BEIJING, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese equities fell 1.12 percent on Wednesday's close, for the first time in four days, dragged down by weak brokerage shares.

    The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index lost 1.12 percent, or 34.02 points to finish at 2,999.71.

    The Shenzhen Component Index closed down 1.15 percent, or 143.37 points, to end at 12,294.88.

    Aggregate turnover expanded to 262.21 billion yuan (38.39 billion U.S. dollars) from 253.84 billion yuan on the previous trading day.

    Losers outnumbered gainers by 362 to 499 in Shanghai and 417 to 334 in Shenzhen.

    Brokerage stocks dropped as investors opened fewer accounts for share trading for a sixth week. Data from China Securities Depository and Clearing Corp., showed China's investors opened a total of 324,856 accounts last week, down 11.21 percent from the first week in Sept, declining for the sixth week in a row from July. 31.

    Citic Securities Co., the country's largest brokerage, sank 2.34 percent to 27.54 yuan. Sinolink Securities fell 2.61 percent to end at 21.63 yuan.

    Gold producers posted strong gains on a gold price surge. Gold futures on the COMEX Division of the New York Mercantile Exchange rose back above 1,000 dollars on Tuesday. Gold price for December delivery climbed 5.20 U.S. dollars, or 0.5 percent, to finish at 1,006.30 dollars an ounce.

    Shandong Gold Group Co., rose by daily limit to 69.73 yuan. Zhongjin Gold Co., jumped 9.31 percent to 63.29 yuan.

    Real estate sectors lost 1.39 percent to 12.2 yuan. China Vanke, the country's biggest property developer, dipped 0.42 percent to 11.9 yuan after saying in late Tuesday that it plans to raise 11.2 billion yuan by selling additional shares.
Special Report:  Global Financial Crisis