Shanghai shares end lower on simmering U.S.-China trade tensions

Shanghai stocks ended lower on Thursday on deepening worries about Sino-U.S. trade tensions after the Trump administration barred Chinese passenger carriers from flying to the United States. ** At the close, the Shanghai Composite index was down 0.14% at 2,919.25, after swinging between negative and positive territories earlier. ** The blue-chip CSI300 index was down 0.04%, with its financial sector sub-index lower by 0.3%, the consumer staples sector up 0.65%, the real estate index down 0.54% and the healthcare sub-index up 0.88%. ** U.S. President Donald Trump's administration on Wednesday barred Chinese passenger carriers from flying to the U.S. starting from June 16, while the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) allowed more qualifying foreign carriers to fly into the mainland on Thursday. ** Shanghai shares of dual-listed Air China Ltd retreated 1.03%, while China Southern Airlines Co Ltd dropped 0.58% by the end of the session. ** The CSI300 transport index declined 0.63%. ** The smaller Shenzhen index ended up 0.28% and the start-up board ChiNext Composite index was higher by 0.386%. ** The U.S. is also expected to designate at least four additional state-run Chinese media outlets as foreign embassies, increasing restrictions on their operations on American soil, Reuters reported. ** A-share investors are likely to take a wait-and-see approach before further major stimulus measures such as rate cuts, said Zhang Gang, an analyst at China Central Securities. ** Around the region, MSCI's Asia ex-Japan stock index was firmer by 0.12%, while Japan's Nikkei index closed up 0.36%. ** At 0702 GMT, the yuan was quoted at 7.1224 per U.S. dollar, 0.08% weaker than the previous close of 7.1166.

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