.