Markets see overall decline in March

Stock markets in the Chinese mainland saw mixed performance Monday, but suffered an overall decline in March.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index fell for a fourth consecutive day, sliding by 8.41 points or 0.41 percent to 2,033.31 points on Monday. The index saw a monthly fall of 1.12 percent.

The Shenzhen Component Index rose by 24.01 points or 0.34 percent to 7,189.58 points on Monday, but it was down by 2.39 percent month-on-month.

Partly due to tight liquidity at the end of the month and sluggish market conditions, investors were cautious on Monday.

Combined turnover on the bourses was 149.42 billion yuan ($24.03 billion), down from 204.53 billion on Friday.

Market watchers are awaiting more economic data for March, according to a research paper by Shenyin and Wanguo Securities Co on Monday. The National Bureau of Statistics is set to publish China's official manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index on Tuesday.

Shares linked to the Shanghai (Pilot) Free Trade Zone (FTZ) weighed on the stock exchanges on Monday.

A deputy-mayor of Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Pro-vince, said Sunday that the local government is exploring the possibility of setting up an online FTZ test area, which analysts expect will compete with the Shanghai FTZ.

Shanghai Oriental Pearl (Group) Co and BesTV New Media Co tumbled on Monday by the daily limit of 10 percent.

On Saturday, during his visit to Germany, President Xi Jinping called for further development of the Silk Road economic belt. Shares linked to such development rose on Monday, with Xinjiang Urban Construction (Group) Co gaining by 9.95 percent to 7.07 yuan and Xinjiang Beixin Road and Bridge Group Co jumping by 9.79 percent to 5.72 yuan.

ChiNext, China's NASDAQ-style board for high-tech and fast-growing start-ups listed in Shenzhen, fell by 2.70 points or 0.20 percent to 1,327.80 points. The index ended March 7.46 percent lower month-on-month.