Chinese shares close higher

BEIJING - Chinese stocks closed higher Thursday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index up 2.17 percent, at 3,268.56 points.

The Shenzhen Component Index closed 2.18 percent higher at 10,658.94 points.

The ChiNext Index, which tracks China's NASDAQ-style board of growth enterprises, gained 1.88 percent to close at 1,677.77 points.

The ChiNext Index, together with the Shenzhen Component Index and the Shenzhen SME (small and medium-sized enterprises) Board Index, are major indices reflecting the performance of stocks listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.