(Yicai  Global) April 12 --  China's mainland stock markets started the day  nearly unchanged, as investors continued to digest yesterday's slump  caused by inflation woes and awaited today's release of new trade data.

The  Shanghai Composite Index fell nearly 0.2 percent. at the open, the Shenzhen  Component Index declined 0.2 percent. The ChiNext Index, which tracks  growth enterprises in Shenzhen, rose 0.1 percent.

China's  customs is scheduled to release trade data for March today, which may  also have kept investors on their toes. A group of 21 chief economists  surveyed by Yicai Global earlier suggested that China's trade surplus  will rise 41 percent from the previous month to USD5.8 billion in March. 

The stock markets experienced relatively heavy selling yesterday, as inflation worries prompted investors to lock in their recent trading profits.

Editor: Emmi Laine