China: Blue-chip index reverses gains, ChiNext sours sentiment

[SHANGHAI] China's blue-chip index CSI300 broke a four-day rising streak on Wednesday, as a late afternoon slump in start-up board ChiNext soured market sentiment.

The CSI300 index surrendered earlier gains, dipping 0.3 per cent, to 3,866.38, while the Shanghai Composite Index lost 0.4 per cent, to 3,636.09 points.

Tech-heavy ChiNext tumbled 2.2 per cent, as selling intensified toward the market close.

Sentiment was initially upbeat amid fresh signs that cash-rich insurers were on a shopping spree at the year-end, buying modestly-valued big caps.

But the late-afternoon sell-off reminded investors of the liquidity pressure from five companies that start taking subscriptions on Wednesday for their initial public offerings.

Some traders say the rally in blue-chips is still sustainable, although small-caps could weaken further. "Insurers' purchases have put blue chips into the market's spot light," said David Dai, Shanghai-based investor director at Nanhai Fund Management Co.

He added that small-caps were more expensive and thus faced heavier selling pressure as a six-month share sale ban by major shareholders expires in early January.

Latest exchange filings showed that insurers have been boosting stakes in blue chips, including developer China Vanke Co , retailer Chang Chun Eurasia Group and Chinese traditional medicine maker Beijing Tongrentang Co.

REUTERS