Chinese equities edged up 0.46 percent Tuesday with the release of promising economic indicators, ending a decline over the last five trading days.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index was up 14.97 points, to finish at 3,264.73. The Shenzhen Component Index gained 1.26 percent, or 163.46 points, to end at 13,137.11.

Combined turnover shrank to 193.19 billion yuan (28.3 billion U.S. dollars), the lowest since June 26, from 237.48 billion yuan Monday.

Gainers outnumbered losers by 553 to 297 in Shanghai and 509 to 226 in Shenzhen.

Consumer-related stocks led the gains as retail sales rose in July by 15.2 percent to 993.7 billion yuan (142 billion U.S. dollars) from a year earlier, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) announced Tuesday.

Spirits and food stocks were up 2.48 percent with 11 companies rising more than 3 percent. Kweichow Moutai Co., the nation's largest spirits producer, added 3.98 percent to close at 170 yuan.

Appliance shares gained 1.71 percent as nine companies advanced more than 2 percent. Qingdao Haier Co., the country's biggest appliance maker, surged 6.36 percent to close at 16.06 yuan. Guangdong Midea Electric Appliances Co., jumped 6.54 percent to 16.62 yuan.

Heavyweights posted gains except for Ping An Insurance, China's second largest insurer by market value, which slid 0.27 percent to close at 55.47 yuan.

Non-ferrous metal shares dropped 1.77 percent after figures showed a continuing fall in exports and imports in July. Jiangxi Copper Co., the biggest producer of the metal in China, slumped 2.99 percent to finish at 42.5 yuan.

Exports dropped 23 percent year on year in July while imports were 14.9 percent lower than a year earlier, said the General Administration of Customs Tuesday.

Consumer prices index fell 1.8 percent and producer prices dropped 8.2 percent year on year, said the NBS Tuesday.

(Xinhua News Agency August 11, 2009)