Mainland markets end lower, auto sector outperforms

Stock markets in the Chinese mainland dipped on Thursday, weighed down by a fall in commodity and financial stocks.

The Shanghai Composite Index was down by 0.74 percent or 16.41 points to 2,206.47 points on Thursday. The Shenzhen Component Index declined by 1.09 percent or 86.59 points to 7,893.90 points.

Combined turnover on the two bourses on Thursday was 307.57 billion yuan ($49.97 billion), down from Wednesday's 313.19 billion yuan.

Decline in the nonferrous, coal, steel, insurance and real estate sectors wiped out gains led by automobile, machinery and IT companies on Thursday.

Nonferrous, coal and steel sectors each fell more than 2 percent. Anyuan Coal Industry Group Co plunged by 9.96 percent to 5.06 yuan while Yunnan Tin Co dipped 7.20 percent to 17.65 yuan.

Bucking the trend, the auto sector gained 0.48 percent. Dongfeng Automobile jumped by the daily limit of 10 percent to 3.89 yuan.

ChiNext, China's NASDAQ-style board for high-tech and start-ups listed in Shenzhen, continued to fall for a third straight day, ending 0.29 percent or 4.01 points lower to 1,380.30 points on Thursday.