Tech gains make difference for HK, mainland stocks

Hong Kong and mainland stocks ended higher on Wednesday, led by tech shares, but gains were capped as investors held back from large bets ahead of the US Federal Reserve's policy decision later in the day. The benchmark Hang Seng Index rose 46 points, or 0.2 percent, to 24,713 on turnover of HK$181.09 billion. The tech index rose 34 46 points, or 0.8 percent, to 4,325 while the China enterprises index inched up by one point to 8,206. Up north, the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index rose 27 points, or up 0.71 percent, to 3,891 while the blue-chip CSI300 index advanced 0.7 percent. Both indexes snapped four straight days of losses. Gains were lifted by strength in tech shares, with the ChiNext Composite index rising 63 points, or 1.96 percent, to 3,311 and Shanghai's tech-focused Star50 index jumping 4.1 percent. The Shenzhen Component Index was 166 points, or 1.26 percent, higher at 13,454. AI is not a "monopoly of great powers" and the United States should work with China to manage risk to create a non-discriminatory development environment, China's top newspaper, the People's Daily, said in a commentary on Wednesday. In Tokyo, the Nikkei recovered from an early decline to end 438 points, or 0.69 percent, higher at...