Agriculture producers drive up Chinese stocks
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Chinese shares rose Monday on the back of gains in agriculture stocks as investors bet China's worst floods in more than a decade would push up food prices.
The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index closed at 2,672.53 points, up 14.14 points, or 0.53 percent.
The Shenzhen Component Index ended at 11,017.41 points, up 74.48 points, or 0.68 percent.
Turnover expanded to 240.15 billion yuan (35.84 billion U.S. dollars) from 236.62 billion yuan the previous trading day.
Gainers outnumbered losers 716 to 143 in Shanghai and 818 to 128 in Shenzhen.
Agriculture shares posted widespread gains Monday on speculation the recent floods in China will push up food prices.
Hefei Fengle Seed Co. jumped 4.85 percent to close at 15.99 yuan per share, its highest level in three months. Heilongjiang Agriculture Co. climbed 3.62 percent to 14.3 yuan per share.
Cement makers also rallied Monday after the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said it will shut down 762 cement producers by the end of September, as part of its effort to cut overcapacity in the sector.
Anhui Conch Cement Co., China's biggest cement producer, climbed 1.77 percent to 20.1 yuan while Tangshan Jidong Cement Co. rose 3.56 percent to 18.9 yuan per share.
