DOMESTIC stocks bounced back and forth today but ended slightly higher in afternoon trading. Major property developers dropped while the non-ferrous metal sector gained.

The Shanghai Composite Index, which tracks both yuan-denominated A shares and hard-currency B shares, gained 0.31 percent to close at 5,310.72.

The Shenzhen Composite Index, which covers the smaller mainland stock market, added 0.37 percent to 1, 476.10.

Among the stocks in the Shanghai Composite index, 409 rose, 71 were unchanged and 362 fell. Major property developers were among the decliners.

China Vanke Co, the nation's largest listed developer, slid 1.05 yuan, or 3.08 percent, to 33.08 while Shimao Property Holdings, a Shanghai-based real developer also lost 0.48 yuan, or 1.39 percent to close at 33.96 yuan.

China Life Insurance Co, the nation's biggest insurer, lost 0.07 percent to 54 yuan.

Yangtze Power, operator of the world's biggest hydropower project, lost 0.12 yuan, or 0.58 percent, to 20.46 yuan after hitting a record high of 20.77 yuan in the morning session.

China, the world's second-largest energy consumer announced plans to raise hydropower tariffs, according to Chen Deming, vice chairman of the nation's central planning agency, late yesterday.

"Pricing incentives will be given to more efficient and cleaner power generation units as part of power-price reforms,'' he said.

Huaneng Power International Inc, the country's second-largest electricity producer listed in Hong Kong by market value, also decreased 0.24 yuan, or 1.55 percent, to 15.28 yuan. The company said it started operating a coal-fired unit with 600 megawatts of capacity in China's northeast.

But the non-ferrous metal sector led the market today.

Aluminum Corporation of China Ltd rose 2.36 yuan, or 4.80 percent, to 51.49 yuan while Zhongjin Gold, China's largest publicly traded gold miner by market value, added 2.08 yuan, or 1.73 percent, to 122.25 yuan.

Shanghai-based Baoshan Iron & Steel Co Ltd, the biggest steel maker in China, increased 0.15 yuan, or 0.79 percent, to 19.12 yuan.

Shanxi Taigang Stainless Steel Co, the nation's largest mill jumped 0.01 yuan, or 0.04 percent, to 27.19 yuan after saying it has resumed placing orders for nickel, returning to normal production after cutbacks.

Anhui Tongdu Copper Stock Co, the listed arm of China's biggest producer of the metal, gained 0.58 yuan, or 2.11 percent, to 28.07 yuan. Jiangxi Copper Co, China's second-largest producer of the metal, surged 1.58 yuan, or 4.03 percent, to 40.80 yuan.

China Eastern Airlines, the third biggest carrier in China, continued to rise 9.98 percent, or 1.16 yuan to close at 12.78 yuan per share today.

Shares of the carrier jumped by the 10 percent limit the last two days after it announced a deal to sell a combined 24 percent stake to Singapore Airlines and Temasek Holdings, Singapore's government investment arm.

China Unicom Ltd, the country's smaller mobile-phone operator, continued to rise 1.09 percent to 8.36 yuan. Caijing Magazine reported on Monday that a reconstruction project between China Unicom and China Mobile, the nation's biggest mobile-phone operator, was already on the agenda for the country's top state-owned assets supervisor and may be completed by next May.

Lenders bounced back from the last two days' drop as Minsheng Banking, the nation's first non-state-owned bank, gained 0.06 percent to 16.62 yuan. Bank of China increased 1.31 percent to 6.20 yuan.

But China Merchants Bank Co, the nation's seventh-largest lender, lost 2.19 percent to 36.70 yuan.

Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd, the nation's biggest listed lender, also declined 1.02 percent, to 6.80 yuan.