China stocks slipped on Thursday as consumer and healthcare firms took a breather after recent gains. The blue-chip CSI300 index closed 0.2 percent down at 3,831.01 while the Shanghai Composite Index also lost 0.2 percent to 3,109.50 points. Healthcare stocks led the decline, with Aier Eye Hospital down 4.5 percent, as investors booked profits after a strong run-up. Focus continued to be on trade talks between China and US
China's Commerce Ministry said on Thursday that the country does not want an escalation of trade frictions with the United States, and that some specific progress was made in the latest round of talks that concluded over the weekend.
The biggest percentage gainers in the main Shanghai Composite index were Anyang Iron & Steel Inc, up 10.09 percent, followed by Ningbo Techmation Co Ltd, up 10.05 percent, and Riyue Heavy Industry Co Ltd, up 10.01 percent.
The largest percentage losses in the Shanghai index were Guangzhou Jiacheng International Logistics Co Ltd, down 9.17 percent, followed by Jason Furniture Hangzhou Co Ltd, down 6.18 percent, and Wuxi Acryl Technology Co Ltd, down 6.12 percent.
So far this year, the Shanghai stock index is down 6 percent, the CSI300 has fallen 5 percent while China's H-share index listed in Hong Kong is up 5.9 percent. Shanghai stocks have risen 0.44 percent this month.
About 12.78 billion shares were traded on the Shanghai exchange, roughly 95.4 percent of the market's 30-day moving average of 13.39 billion shares a day. The volume in the previous trading session was 12.02 billion.
The price-to-earnings ratio of the Shanghai index was 13.35 as of the last full trading day while the dividend yield was 2.5 percent.
So far this week, the market capitalisation of the Shanghai stock index has risen by 1.30 percent to 32.24 trillion yuan.