Chinese shares edged up Thursday as strong economic data indicated the world's fastest-growing economy was on track to regain its robust growth.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.22 percent to close at 3,158.86 points, after a near 3-percent loss Wednesday when media reports said some major banks had received verbal orders from authorities to stop lending for the rest of January to curb looming credit expansion.

The Shenzhen Component Index edged up 1 point, to close at 12,917.15 points.

Combined turnover totaled 225.6 billion yuan (33 billion U.S. dollars), down from 326.6 billion yuan the previous trading day.

Gainers outnumbered losers by 557 to 316 in Shanghai and 524 to 296 in Shenzhen.

Figures released Thursday showed China's GDP grew 8.7 percent in 2009 after it quickened to 10.7 percent in the last quarter.

Banking shares rebounded 2.68 percent from Wednesday's heavy loss, after the rumor of a lending halt was denied by top banking regulator Liu Minkang at the Asia Financial Forum in Hong Kong.

Shenzhen Development Bank led the rebound with a 6.08-percent rise. Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, the country's largest commercial bank, gained 1.83 percent to 5.02 yuan, while Bank of China rose 0.73 percent to 4.15 yuan.

Shares of Chinese airline companies climbed 0.61 percent, led by China Southern Airlines Co., the country's largest airline company by flight numbers, which gained 2.59 percent to 6.34 yuan.

The airline announced a 1.54-billion-dollar aircraft purchase Thursday in a statement posted on the Shanghai Stock Exchange website. It said it had agreed to buy 20 Airbus A320s from Airbus SNC, and expected to return to profit in 2009 due to lower fuel costs and stronger passenger demand.

Shanghai-based companies rose on the bright business outlook as the 100-day countdown of the 2010 World Expo started on Thursday.

Coal miners fell 2.19 percent, with China Shenhua Energy Co., the country's largest coal producer, down 2.25 percent to 30.91.

PetroChina Co. Ltd., Asia's largest oil producer, lost 1.17 percent to hit 13.51 yuan.

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