Chinese shares end lower under investor caution

Chinese shares closed lower for the third straight day on Friday as investors adopted a cautious stance ahead of the weekend.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index dipped 0.51 percent, or 10.32 points, to end at 2,010.85. The Shenzhen Component Index edged down 0.65 percent, or 51.24 points, to 7,843.36.

Combined turnover on the two bourses retreated to 161.14 billion yuan (26.12 billion U.S. dollars) from 212.2 billion yuan the previous trading day.

The financial sector dropped 1.12 percent. Shares of Agricultural Bank of China Ltd. dropped 1.20 percent to 2.48 yuan per share. Shares of Bank of China Ltd. shrank 0.75 percent to 2.66 yuan per share.

The aircraft manufacturing sector slumped 2.19 percent. Shares of Hafei Aviation Industry Co., Ltd sunk 1.03 percent to 23.02 yuan per share. Shares of China Spacesat Co., Ltd, shed 2.33 percent to 15.09 yuan per share.

The ChiNext Index, tracking China's Nasdaq-style board of growth enterprises, gained 0.69 percent, or 7.97 points, to close at 1,158.35 points on Friday.