BEIJING - Chinese stocks closed higher on Thursday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index up 1.27 percent to 3,270.66 points.

The Shenzhen Component Index closed 2.26 percent higher at 10,393.63 points.

The combined turnover covered by these two indices stood at about 1.55 trillion yuan (about $216.21 billion), up from 1.29 trillion yuan on the previous trading day.

Stocks in the automotive manufacturing and electronic component sectors led the gains, while ceramics and road and bridge construction suffered significant declines.

The ChiNext Index, tracking China's Nasdaq-style board of growth enterprises, rose 2.09 percent to 2,106.05 points in the morning session on Thursday.