SHANGHAI, Dec 16 (Reuters) - China's main Shanghai stock index edged higher on Thursday but consumer firms weighed on blue chips amid concerns over a resurgence in COVID-19 cases, while weakness in Chinese tech firms dragged Hong Kong's Hang Seng lower.
** At the midday break, the Shanghai Composite index was up 0.28% at 3,657.85, with energy firms providing support. ** China's blue-chip CSI300 index was down 0.07%, with a 4.69% gain in energy shares offset by losses in sectors such as consumer staples, down 1.92% and non-ferrous metals, down 2.35%.
** An index tracking the coal sector surged 6.34% amid a government crackdown on illegal mining that has lifted prices. ** Chinese H-shares listed in Hong Kong fell 1.11% to 8,250.55, while the Hang Seng Index was down 0.81% at 23,231.48.
** The three biggest H-shares percentage decliners were JD.Com Inc, down 4.88%, Shenzhou International Group Holdings Ltd, trading 4.26% lower, and Meituan, dropping 4.14%.
** The sub-index of the Hang Seng index tracking the IT sector fell 2.1%. ** The smaller Shenzhen index was up 0.06%, the start-up board ChiNext Composite index was higher by 0.3% and Shanghai's tech-focused STAR50 index was down 0.22%.
** A-shares of Chinese companies that were reported on Wednesday to be on the verge of being added to U.S. investment and export blacklists rose.
** China's Leon Technology Co finished the morning session up 6.5%, after the company downplayed a report it would be added to the investment blacklist.
** But Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC) ended the morning down 3.42% in Hong Kong. ** Around the region, MSCI's Asia ex-Japan stock index was weaker by 0.10% while Japan's Nikkei index was up 1.87%. ** The yuan was quoted at 6.3672 per U.S. dollar, 0.01% firmer than the previous close of 6.368. (Reporting by Andrew Galbraith; Editing by Rashmi Aich)
