Chinese shares close lower

Beijing: Chinese stocks closed lower on Thursday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index down 1.09 percent to 3,501.66 points.

The Shenzhen Component Index closed 1.92 percent lower at 14,415.46 points.

The combined turnover of stocks covered by the two indices stood at 1.37 trillion yuan (212.31 billion U.S. dollars), up from 1.31 trillion yuan on the previous trading day.

Stocks related to sodium-ion batteries led the gains, while those related to medical equipment services suffered losses.

The ChiNext Index, tracking China's Nasdaq-style board of growth enterprises, fell 2.51 percent to close at 3,264.45 points on Thursday.