* Hang Seng Index edges up 0.2 pct, utilities outperform
* Shanghai Composite reverses early losses, up 0.2 pct
* China Resources Power jumps on power shortage demand
* High inflation, slowing growth in China worry investors (Updates to midday)
By Vikram Subhedar and Clement Tan
HONG KONG, May 3 (Reuters) - Hong Kong and China shares edged higher on Tuesday morning, with outperforming utilities and power-related stocks extending gains from last week on expectations that power shortages on the mainland will boost demand.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was up 0.18 percent at 23,764.6 by the midday trading break, helped in part by mild gains in financials. The China Enterprises Index of top locally listed mainland companies was up 0.22 percent.
In China, the Shanghai Composite Index had also gained 0.18 percent, attempting a recovery after posting its worst week of the year last week, but investors remained wary of further policy action even as economic growth slows amid high inflation.
"Equity volumes across the board are quite weak. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people right now are sitting on cash," said John Mar, regional head of sales trading at Daiwa Capital Markets in Hong Kong.
Mar said some clients preferred to take bets off the table, expressing concern over China's underperformance and the movement of copper prices, often considered a barometer of global economic growth, in the opposite direction to precious metals.
Bucking the overall trend, independent power producers (IPPs) extended their strong run on good volumes with a sub-index of utilities stocks in Hong Kong rising 1.16 percent to its highest level since September 2008.
The top performing stock on the benchmark, China Resources Power Holdings Ltd , rose 5.7 percent on almost twice the average 30-day traded volume by midday, on expectations of power shortages in China.
SHANGHAI EDGES UP
China stocks reversed early losses to edge up slightly by the midday trading break, although weakness in heavyweight financials kept a lid on gains on the benchmark. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index was up 0.18 percent at 2,916.84.
"Some could have been expecting a more positive market response after rumours of fresh tightening measures failed to materialise over the Labour Day weekend, but funds remain nervous," said Cao Xuefeng, head of research at Huaxi Securities in Chengdu.
Losses in financial stocks were among the biggest drags on the benchmark. Industrial and Construction Bank of China Ltd eased 0.2 percent, while China Life Insurance Co Ltd was down 0.6 percent.
While China's inflation is running at its highest in nearly three years, domestic manufacturing activity slowed in April, a sign that the government's tightening efforts might have weighed on the economy more heavily than expected. [ID:nL3E7G100E]
"We believe the economy is decelerating," said Dong Tao, an analyst with Credit Suisse in a report on Tuesday.
"Reports of (small and medium-sized enterprises) delaying their payments of power and water bills echo our concerns. Wide-spread labour shortages and emerging power interruptions are also likely to drag on industrial production." (Editing by Chris Lewis)