Chinese shares close higher Friday

BEIJING, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Chinese stocks closed higher on Friday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index up 0.45 percent to 3,238.23 points.

The Shenzhen Component Index closed 0.82 percent higher at 9,834.44 points.

The combined turnover of these two indices stood at about 1.35 trillion yuan (roughly 187 billion U.S. dollars), down from 1.61 trillion yuan on the previous trading day.

Shares related to the semiconductor and non-metallic material sectors emerged as the top gainers, while those in plantation and forestry were among the losers.

The ChiNext Index, tracking China's Nasdaq-style board of growth enterprises, gained 1.36 percent to close at 1,926.37 points Friday. ■