* SSEC +0.23%, CSI300 +0.45%, HSI +1.22% * China June retail sales grows faster than expected * Q2 economy expands slower than expected SHANGHAI, July 15 (Reuters) - China stocks rose on Thursday with liquor makers and banks leading gains, as investors cheered stronger retail sales in June while expecting an easier policy stance from the central bank to support an economic recovery. ** At the midday break, the Shanghai Composite index was up 0.23% at 3,536.71 points. ** China’s blue-chip CSI300 index was up 0.45%, with the banking sector sub-index rising 2.12% and the consumer staples sector up 1.47%. ** Shanxi Xinghuacun Fen Wine Factory surged 4.9% while shares of Tsingtao Brewery gained 4.7% in Shanghai. ** The real estate index was up 1.1%, while the healthcare sub-index was down 0.83%. ** China’s economy grew less than expected in the second quarter, as slowing manufacturing activity, higher raw material costs and new COVID-19 outbreaks weighed on the recovery momentum. But year-on-year June retail sales growth was more than expected. ** “Our greater concern is the uneven recovery that we’ve seen so far, and for China the recovery in domestic consumption is very important ... retail sales this month was fairly strong and that may allay some concerns,” said UOB economist Woei Chen Ho in Singapore. ** Investors are watching the central bank for a shift to an easier policy stance after the People’s Bank of China cut the amount of cash that banks must hold as reserves with effect from Thursday. ** Chinese H-shares listed in Hong Kong rose 1.39% to 10,205, while the Hang Seng Index was up 1.22% at 28,126.52. ** The smaller Shenzhen index was down 0.69%, the start-up board ChiNext Composite index was weaker by 0.29% and Shanghai’s tech-focused STAR50 index was down 0.87%. ** Around the region, MSCI’s Asia ex-Japan stock index was firmer by 0.65% while Japan’s Nikkei index was down 0.95%. ** The yuan was quoted at 6.4655 per U.S. dollar, 0.05% firmer than the previous close of 6.469. (Reporting by Shanghai Newsroom; editing by Vinay Dwivedi)