Equities post further gains as low valuations spark buying interest

BEIJING - Stocks on the Chinese mainland rose for a second day, with the benchmark index capping its first back-to-back advance in a month, as investors speculated that recent declines had been overdone.

SAIC Motor Corp, China's largest car producer, paced gains for the sector after the People's Daily reported that the government would boost spending on rural road construction.

Sany Heavy Industry Co, the maker of construction equipment, added 1.1 percent. Chongqing Iron & Steel Co fell 1.7 percent after the steelmaker said it might post a "substantial" loss this year.