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Banks drag China stocks down 2.4 percent

Thu Jan 8, 2009 12:49pm IST
 
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(For Hong Kong stock market reports, click [.HK]) (adds analysis, background, individual stocks)

* Hopes that Central Huijin will buy top banks' A shares

* Telecoms continue pulling back after 3G licences awarded

* Disneyland report boosts some Shanghai property shares

By Claire Zhang

SHANGHAI, Jan 8 (Reuters) - Chinese stocks fell on Thursday, led by banks after two high-profile sales of Chinese bank shares in Hong Kong sparked fears of more such selling.

The Shanghai Composite Index .SSEC ended down 2.38 percent at 1,878.181 points, off a low of 1,862.263. Falling Shanghai A shares outnumbered gainers by 756 to 170.

Turnover in Shanghai A shares shrank to a moderate 54.9 billion yuan ($8.0 billion) from Wednesday's 63.7 billion yuan.

Bank of America (BAC.N: Quote, Profile, Research) raised $2.83 billion on Wednesday by selling some of its H shares in China Construction Bank (0939.HK: Quote, Profile, Research), while Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing sold $511 million of shares in Bank of China (3988.HK: Quote, Profile, Research). [ID:nHKG8957]  Continued...

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