(Yicai Global) Oct. 15 -- China's mainland stock markets opened slightly higher this morning, led by shares in new energy vehicle makers. The sector has been strong of late, with the latest data showing China's auto market strongly rebounding.

The Shanghai Composite Index opened at 0.06 percent higher to 3,342.92. The Shenzhen Component Index was at 13,702.83, up 0.09 percent, and the ChiNext Price Index, which tracks growth enterprises in Shenzhen, climbed 0.11 percent to 2,767.17.

Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group [SHA:600418], known as the foundry of electric vehicle unicorn Nio, opened 4.62 percent higher at CNY8.15 (USD1.21), while Shenzhen-based leading EV maker BYD [SHE:002594] rose 3.45 percent to CNY135.

China's passenger vehicle retail sales rose by 7.3 percent on the year to 1.91 million units last month as the market’s recovery outstripped expectations and sales of new energy vehicles rose nearly 100 percent from a year earlier to their highest level since June last year, according to a report the China Passenger Car Association released on Oct. 13.

Editor: Ben Armour