SHANGHAI

CHINA’S stocks rose for the third time in four days as speculation the government will introduce measure to bolster equities overshadowed concern the nation’s slowing economy will hurt profits.

The Shanghai Composite Index rose 1.36 point, or 0.1% to 2,378.20 at the close.

“The pension fund news is a long-term positive boost for the market,” said an analyst at West China Securities Co. “That means the government has opened the flood gates for more local pensions to enter the stock market. There are expectations that more support measures will follow.”

Aluminum Corp of China Ltd jumped 10% after the 21st Century Business Herald reported that as much as 40% of Guangdong province’s 100 billion yuan (Us$15.8bil) of pension funds may be invested in stocks. - Bloomberg