Blue-chip shares enjoy best day in 21 months

SHANGHAI - Chinese mainland stocks rebounded sharply on Thursday, as the blue-chip CSI300 index posted its best day in 21 months, amid growing hopes that global index provider MSCI Inc will add mainland shares to its benchmark next month.

Investors appear to have shrugged off Moody's Investors Service downgrade of China's credit rating, after several senior government officials criticized the decision.

The blue-chip CSI300 index rose 1.8 percent, to 3,485.66 points, while the Shanghai Composite Index advanced 1.4 percent to 3,107.83.