Chinese stocks fall as oil decline takes toll on energy companies

Chinese equities dropped as weaker oil prices weighed on energy companies, and as investors fretted over data on the nation's foreign-currency reserves to help gauge the outlook for the yuan.

The Shanghai Composite Index fell by 0.1 percent to 3,153.09 at the close. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index declined by 0.1 percent to 23,331.57, with China Petroleum & Chemical Corp and CNOOC Ltd among the biggest decliners. The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index increased by 0.1 percent, as insurers extended their rally in the afternoon.

Oil posted its biggest daily loss in more than two weeks on Monday, with US crude stockpiles forecast to have grown by 2.5 million barrels last week, according to a Bloomberg survey of energy analysts. China's currency reserves decreased by $12.3 billion to $2.998 trillion last month, the central bank said after the stock market close. There was much focus on whether the stockpile will drop below the psychologically relevant $3 trillion level.