Mixed day for Chinese share markets

Chinese shares were mixed Wednesday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index posting a modest gain of 0.33 percent to close at 2,603.30 points.

But the Shenzhen Component Index and the ChiNext Index closed at 7,545.11 points and 1,284.10 points, down 0.39 percent and 0.62 percent respectively.

Combined turnover on the two main bourses stood at 297.1 billion yuan (US$42.75 billion), down from 358 billion yuan the previous trading day.

Financial shares led the gains. The sub-indexes of banking and securities stocks rose 3.20 percent and 2.82 percent.

Jiangsu Zhangjiagang Rural Commercial Bank Co jumped 8.46 percent. Pacific Securities and Sealand Securities increased by the daily limit of 10 percent.

Consumer sector shares were among the biggest losers.

Liquor stocks extended Tuesday’s losses. Anhui Gujing Distillery Co and Jiangsu Yanghe Brewery Joint-Stock Co lost over 5 percent.

The oil industry also fell, with Offshore Oil Engineering Co losing 6.64 percent.