ChiNext Index opens lower - July 19

BEIJING -- The ChiNext Index, tracking China's Nasdaq-style board of growth enterprises, opened at 701.23 points on Thursday, down 0.91 points from the previous close.

The index, together with the Shenzhen Component Index and the Shenzhen SME (small and medium-sized enterprises) Board Index, makes up the three core indices reflecting the performance of China's stocks listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.

The ChiNext Board, which started trading on Oct 30, 2009, mainly lists high-tech companies and those with high growth potential.