China: Stocks end mixed

[SHANGHAI] China stocks ended a directionless session with mixed performance, as investors awaited more signals for trying to judge the health of the country's economy.

China's blue-chip CSI300 index fell 0.3 per cent to 3,347.1878, while the Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.1 per cent to 3,200.451.

For the week, the SSEC gained 1.3 per cent and the CSI shed 0.6 per cent.

The fact the indexes didn't move dramatically this week suggests the market has calmed following fresh supportive measures announced recently, including further trading restrictions on derivatives, and a proposed "circuit breaker"mechanism.

But trading remained thin, with daily volume in the CSI300 shrinking to the lowest since November, and trading in SSEC hit the lowest since February.

Small-caps outperformed blue chips.

Shenzhen's start-up board ChiNext rose 1.1 per cent and the CSI500 index, which tracks China's small-caps, ended the day 0.8 per cent firmer.

But the SSE50 index of China's top 50 listed companies fell 0.6 per cent.

Real estate, transport and IT sectors were among the gainers. The CSI300 Health Care Index lost 1.2 per cent.

REUTERS