China Shares End Flat As Healthcare Losses Offset Gains In Property...

BEIJING/SHANGHAI, Dec 2 (Reuters) - China stocks erased earlier gains to end nearly flat on Wednesday, with gains in property stocks offset by losses in healthcare, as investors took a breather following a recent rally on upbeat data pointing to a continued economic recovery.

** At the close, the Shanghai Composite index was down 0.07% at 3,449.38.

** The index hit its highest since February 2018 earlier in the session, as investors cheered better-than-expected manufacturing data and hopes of continued economic recovery.

** China's blue-chip CSI300 index ended flat, while the start-up board ChiNext Composite index was 0.57% lower.

Shanghai's tech-focused STAR50 index closed up 0.3%.

** Leading the gains, tour lệ giang giá rẻ the real estate sub-index rose 0.96% by the end of the session, with heavyweight Greenland Holdings Corp Ltd gaining 2.63%.

** The sub-index tracking blue-chip healthcare stocks retreated 0.42%.

** The smaller Shenzhen index was up 0.16%.

** China's factory sector activity grew at its fastest pace in a decade in November, a business survey showed on Tuesday, as the economy rebounds to pre-pandemic levels.

** The virus infection situation remains stable, as mainland China reported nine new COVID-19 cases on Dec.

1, down from 12 cases a day earlier, tour lệ giang the country's national health authority said.

** U.S. President-elect Joe Biden has said that he will not immediately act to remove the Phase 1 trade agreement, which President Donald Trump inked with China, the New York Times reported.

** Around the region, MSCI's Asia ex-Japan stock index was firmer by 1.21%, while Japan's Nikkei index closed up 0.05%.

(Reporting by Cheng Leng in Beijing, Luoyan Liu and kynghidongduong.vn Andrew Galbraith in Shanghai; Editing by Rashmi Aich)