Chinese shares continued the upward trend for the third consecutive trading day and gained 0.9 percent Tuesday, driving the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index to a 9-month new high.

The Shanghai Composite Index edged up 0.9 percent, or 23.9 points, to close at 2,676.68 Tuesday.

The Shenzhen Component Index went up 1.07 percent, or 110.32 points, to 10,424.36.

Gains outnumbered losses by 544 to 278 in Shanghai and 435 to 273 in Shenzhen.

Combined turnover expanded to 227.97 billion yuan (US$33.4 billion) Tuesday from 180.19 billion yuan on the previous trading day.

(Xinhua News Agency May 19, 2009)