Lacking direction, performances across the sectors were mixed with finance slightly up and materials down on reduced volume of trades. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index closed at 2,597.60 down 0.50% or 13.02 points and the Shenzhen Component Index closed at 10,072.63 down 0.36% or 36.22 points. Combined turnover decreased to RMB 152.02 bln, down from 210.06 bln the previous trading day.

Finance and Insurance Industrial and Commercial Bank (601398) up 0.47% to RMB 4.26, China Construction Bank (601939) up 0.22% to RMB 4.50, Bank of China (601988) up 0.28% to RMB 3.53, Bank of Communications (601328) down 1.26% to RMB 7.05, China Merchants Bank (600036) up 1.15% to RMB 16.65 and China CITIC Bank (601998) down 0.40% to RMB 5.00.

Ping An Insurance (601318) up 0.08% to RMB 39.44, China Life Insurance (601628) up 0.17% to RMB 23.08 and CITIC Securities (600030) up 0.24% to RMB 24.80.

Real Estate China Vanke (000002) down 1.03% to RMB 9.65, Poly Real Estate (600048) down 2.42% to RMB 21.36, Gemdale Corporation (600383) down 3.75% to RMB 15.66, Beijing North Star (601588) up 0.97% to RMB 5.22 and Huafa Industrial (600325) down 2.78% to RMB 19.24.

Resources and Energy PetroChina (601857) down 2.35% to RMB 12.86, China Petroleum & Chemical (600028) unch at RMB 10.24, China Shenhua Energy (601088) down 2.06% to RMB 26.09, China Coal Energy (601898) down 3.15% to RMB 11.68, Aluminum Corporation of China (601600) down 1.03% to RMB 10.62 and Zijin Mining (601899) down 3.28% to RMB 8.84.

Metals and Materials Baoshan Iron & Steel (600019) up 0.16% to RMB 6.11, Jiangxi Copper (600362) down 0.47% to RMB 27.33, Anhui Conch Cement (600585) up 0.55% to RMB 43.96, Wuhan Iron & Steel (600005) up 0.42% to RMB 7.10 and Maanshan Iron & Steel (600808) down 0.24% to RMB 4.12.

MY01/VW/YS
22 May 2009