Chinese stocks closed lower on Thursday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index down 1.18 percent to 3,573.21 points.
The Shenzhen Component Index closed 1.73 percent lower at 11,009.77 points.
The combined turnover of these two indices stood at about 1.94 trillion yuan (about 271.35 billion U.S. dollars), up from 1.84 trillion yuan the previous trading day.
Stocks related to glass and bio-pharmaceutical sectors led the gains, while stocks in the nonferrous metal and furniture industries suffered major losses.
The ChiNext Index, tracking China's Nasdaq-style board of growth enterprises, lost 1.66 percent to close at 2,328.31 points on Thursday.
Liu Zhaoqin, a market analyst and business reporter for China Global Television Network (CGTN), recapped Thursday's Chinese stock market performance, with analysis as follows:
The Shanghai Composite Index closed at 3,573, down around 1.18 percent, while the Shenzhen Component Index ended at 11,009, down about 1.73 percent. In terms of sectors, AI computing power-related stocks collectively strengthened. Liquid-cooled server stocks led the gains, with multiple stocks such as Guangdong Suqun New Material and Envicool Technology hitting the upper limit. Pharmaceutical stocks were also active collectively, with Hunan Nucien Pharmaceutical hitting the upper limit during trading hours. The steel sector experienced a full-day pullback, with Inner Mongolia BaoTou Steel Union registering a significant decline.
Analyst recaps Chinese stock market's Thursday performance
China's Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao outlined the key priorities of the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting, which opened on Friday in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province.
In an interview with CGTN ahead of the two-day meeting, Wang said free trade, digital cooperation and green economy are high on the agenda of the meeting.
"The key areas include advancing regional economic integration and the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, supporting the World Trade Organization (WTO) in strengthening digital cooperation and developing green economy. At present, the international situation is marked by intertwined turbulence and chaos, with intensified geopolitical instability. The rise of unilateralism and protectionism poses serious challenges to the international economic and trade order, disrupting global and Asia-Pacific development. Against this backdrop, all parties have higher expectations for this trade ministers' meeting, hoping that it can build consensus and deliver outcomes," Wang said.
This year marks China's third time hosting the APEC meetings and the 35th anniversary of its membership.
By 2025, China had become the largest trading partner of 13 APEC economies. Trade between China and APEC economies reached 3.7 trillion U.S. dollars, accounting for 57.8 percent of China's total foreign trade.
China has signed 24 free trade agreements or economic and trade arrangements with 31 countries and regions, including 15 APEC economies. In recent years, China has also completed upgrades of free trade agreements with APEC economies such as Singapore and Peru.
The minister said that China has always been a firm supporter and an important contributor to APEC.
"We have actively shared our vast market and development opportunities with all parties. China's door to the world will only open wider and wider. Facing the common challenges, China will continue to fulfill its responsibilities as a major country, further deepen reform, expand high-standard opening-up, and continue to provide new opportunities for the Asia-Pacific region and the world with its new achievements in Chinese modernization," the minister said.
China's Commerce Minister outlines priorities for 32nd APEC trade ministers' meeting
