Shares still declining amid weak turnover

Stock markets in the Chinese mainland began the week in negative territory on Monday amid a fall in trading volume.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index declined by 3.73 points or 0.19 percent to 2,009.56 points on Monday. The Shenzhen Component Index closed down by 75.48 points or 0.99 percent at 7,572.56 points, falling for an eighth consecutive day.

Combined turnover on the two bourses on Monday was 136.33 billion yuan ($22.55 billion), down from Friday's 148.57 billion yuan.

The fall was led by stocks linked to shale gas, property, and oil companies as well as brokerages on Monday. But shares related to wearable electronics, the Internet, liquor, non-ferrous metals, and mobile games outperformed.

The Indonesian government's ban on iron ore exports became effective on Monday, boosting shares in non-ferrous companies, which are expected to benefit from the ban. Three companies - Shenzhen-listed Chengdu Huaze Cobalt and Nickel Material Co and Shanghai-listed Chengtun Mining Group Co and Jilin Ji En Nickel Industry Co - rose by the daily limit of 10 percent.

Shares in property sector stocks fell after a director at the Policy Research Center under the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development said on Saturday that the growth rate in the real estate sector will slow in 2014. Property developer Join ln (Holding) Co slid by the daily limit of 10 percent to 7.85 yuan.

ChiNext, China's NASDAQ-style board for high-tech and fast-growing start-ups listed in Shenzhen, rose on Monday by 3.49 points or 0.70 percent to 1,362.79 points.