China''s stocks closed slightly lower Friday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index down 0.26 percent to close at 2,701.73 points.
The Shenzhen Component Index slid 0.79 percent to finish at 11,990.43.
Aggregated turnover shrank to 155.24 billion yuan (23.88 billion U.S. dollars) from 170.04 billion yuan on the previous day.
Losers outnumbered gainers by 637 to 250 in Shanghai and by 906 to 360 in Shenzhen.
Sugar producers dropped on news that the country plans to sell 200,000 metric tons of sugar from state reserves at an auction on August 5 in order to ensure market supply and stabilize prices. Nanning Sugar Industry Co. Ltd. lost 4.55 percent to 19.32 yuan per share. Baotou Huazi Industry Co. Ltd. slid 4.03 percent to 7.39 yuan.
Coal companies retreated, with Shanxi Antai Group Co., Ltd. down 4.74 percent to 7.23 yuan. Yanzhou Coal Mining Company Limited dropped 2.84 percent to 32.55 yuan.
Non-ferrous metal producers contributed to the weak market sentiment. Fujian Minfa Aluminium Co., Ltd. fell 4.65 percent to 14.98 yuan. Baoji Titanium Industry Co., Ltd. dipped 5.6 percent to 27.46 yuan.
Stocks of ship manufacturers also retreated, despite rebounds on the previous trading day. CSSC Jiangnan Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. shed 4.15 percent to 29.56 yuan. China CSSC Holdings Limited dropped 3.19 percent to 45.76 yuan.
Bucking the trend, banks rose with China Citic Bank Corporation Limited surging 7.82 percent to 4.69 yuan. China Everbright Bank Company Limited gained 3.82 percent to 3.26 yuan.
Property developers also rallied, with Suning Universal Co., Ltd. jumping 9.91 percent to 7.65 yuan.
Pharmaceutical companies continued to rise after media reports that a type of multi-resistant bacteria may have caused 27 deaths in the Netherlands since June 1. Shandong Longlive Bio-Technology Co., Ltd. surged by the daily limit of 10 percent to 27.85 yuan.
Source: Xinhua