The Hang Seng Index closed midday at 19,445, up 159 points, while the Hang Seng Tech Index rose to 4,401, gaining 37 points. CHINAHONGQIAO surged over 4%, and several companies, including HSBC Holdings and Carsgen-B, reached new highs. Industry insiders suggest the PBOC may cut the RRR before the Spring Festival. Meanwhile, Apple has dropped to third place in the Chinese smartphone market for 2024, according to a recent survey.