Chinese stocks end mixed; ChiNext gains in late rally

China's A-share market closed mixed on Tuesday, with the ChiNext Index reversing losses to finish higher in late trading.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index slipped 0.18 percent to 3,821.83, while the Shenzhen Component Index fell 0.29 percent to 13,119.82. In contrast, the ChiNext Index, which tracks growth-oriented companies, rose 0.21 percent to 3,114.55.

Shipping and port stocks advanced following the launch of the China–Europe Arctic container express route, which is expected to shorten transit times. Semiconductor shares also rebounded after early weakness, while banking stocks lent further support.

Strategists at Huatai Securities noted that sentiment remains volatile under liquidity-driven conditions, adding that capital flows will be key to determining whether indexes can break out of their recent consolidation.

Investor activity stayed elevated, with retail participation strong and margin financing posting a net inflow of nearly 50 billion yuan ($7.03 billion) last week. However, momentum eased slightly as mutual fund allocations edged lower and foreign investors turned from three consecutive weeks of net buying to modest outflows.

Analysts cautioned that the sustainability of capital inflows will be critical for supporting further market upside.