Bulls keep bears at bay on bourses

Benchmark index climbs 3.51 percent in Shanghai as concerns ease, say officials

Equities recovered on Friday, alleviating investor concerns that trading of stock index futures on the contract expiration day could potentially cause sharp market volatility.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index gained by 3.51 percent to close at 3,957.35 points. The Shenzhen Component Index that tracks smaller companies also rose by 5.24 percent to close at 1,3004.96 points.