(Yicai Global) Dec.26 -- Chinese stock markets on the mainland started the morning session slightly lower, whereas equities related to ultra-high voltage rallied as the State Grid welcomed overseas investment in the upcoming transmission line projects. 

The Shanghai Composite Index opened 0.15 percent down. The Shenzhen Component Index was 0.11 percent lower at the open. The Growth Enterprise Market index fell 0.1 percent.

Private and foreign capital is welcome to finance UHV projects through joint ventures, the Beijing-based electric utility giant said on its website yesterday. In the past decade, the country has become a testbed for these highly powerful transmission lines that are needed to deliver electricity efficiently across the vast nation. 

Communication tower maker Changshu Fengfan Power Equipment [SH: 601700], monitoring equipment firm Guodian Nanjing Automation [SH:600268] and several others reached the daily upper limit of 10 percent already in the morning. 

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 Stock Average opened 0.8 percent higher at 19302.59 points today, after entering a bear market yesterday. The Tokyo Stock Price Index began the day 0.7 percent higher at 1425.01.

Bourses in the US, Europe and Hong Kong were closed yesterday to observe Christmas Day.

Editor: Emmi Laine