HONG KONG, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Hong Kong's benchmark stock index bounced back on Monday after its worst week in about nine months as talk of slower-than-expected inflation in China lifted the Shanghai market to a two-month high.
The benchmark Hang Seng Index <.HSI> closed up 1.28 percent at 23,121.06. It fell 4.5 percent last week, the biggest decline since May 2010. The Shanghai Composite Index <.SSEC> rose 2.54 percent.
Turnover declined, while short-sellers remained active on the day, suggesting that investors were not fully convinced that the turnaround was sustainable.
The Hang Seng Index is still just below a trendline support, at 23,163 on the charts that had held since May last year, raising the risk of a retest of the December 2010 low around 22,400.
HIGHLIGHTS
* Mainland banking shares provided the biggest boost to the benchmark Hang Seng Index as talk of inflation data coming in lower than forecast suggested to investors that policy tightening could be postponed. Bank of China Ltd <3988.HK> rose 2.3 percent while Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd <1398.HK> rose 1.9 percent.
* Resources counters advanced, in particular those in the energy sector after China's trade figures for January pointed to robust economic growth. PetroChina Co Ltd <0857.HK> rose 2.5 percent, while coal producer China Shenhua Energy Co Ltd <1088.HK> jumped 3.9 percent.
* Auto stocks surged as an upbeat earnings forecasts and expectations of strong January sales in China's auto market, now the world's largest, prompted investors to pile into the sector. Dongfeng Group Group Co Ltd's <0489.HK> 9.3 percent jump led a broad rally in the sector. [ID:nTOE71D02G]
THE DAY AHEAD
China will release official January inflation data on Tuesday. The consensus forecast stands at 5.3 percent.
Bank of East Asia Ltd <0023.HK> will kick off the earnings reporting season for Hong Kong banks. (Editing by Chris Lewis) (vikram.subhedar@thomsonreuters.com; +852 2843 6975; Reuters Messaging: vikram.subhedar.reuters.com@reuters.net))