6. Celebrities shine on stock market

Celebrities created quite a ripple on the Chinese stock markets in 2009.

Chen Hao, the name of a well-known actress, was listed as the second-largest stockholder of Heilongjiang Interchina Water Co. Chen bought more than 1 million stocks at about 1.20 yuan each just before trading of the company's stocks was suspended in 2006. When trading of the stock resumed in April of this year, each stock was valued at 8.82 yuan, and at one point the price even reached 10.82 yuan.

Yu Qiuyu, a well-known Chinese writer, reportedly holds 1.5 percent of Shanghai-based Xujiahui Shopping Center's shares for 2.41 million yuan, or 2.92 yuan apiece, making him the 10th-largest shareholder of the company. The issue price of the company's shares is estimated to reach around 12.95 yuan apiece, and that would make Yu's shares worth nearly 67 million yuan at book value.

7. Wang Jianzhong: Stock manipulator receives China's biggest fine

Wang Jianzhong, head of Beijing Shoufang Investment Consulting, was arrested by authorities for suspected stock manipulation in November 2008. Wang is the first person arrested for this kind of crime in the country, and a 125 million yuan ($18.3 million) fine was levied against him -- the largest by the China Securities Regulatory Commission against an individual.

From Jan 1, 2007 to May 29, 2008, Wang's company released a set of advisory reports on some influential websites with suggestions to buy certain selected stocks and warrants. Wang, who had bought the suggested stocks in advance, sold them after the advisory reports were released. Wang netted 125 million yuan.

The 125 million he made has been confiscated and he was fined another 125 million yuan to match the amount he earned through the incident. All the money was handed over to the State treasury.

Wang is under residential surveillance pending further investigation.

Related:

• CSRC confirms Wang arrest for stock fraud

8. Ruan Jie: Investing champion turns out to be lousy fund operator

Ruan Jie, who has won many awards in the financial circle, is a hero-like figure in the Chinese stock market, but his halo was tarnished after he moved into privately offered fund.

Ruan has won eight championships, two runners-up and six third places in various stock speculation contests. With these honors, a fund under his management was launched on Dec 20, 2007. The Xinpeng 1 Fund is under China Resources SZITIC Trust Co Ltd, a leading China financial platform.

After the six-month closed period, the net asset value of Xinpeng 1 plummeted by 55.69 percent. By Nov 20, 2008, the fund had continued dropping to the extent that for every one yuan in net asset value, only 0.3 yuan is left.

On Dec 4, 2009, three investors of Xinpeng 1 filed a lawsuit against China Resources SZITIC Trust for deception and mismanagement and asked for the return of their investment.

9. Ye Rongtian: Crazy stock commentator lost 2009's biggest bet on stock market

Ye Rongtian, a maverick stock commentator who uses dramatic rhetoric in his blog to analyze stocks, rocketed into stardom among China's individual investors in 2009. His bet with established financial commentator Hou Ning is regarded as the biggest bet on China's stock market in 2009.

In May, Ye challenged Hou, telling him he would bet 1 million yuan ($146,400) that the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index would break 4,000 points by Dec 30, 2009. Hou took him up on his bet.

The index closed at 3,262.6 points on Dec 30. Ye admitted his failure as early as Dec 25 and dared Hou to publish his bank account number. The bet ended in recriminations.

The name "Ye Rongtian" is not a real name and no one knows the commentator's true identity, but the 140 million clicks on his blog proves his audacious style is popular.

10. Yang Jun and Sun Yanqun: Top fund managers die from stress-related ailments

Yang Jun, 44, president of Everyoung Capital Management Co and a doyen of the private fund management industry, died of liver cancer on June 22, 2009. A couple of weeks later, Sun Yanqun, 41, chief investment officer at JP Morgan Asset Management's China fund venture, passed away from a digestive tract ailment that turned into hemorrhage-induced shock.

Though no fingers are being pointed, industry insiders are of the view that the two fund managers paid the price for intense overwork over a prolonged period of time.

Sun had been suffering from stomach-related problems for some years, and the extreme stress proved fatal, according to a long-time colleague.

The deaths of the two top fund managers from health complications have alarmed people on the health hazards associated with the high-risk, high-pressure profession.