Stock exchanges show muted performance, ChiNext retreats

Stock markets in the Chinese mainland showed muted performance on Thursday.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index rose by just 0.35 points or 0.02 percent to 2,023.70 points on Thursday. The Shenzhen Component Index fell by 1.58 points or 0.02 percent to 7,667.22 points.

Combined turnover on the two bourses on Thursday was 162.61 billion yuan ($26.85 billion), increasing from the previous trading day's 155.20 billion yuan.

On Thursday, nonferrous metals companies, insurers and wearable computer and electronics makers saw gains. But banks, Internet and online game firms performed poorly, particularly those listed on ChiNext, China's NASDAQ-style board for high-tech and fast-growing start-ups listed in Shenzhen.

Ping An Insurance (Group) Co of China, the county's se-cond-largest insurer by market value, rose by 3.79 percent to 41.22 yuan and New China Life Insurance Co climbed 1.42 percent to 22.09 yuan on Thursday.

Three stocks in the nonferrous sector - Jilin Jien Nickel Industry Co, Chengtun Mining Group Co and Yunnan Luoping Zinc and Electricity Co - jumped by the daily limit of 10 percent.

Wearable device makers, which have seen an upward trend recently, continued to gain. Shenzhen-listed Shandong Fin CNC Machine Co and ChiNext-listed CSG Smart Science and Technology Co soared by the daily limit of 10 percent to 9.68 yuan and 21.92 yuan, respectively.

ChiNext declined on Thursday by 20.16 points or 1.42 percent to 1,395.16 points.

Longmaster Information and Technology Co fell 7.22 percent to 54.00 yuan and Leshi Internet Information and Technology slumped 8.97 percent to 46.90 yuan Thursday.