SHANGHAI: Shanghai stocks suffered their biggest loss in two weeks on Wednesday amid signs of slowing economic growth and year-end liquidity tightness. ** Earnings at China’s industrial firms grew at their slowest pace in seven months in November, official data showed. Separately, growth in wages and hiring slowed at industrial firms, according to a survey by the China Beige Book International (CBB).
Meanwhile, benchmark rates in the banking systems kept climbing in signs of liquidity stress. The one-month Shanghai Interbank Offered Rate (Shibor) climbed to 4.93 percent on Wednesday, the highest level since April, 2015. The 14-day repo rate rose as much as 10 percent, the highest level in four years. At the close, the Shanghai Composite index was down 30.73 points or 0.93 percent at 3,275.40. The blue-chip CSI300 index was down 1.54 percent, with its financial sector sub-index lower by 1.86 percent, the consumer staples sector down 2.28 percent, the real estate index down 0.34 percent and healthcare sub-index down 1.94 percent. The smaller Shenzhen index ended down 0.7 percent and the start-up board ChiNext Composite index was weaker by 0.77 percent. Around the region, MSCI’s Asia ex-Japan stock index was firmer by 0.26 percent while Japan’s Nikkei index closed up 0.08 percent. At 07:11 GMT, the yuan was quoted at 6.5554 per U.S. dollar, 0.16 percent weaker than the previous close of 6.545. The largest percentage gainers in the main Shanghai Composite index were Yangzhou Yaxing Motor Coach Co Ltd up 10.04 percent, followed by Shenyang Jinbei Automotive Co Ltd gaining 10.02 percent and Baotailong New Materials Co Ltd up by 10 percent. The largest percentage losses in the Shanghai index were Shanghai AJ Group Co Ltd down 9.33 percent, followed by Hainan HNA Infrastructure Investment Group Co Ltd losing 8.56 percent and Sanan Optoelectronics Co Ltd down by 6.48 percent. About 16.27 billion shares were traded on the Shanghai exchange, roughly 105.1 percent of the market’s 30-day moving average of 15.48 billion shares a day. The volume in the previous trading session was 14.24 billion. As of 07:12 GMT, China’s A-shares were trading at a premium of 30.19 percent over the Hong Kong-listed H-shares. The Shanghai stock index is below its 50-day moving average and above its 200-day moving average. The price-to-earnings ratio of the Shanghai index was 14.87 as of the last full trading day while the dividend yield was 1.9 percent. So far this week, the market capitalisation of the Shanghai stock index has risen by 0.18 percent to 28.85 trillion yuan.
