1st LD-Writethru: China stocks close mixed on Monday

BEIJING, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese stocks closed mixed on Monday as market sentiment remained cautious following the U.S. government's latest tariff plan on imports from China.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index went down 0.6 percent to end at 3,133.72 points, and the Shenzhen Component Index closed 1.19 percent higher at 10,564.38 points.

Combined turnover on the two bourses stood at 470.9 billion yuan (75.4 billion U.S. dollars), shrinking from 635.3 billion yuan the previous working day.

Despite strong warnings from business groups and trade experts, U.S. President Donald Trump last week signed a memorandum that could impose tariffs on up to 60 billion U.S. dollars of imports from China and restrictions on Chinese investment in the United States.

Fears of escalating trade tensions between the world's two largest economies sent the Shanghai Composite Index down by 3.39 percent on Friday.

The banking sector led the declines on Monday, with China Merchants Bank down 3.96 percent to close the day at 29.11 yuan.

Gold sector shares gained as investors turned to the traditional safe haven to avoid risks.

The ChiNext Index, which tracks China's NASDAQ-style board of growth enterprises, went up 3.16 percent to close at 1,780.61 points on Monday. Enditem