Nov. 9, 2009 (China Knowledge) - Chinese stocks ended slightly lower in the morning trading session on Monday.

The Shanghai Composite Index, which covers both A shares and B shares on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, decreased 0.2% or 6.49 points and closed at 3,157.55 points in the morning session.

The Shenzhen Component Index on the smaller Shenzhen Stock Exchange edged down 0.07% or 8.76 points and close at 12,978.44 points.

Financial stocks ended lower. China Merchants Bank<600036><3968> decreased 1.81% to RMB 18.49. China Life Insurance Co Ltd<601628><2628><LFC>, the country's largest insurer, shrank 1.03% to RMB 30.84.

Coal stocks also ended lower. Shanxi Coking Co. Ltd<600740>, the biggest publicly traded coke producer in China, slid 0.89% to RMB 8.86.

Steel makers were gainers. China's largest steel maker Baoshan Iron and Steel Co<600019> grew 2.07% to RMB 7.41. China's second-biggest steelmaker Angang Steel Co Ltd<000898><0347> rose 2.25% to RMB 13.65.

The tourism sector performed well. China International Travel Service Co Ltd<601888>, the top travel agency in the country, surged by the daily limit of 9.99% to RMB 18.93.