(Yicai Global) Jan. 23 -- Stock markets on the Chinese mainland hit the lunch break mixed this morning, with major indexes closing almost level with their opening value and few trades taking place after local and American markets declined yesterday.

The Shanghai Composite Index was up 0.07 percent at 2,581.62 at the break, with CNY61.2 billion (USD9 billion) worth of shares changing hands. The Shenzhen Component Index closed at 7,514.97, down 0.02 percent, with a trading volume of nearly CNY81 billion. The ChiNext Price Index, which tracks growth enterprises in Shenzhen, was down 0.36 at 1,247.71 after investors traded CNY24.5 billion worth of shares.

A roughly equal number of sectors gained and declined, with none rising more than 1 percent. Building materials, banking and mining were the biggest gainers.

The three indexes all lost more than 1 percent yesterday, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average followed suit, falling 1.22 percent to 24,404.48. 

Editor: James Boynton