(Yicai Global) Dec. 17 -- Chinese stock markets were mostly stable in afternoon trading, ending the day on par with mid-day figures after a rocky start this morning.

The Shanghai Composite Index closed at 2,597.97, a 0.16 percent gain on the day after CNY103 billion (USD14.9 billion) worth of shares swapped hands. The Shenzhen Composite Index finished 0.48 percent down at 7,592.65, with a trading volume of CNY135.3 billion.

The ChiNext Price Index, which tracks growth enterprises in Shenzhen, was down 0.86 percent at 1,299.17 points at the closing bell, with investors trading CNY41.5 billion worth of shares.

All three indexes had a rough start today, opening down after the American bourses fumbled on Friday. Financial stocks offered some relieve later in the morning, bouncing the Shenzhen and ChiNext indexes back from 1.5 percent and 1.9 percent troughs.