Chinese shares close higher Wednesday

Chinese stocks closed higher Wednesday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index up 0.22 percent to 4,083.97 points.

The Shenzhen Component Index closed 0.73 percent higher at 15,704.71 points.

The combined turnover of stocks covered by the two indices reached 3.13 trillion yuan (about 459.05 billion U.S. dollars), up 337.3 billion yuan from the previous trading day.

Stocks related to lab-grown diamonds, optical fiber and coal led the gains, while those related to education and civil aviation airports were among the biggest losers.

The ChiNext Index, tracking China's Nasdaq-style board of growth enterprises, gained 1.65 percent to close at 4,122.99 points Wednesday.

The STAR Composite Index, which reflects the performance of stocks on China's sci-tech innovation board, closed 2.10 percent higher at 2,061.05 points.

Chinese shares close higher Wednesday

Russia and Ukraine each exchanged 185 prisoners of conflict on Friday, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

Moscow brought 185 Russian servicemen back from territory controlled by Ukraine, while handing 185 Ukrainian captives over to Kiev, it said.

It added that the returned Russian servicemen are currently in Belarus receiving psychological and medical care and will later be transferred to Russia for further treatment and rehabilitation.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on the same day the return of 185 soldiers as well as one civilian to Ukraine.

Russia, Ukraine swap 370 prisoners