Chinese shares 1.8% lower in morning trade

BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese share prices continued losing on Tuesday, as the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index fell 68.21 points, or 1.79 percent, to 3,751.84.

The key index opened down 30.48 points, or 0.8 percent, at 3,789.5 before bargain hunting pushed it into positive territory.

The index rose 1.12 percent at one point before resuming downward momentum to fall as much as 2.56 percent due to a lack of buying interest among jittery investors.

The key Shanghai Index tumbled 3.6 percent to 3,820.05 on Monday, the lowest closing in nearly eight and a half months.

The Shenzhen Component Index was down 449.49 points, or 3.40 percent, to 12,758.29.

Some analysts said the decline may continue for some time as investors sentiment were severely dampened by recent heavy losses triggered by uncertainty over the tightening measures and heightening fears over U.S. recession.

Metals stocks led the decline as the international metals prices tumbled on recession concerns. Yunnan Tin Co. plunged 9.97 percent to 51.09 yuan and Jiangxi Copper Co. shed 8.92 percent to 36.05 yuan.

Rises in blue chips cushioned the decline. PetroChina, which accounted for around a quarter of the key Shanghai index, gained 0.84 percent to 22.80 yuan. China Petroleum and Chemical Corp (Sinopec) added 1.63 percent to 13.73 yuan.