May 10 (Reuters) - China's main stock index was little changed at midday on Tuesday as investors remained cautious about trade aggressively ahead of key economic data due on the following day.
The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.3 percent to 2,881.6 points, after a 0.3 percent rise on Monday.
The Hong Kong stock market was closed for a publish holiday.
"In terms of value, the blue-chips will not be a major factor for the index's decline for now, so the index may still move in a small range," said Cheng Yi, analyst at Xiangcai Sercurities in Shanghai.
A slew of data, including inflation, is due on Wednesday. Annual price rise is expected to have eased a touch in April but at elevated levels, which is likely to keep inflation-wary policymakers on edge, analysts say.
The market showed little reaction to Tuesday's trade data, which showed China had a trade surplus of $11.4 billion in April, nearly four times larger than expected as exports grew markedly faster than imports. [ID:nL3E7GA0A4]
Coal shares outperformed, following a rebound in global commodity prices, with Gansu Jingyuan Coal Industry And Electricity Power rallying 4.7 percent and ShanXi Coking gaining 2.5 percent.
Banking shares also rebounded, with China Minsheng Bank risng 1.7 percent and China Merchants Bank up 1.7 percent.
U.S. crude gave up some of its gains made on Monday, when it surged more $5. Xinjiang Dushanzi TianLi High&NewTech rallied 5 percent, while PetroChina , the biggest oil firm in capitalization, rose 0.3 percent.
Analysts said oil price were already at high levels and thus oil shares had little room to rise sharply in the near term. (Reporting by Chen Yixin and Kazunori Takada) Hong Kong report Taiwan report Shanghai indices <0#.INX.SS> Shenzhen indices <0#.INX.SZ> Hong Kong indices <0#.INX.HK> H-share index Red share index SPEED GUIDES
