Banking, transport sectors lead rebound in equities

SHANGHAI - China's stocks recouped early losses sparked by a slide on Wall Street and ended higher on Monday, underpinned by robust gains in banking and transport shares that offset a slump in consumer shares.

At the close, the Shanghai Composite Index was up 25.42 points or 0.73 percent at 3,487.50. The blue-chip CSI300 index was up 0.07 percent, with the financial sector sub-index higher by 1.77 percent, the consumer staples sector down 3.77 percent, the real estate index up 0.30 percent and healthcare sub-index down 1.39 percent. The smaller Shenzhen Index ended down 0.84 percent and the startup board ChiNext Composite Index was weaker by 0.83 percent.

Sentiment was also lifted by a private survey showing China's services sector got off to a flying start in 2018, expanding at its fastest pace in almost six years.