Chinese stocks open lower Thursday

Chinese stocks opened lower on Thursday, reacting calmly to U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's assurance of an accommodative monetary policy in the United States.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index opened at 2,038.40 points, down 0.32 percent. The Shenzhen Component Index shed 0.46 percent to open at 8,026.61 points.

Major world markets rallied after Bernanke told a Congressional panel Wednesday that the Fed may moderate the monthly pace of purchases later this year but stressing the reductions were "by no means on a preset course."

U.S. stocks moved up with modest gains on Wednesday, with the Nasdaq Composite Index hitting a 12-and-a-half-year high. Japan's Nikkei opened 0.33 pct higher, hitting a fresh two-month high Thursday morning.