Editorial Summary

The Shanghai Composite Index was down 0.54 percent to close at 3,351.645 while the Shenzhen Composite Index fell 0.95 percent to close at 1,011.62 on Thursday. Trading volume on the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges reached RMB 53.34 billion and RMB 23.028 billion, respectively.

Shares of Shandong-based Yanzhou Coal Mining Company Limited (600188.SH), China Coal Energy Company Limited (601898.SH) and China's largest coal mining company China Shenhua Energy (601088.SH; 1088.HK) fell 9.26 percent, 6.47 percent and 6.15 percent, respectively, on Thursday. Yanzhou Coal Mining plans to export 500,000 tons of coal in 2008, a 9.1 percent year-on-year decrease, according to a company filing. The average price per ton of the exports increased 92% year-on-year to $151.67. Sanlian Commercial (600898.SH) shares increased 10.02 percent to close at RMB 12.85 on Thursday. Taiwan's financial management department said that it would allow cross-strait investment in the capital markets, reports chinanews.com.cn.