China's stocks managed to close modestly higher in the morning session Friday, as investors prepared to bid farewell to a volatile but weak markets at the end of 2010.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index edged down a tick to open at 2,759.16 but moved out of the negative territory afterwards. It gained 16.29 points, or 0.59 percent, to close the morning session at 2,775.86.

By the morning break, the index has lost 15.3 percent from the end of 2009, locking in its position as one of the world's worst performing markets this year.

The Shenzhen Component Index extended its gains at opening and rose 126.87 points, or 1.05 percent, to end at 12,265.76 at midday. The Shenzhen index has fallen 10.5 percent by the morning break from the end of 2009.