2026.01.3002:34:34UTC+00China Stocks Drop as Metals Retreat

The Shanghai Composite index dropped by 1% to dip below 4,120, while the Shenzhen Component fell by 1.7% to reach 14,040 on Friday. These declines reversed the gains achieved earlier in the week, primarily due to a decrease in mining stocks following a decline in metal prices. Investors took profits after a strong rally that pushed gold, silver, copper, and other metals to record highs, leading to a sharp fall in their prices. Notable decliners included Zijin Mining, which fell by 8.4%; Tongling Nonferrous Metals, down by 10%; China Northern Rare Earth, which decreased by 9.2%; CMOC Group, dropping by 9.9%; and Aluminum Corp, also down by 9.9%. Despite the sell-off on Friday, the Shanghai and Shenzhen indices are still set to increase by over 3% in January. This growth has been bolstered by anticipated policy support and advancements in artificial intelligence and related technologies. Nonetheless, toward the end of the month, mainland stocks faced pressure due to an intensifying regulatory crackdown on speculative trading practices.