SHANGHAI, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Shares of China"s Leon Technology Co (300603.SZ) surged in early trade on Thursday, a day after the company downplayed a Financial Times report that it would be added to a U.S. investment blacklist this week. Leon"s shares gained more than 15% in early deals and were last up around 10%. The company said in a statement on Wednesday that it does not operate in the U.S. market and would not be affected if it was included in the U.S. blacklist.