China markets reopen with a roar after week-long break

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Chinese shares soared to two-year highs on Tuesday, pushing a blistering rally even further as trade resumed after a week-long holiday and investors bet on stimulus supporting the economy.

The blue-chip CSI300 was up 10% in early trade to its highest since mid-2022 and the rose 9.7% and hit its best levels since December 2021.

Hong Kong’s , which hit 2-1/2 year highs on Monday, slumped 2.8%. The yuan fell sharply to 7.0502 per dollar and five-year bond futures dropped to their lowest since July.

A press conference from the National Development and Reform Commission called for 0200 GMT is in focus for further details of the stimulus pledges behind the market frenzy.

Before the break, China announced the most aggressive stimulus measures since the pandemic and the CSI300 gained 25% over five sessions. Turnover soared as heavy buying strained brokers and trading systems, and last Monday the CSI300 and the Shanghai Composite both notched their largest gains since 2008.

Authorities have cut rates and hinted at fiscal support to shore up an economy that, by Chinese standards, is ailing.

Before the Golden Week holiday break, hedge fund manager David Tepper said on CNBC the moves were encouraging enough that he would buy “everything” on China.

But gains have been so large that others now urge caution.

“China’s weighting in the MSCI EM Index rose from 24% in Aug to 30% now, and its continued outperformance may drive a self-reinforcing ‘pain-trade’ before the year-end,” Bank of America analysts said in a note on Monday.

However, they said, the “‘buy everything’ stage will be over soon,” with market momentum, fiscal support, earnings, the U.S. election and further policy settings all part of the outlook.

“Consumer, property (and) broker stocks could be profit-taking candidates … big cap internet and high-yield SOEs are our preferred exposure,” they said.