Mineral stocks lead drop in market
17/5/2005 15:54
Shanghai Daily news
Shares in Shanghai fell more than
1 percent yesterday led by commodity-related stocks after futures prices
continue to fall on international markets. "There's growing concern a
slowdown in global economic growth may dent appetite for raw materials at a time
when inventories are rising," said Lu Chengde, a trader with Guosen Securities
Co. The Shanghai Composite Index, which tracks yuan-denominated A shares and
foreign-currency B shares, eased 1.10 percent to 1,095.47, the lowest level
since May 18, 1999, when it tumbled to 1,059.87. The A-share Index lost 1.09
percent to 1,149.91 and the B-share Index dived 2.01 percent at
68.56. Jiangxi Copper, China's biggest producer of the metal, plunged to the
10 percent daily trading cap and closed at 4.43 yuan (53.37 US cents). The
Shanghai Futures Exchange said after the market closed on Friday that copper
stockpiles had risen 52 percent to 26,176 tons from April 29 when the bourse
last reported inventories. Shandong Aluminum Corp, a listed unit of Aluminum
Corp of China, the country's biggest maker of aluminum, declined 5.17 percent to
7.89 yuan. Lanzhou Aluminum Corp, China's second-largest publicly traded
aluminum producer, shed 3.08 percent to 3.78 yuan.
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