Chinese equities closed 0.72 percent up on Thursday to stand at 2425.29 points, setting a new record since the late August last year, echoing the overnight Wall Street rebound and Asian markets rally on Thursday.

The Shanghai Composite Index gained 17.27 points, or 0.72 percent to 2,425.29. The Shenzhen Component Index rose 144.91 points, or 1.58 percent to 9,300.92.

Losses outnumbered gains by 516 to 342 in Shanghai and by 384 to 342 in Shenzhen.

Combined turnover expanded to 258.2 billion yuan (US$37.8 billion) on Thursday from 250.67 billion yuan on the previous trading day.

(Xinhua News Agency April 2, 2009)