China still has no timetable for the launch of stock index futures, Zhu Yuchen, general manager of China Financial Futures Exchange, and also a member of National People's Congress (NPC), said on Sunday.

"The financial crisis hinders the launch of stock index futures, but I hope it could come out as soon as possible," Zhu was quoted by China News Agency as saying.

The stock index futures are expected to be a stabilizer for China's stock market.

(China Daily March 10, 2009)