Chinese shares opened stronger on Thursday, the first trading day of 2007, with the major index, the Shanghai Composite, at 2,728.19 points, up 52.71 points or 1.97 percent.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index, a major index of Chinese shares, closed at 2,675.47 points on Friday, the last trading day of 2006 after gaining 130 percent in 2006. The Shanghai Composite Index tracks both yuan-denominated A shares and hard-currency B shares traded on the Shanghai Stock Exchange.

(Xinhua News Agency January 4, 2007)