(Yicai Global) Nov. 17 -- China's mainland stock markets lay low in the afternoon session as tech firms like chipmakers and vaccine developers held back while Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership-related shares kept up a strong showing.

The Shanghai Composite Index closed 0.21 percent lower at 3,339.90. The Shenzhen Component Index pegged 13,732.52, down 0.85 percent and the ChiNext Price Index, which tracks growth enterprises listed in Shenzhen, down 2 percent to 2,658.09.

The founding of the 14-nation RCEP, the world's largest trade bloc, of which China is a member, remained a hotspot for markets, spurring shares in shipping carriers and port operators for the second straight day.

Several subsidies of state-backed shipping giant China Cosco Shipping Corp. all rose to the 10 percent price limit, including Cosco Shipping Specialized Carriers [SHA:600428] which stopped trading at CNY4.16 (63 US cents), Cosco Shipping Holdings [SHA:601919] which climbed to CNY8.88, and Cosco Shipping Development [SHA:601866] which went up 9.96 percent to CNY3.09.

Editor: Ben Armour