China and Hong Kong shares rose slightly on Thursday, as gains in brokers, banks, and real estate shares offset declines in technology and chipmakers. ** China's blue-chip CSI300 Index climbed 0.3% by the lunch break, while the Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.4%. Hong Kong benchmark Hang Seng was up 0.1%.

** Shares in onshore brokerages rose as much as 2% after China International Capital Corp (CICC) said it would acquire two rivals, stoking expectations of further consolidation in the country's $1.6 trillion securities industry. ** Meanwhile, the CSI Bank Index gained 1.8%, while the Liquor Index was up nearly 1%.

** Tech majors traded in Hong Kong fell 1.1%, tracking an overnight drop in their counterparts traded in New York. ** Onshore AI shares opened higher before reversing the ga

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