Chinese stocks end higher, led by healthcare firms

BEIJING - Chinese stocks closed higher Wednesday, bolstered by gains in the tech-heavy ChiNext board and healthcare shares.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.17 percent to close at 3,279.71 points, while the Shenzhen Component Index ended 0.67 percent higher at 13,110.07 points.

The combined turnover of stocks covered by the two indexes shrank to 660.75 billion yuan ($97.2 billion) from 702.3 billion yuan the previous trading day.

Health care shares led the gains as the National Development and Reform Commission, the nation's top economic planner, said the country would accelerate the development of COVID-19 vaccines.

Beijing Science Sun Pharmaceutical Co jumped 20 percent to 21.71 yuan per share.

Bucking the trend, shares of spirits firms fell across the board. Kweichow Moutai, the most well-known liquor maker, slid 0.94 percent, while Wuliangye Yibin Co, another leading liquor producer, fell 1.61 percent.

The ChiNext Index, China's NASDAQ-style board of growth enterprises, gained 1.74 percent to close at 2,599.88 points Wednesday.