Stock exchanges in the mainland continue to decline

Stocks in the Chinese mainland declined for a second consecutive day on Thursday, ahead of an important party meeting at the weekend.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index slid by 10.21 points or 0.48 percent to close at 2,129.40 points on Thursday. And the Shenzhen Component Index declined by 47.61 points or 0.57 percent to 8,240.25 points.

Combined turnover on the two bourses on Thursday was 150.91 billion yuan ($24.77 billion), down from Wednesday's 187.45 billion yuan.

Shares in oil and gas companies, which had advanced in the previous trading session, retreated on Thursday. PetroChina Co fell 1.14 percent to 7.82 yuan while Sinopec Shandong Taishan Petroleum Co declined by 6.37 percent to 6.32 yuan.

The food services industry also suffered, sliding by 2.9 percent on Thursday. Bright Dairy & Food Co fell by 7.51 percent to 20.20 yuan.

Meanwhile, the media and entertainment sector, which led the loss on Wednesday, rose by 0.20 percent, with Tangel Publishing Co surging by the 10 percent daily limit to 28.82 yuan.

ChiNext, China's NASDAQ-style board for high-tech and fast-growing start-ups listed in Shenzhen, dropped by 17.74 points or 1.43 percent to finish at 1,224.05 points on Thursday.

Stock exchanges in Japan, South Korea, Australia, and the Philippines closed down Thursday, affected by uncertainty ahead of the US announcement of third-quarter growth and jobs data, and the upcoming Third Plenary Session of the 18th Communist Party of China Central Committee.