China Stocks Finish Sharply Higher
2026-04-16 07:53
By
Joshua Ferrer
1 min. read
The Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.7% to end at 4,056, hitting a fresh four-week high, while the Shenzhen Component climbed 2.1% to 14,796 on Thursday, rebounding to its strong January 2022 level, as better-than-expected first-quarter economic growth boosted sentiment.
China’s economy expanded 5% in the first quarter, accelerating from 4.5% in the prior quarter and beating expectations, as stronger exports helped offset still-muted domestic demand.
Activity data for March painted a mixed picture, with industrial production holding up better than expected even as retail sales softened and unemployment edged higher.
On the geopolitical front, Israel is weighing a possible ceasefire in Lebanon, while US President Donald Trump said the broader war with Iran could end soon as efforts to extend a fragile truce and restart negotiations continue.
Notable gains were seen from Contemporary Amperex (5.5%), Zhongji Innolight (3.8%), Foxconn Industrial (2.6%), BYD (2.4%), and Zijin Mining (1.1%).