Hopes for rebound of A shares arise

Bargains, low chance of record lows trigger talk of long-term prospects

Despite the slump in A shares in the first week of this month, investors remain optimistic that long-term prospects are intact as a bottoming-out market could present good opportunities to bag handsome bargains, market insiders said.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index fell 4.63 percent in the first week, the second-biggest slump so far this year. The ChiNext Index, China's Nasdaq-style board, plummeted 7.08 percent, hitting 1,510.09, the lowest level since 2015.