Chinese stock markets ended Friday slightly higher, supported by positive economic data. The Shanghai Composite rose 0.6% to about 3,914, while the Shenzhen Component gained 1.1% to around 13,760. However, both indexes still finished the week in the red, down 1.1% and 0.8%, as concerns over the Middle East situation continued to affect investor confidence.
Although US President Donald Trump extended the deadline for Iran talks by 10 days, reports suggesting a possible deployment of up to 10,000 more US troops in the region made investors cautious. Markets were also watching for upcoming US–China talks, with Trump expected to meet President Xi Jinping in May after earlier delays due to the conflict.
On the economic front, China reported a strong 15.2% year-on-year rise in industrial profits for January and February, signaling better performance from factories despite global challenges.
Among major stocks, gains were seen in PetroChina, Kweichow Moutai, Zijin Mining, Contemporary Amperex, and BYD