Shanghai: Stocks rise before annual congress meeting

[HONG KONG] Chinese stocks rose on Friday, with the benchmark index capping a monthly gain, before the start of the annual National People's Congress meeting next week. The yuan weakened.

The Shanghai Composite Index added 0.4 per cent to 3,310.30 at the close. The gauge rose 3.3 per cent during the holiday-shortened month. The measure jumped 2.2 per cent on Thursday after Premier Li Keqiang called for more active fiscal policy and a central bank publication said extra monetary easing is needed.

BLOOMBERG