Financial sector leads charge

Better-than-expected economic data, optimism about Shanghai's free trade zone and growing talk of financial reform propelled the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index to its biggest daily gain in nine months on Monday.

The index was up 3.4 percent at 2,212.5 points, its largest advance since Dec 14, when it surged 4.3 percent. It was the first time the index passed the 2,200 mark in the past three months.

The index opened higher and soared after the mid-day break. Volume hit 178.9 billion yuan ($29.2 billion), the highest since May 2011, when the gauge slid below the 3,000 mark.