China stocks rise on bargain hunting, policy expectations

** Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index and the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index roughly jumped 1.3% each. ** Asian stocks rose on Thursday ahead of U.S. inflation data that could influence the Federal Reserve's thinking on rate cuts, while the crypto world got a boost after exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to track bitcoin were approved in the United States.

China stocks rebounded on Thursday, while Hong Kong shares jumped after a seven-session losing streak, as investors bought the dip amid expectations for policy easing.

** The blue-chip CSI 300 Index added 0.6% and the Shanghai Composite Index edged up 0.3% at market close. ** Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index and the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index roughly jumped 1.3% each.

** Asian stocks rose on Thursday ahead of U.S. inflation data that could influence the Federal Reserve's thinking on rate cuts, while the crypto world got a boost after exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to track bitcoin were approved in the United States. ** Foreign investors bought roughly 4.2 billion yuan ($586.60 million) of Chinese shares via the Stock Connect on the day, the biggest daily inflow in two weeks.

** Investor sentiment still remained weak due to a lack of evidence that China's economy is improving. Investors await trade, inflation and credit data in the coming days to gauge the strength of the recovery. ** Market participants are also expecting China's central bank to cut policy rates as early as this month.

** Ting Lu, chief China economist at Nomura, said the People's Bank of China is quite likely to cut its benchmark lending rates next Monday. ** Shares in artificial intelligence, defense security and new energy rose roughly 2.5% each, while anime comic gaming companies climbed 4.3%.

** In Hong Kong, tech giants surged 2.2%, with food-delivery giant Meituan up 5.4%. ** Shares of digital assets and crypto exchange operator BC Technology Group Ltd jumped 11.9%, tracking global cryptocurrency stocks higher after the Securities and Exchange Commission approved the first U.S.-listed ETFs to track bitcoin .

($1 = 7.1599 Chinese yuan renminbi)