Chinese shares fell broadly on Wednesday and ended weaker once more as investors ignored Wall Street's overnight gains and neighboring markets' rallies.
The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index was off 0.29 percent or 8.27 points, finishing at 2,837.85. The Shenzhen Component Index closed at 9,734.72 points, down 116.57 points, or 1.18 percent.
Combined turnover eased to 97.16 billion yuan (about US$14.23 billion) from 98.36 billion yuan on Tuesday. Losses outnumbered gains by 577-274 in Shanghai and 506-193 in Shenzhen.
The major indices opened higher on Wednesday following the Wall Street lead due to plummeting crude oil prices.
The oil price fall boosted oil companies and large-cap airlines, but the broader market continued the downtrend of the previous trading day as investor sentiment remained weak, dealers said.
Sinopec, Asia's top refiner, gained 0.82 percent to 11.1 yuan, while PetroChina edged up 0.13 percent to 15.21 yuan.
China Southern, the country's leading air carrier, rose 1.72 percent to 8.29 yuan, with Air China up 0.94 percent to 10.72 yuan and China Eastern up 4.16 percent to 7.77 yuan.
Figures released on Tuesday showed that first-half profits of 150 large state-owned enterprises dropped 10.3 percent year-on-year, which deepened investors' worries over the environment for second-half corporate profits.
Property shares continued to fall as the industry's growth has slowed and it is unclear whether the government would act to boost the sector.
China Vanke, the largest listed property developer, eased 1.36 percent to 8.71 yuan, while Poly Real Estate Co. lost 1.54 percent to 15.37 yuan.
Liu Dengke, a central Shanxi-based Datong Securities analyst, said it was unlikely the market would move strongly in either direction in the near future.
