(Yicai Global) Oct. 17 -- Chinese mainland shares were lackluster in the morning as trading was listless in the absence of a clear direction.

The Shanghai Composite Index flat-lined at 2,978.85 going into the lunch break, while the Shenzhen Component Index finished up 0.18 percent at 9,659.73. The ChiNext Price Index, which tracks growth enterprises listed in Shenzhen, closed up 0.15 percent at 1,658.83.

Editor: Ben Armour