China stocks extended gains on Thursday after the previous session's 2 percent jump, as markets took comfort in the likely prospect that US interest rates will rise at a slower pace. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen's remarks earlier in the week that the United States should proceed cautiously as it looks to raise rates continued to prop up market sentiment.
But reflecting lingering concerns, a Reuters poll showed that Chinese fund managers slightly reduced their suggested equity exposure for the next three months. Both the CSI300 index and the Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.1 percent, to 3,218.09 points and 3,003.92 points, respectively. For the month of March, both the CSI300 and SSEC indexes were up 11.8 percent. The banking sector fell 0.3 percent, as three of China's "Big Four" state-owned banks said they were bracing for slower economic growth this year.
But transportation shares jumped more than 2 percent, reflecting optimism toward the sector, after Air China Ltd reported a 77.5 percent jump in 2015 profit on low fuel prices. Performance varied among sectors in China as investors digested a flood of earnings that came out this week. Air China Ltd, China's flagship airline, said on Wednesday its 2015 net profit jumped 77.5 percent, boosted by record low fuel prices and robust leisure and business travel demand. Shares of Baoshan Iron and Steel Co Ltd (Baosteel) was roughly flat, after a company executive said it would see its total steel production rise in 2016 as its huge Zhanjiang production base goes into operation, even though prices are expected to stay low. In Hong Kong, shares of Dalian Wanda Commercial Properties Co Ltd surged 18 percent, after disclosing that its parent Dalian Wanda Group was looking at taking the company private.
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