SHANGHAI, Jan 10 (Reuters) - China shares rose on Monday,
led by Shanghai's tech focussed STAR Market amid reform
expectations, while Hong Kong shares gained on sustained rebound
in technology shares.
** China's bluechip CSI300 index rose 0.4% to
4,839.22 at the end of the morning session, while the Shanghai
Composite Index gained 0.3% to 3,588.40.
** In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index added 0.8%,
while the Hong Kong China Enterprises Index gained 1.2%.
** Shanghai's STAR rose 1.3% from near eight-month
lows, after China's securities regulator said it would pilot
market-making on the Nasdaq-style market, in a bid to deepen
reforms and improve liquidity.
** In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Tech Index is set
to rise for the third consecutive session, up nearly 2% by the
lunch break.
** The index has gained more than 7% from record lows hit
last Thursday, as some investors think the sell-off in Chinese
tech shares - fuelled by concerns of Beijing's crackdown - is
overdone.
** Shares in China Life Insurance Co
fell nearly 2% in both China and Hong Kong, after Chinese
Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) said on
Saturday that it had placed China Life's Chairman Wang Bin under
investigation.
** Citi analysts said the news could "cast a shadow" over
China Life's share price, as "investors may have concerns over
the insurer's corporate governance as well as potential business
disruptions brought by the Chairman change".
** Shares of Chinese property developer Shimao Group
Holdings jumped.
** Shimao Group has put on sale all of its real estate
projects, including both residential and commercial properties,
as the cash-strapped Chinese property developer accelerates
asset disposals, Caixin reported.
** Shares of rival Longfor Group Holdings also
rose sharply, after the developer proposed to spin off and
separately list its unit Longfor Intelligent Living Ltd.
(Reporting by Shanghai Newsroom; Editing by Rashmi Aich)