China shares rise on new stock exchange plan, government support

SHANGHAI: Chinese equities rose sharply on Monday as plans for a new stock exchange in Beijing and a slew of market-friendly rhetoric from government officials boosted sentiment.

The blue-chip CSI300 index rose 1.9%, to 4,933.73, while the Shanghai Composite Index gained 1.1% to 3,621.86 points.

** An index tracking major companies listed on Beijing's New Third Board (NTB) surged 13% after China announced details over the weekend for the planned Beijing Stock Exchange, which will be based on NTB. Shanghai's tech-focused STAR Market and Shenzhen's start-up board ChiNext jumped over 2%.

** "We believe the new Beijing Stock Exchange (BSE) offers a reassuring message that China will continue to support technologically innovative small- and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) to tap capital markets for financing," Citi said in a note on Monday.

** Chinese Vice Premier Liu He said the private economy must be supported and that "guidelines and policies for supporting the private economy have not changed...and will not change in the future."

** In addition, China's central bank and financial regulators said over the weekend they would increase the high-level opening of the financial sector by optimising institutional arrangements and improving regulations, the official China Daily reported.

** The brokerage subindex gained 2.9%, as investors bet China's new bourse will boost their underwriting business.

** The new energy vehicle sub-index jumped 4.5%, after China's vice industry minister said on Saturday that the country was expected to sell 1.7 million new energy vehicles (NEV) in the first eight months of this year, up from 600,000 units in the same period last year.

** The healthcare sub-index surged 4.5%, as investors rushed to snap up the stocks battered by regulations that would cap the profits of medicine makers. Previously, The index had lost 18.4% in July and August.

** The consumer staples sub-index and the energy sub-index finished up 2.5% and 2.8%, respectively.