Chinese share prices continued the up trend set in the first trading week of 2008, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index gaining 31.77 points over the previous trading day to close at 5,393.34 on Monday, while the surrounding Asian stock markets fell.

The Shanghai Composite Index kept rising for four consecutive trading days since the beginning of 2008.

The Shenzhen Component Index on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange closed at 18,376.96 points Monday, up 254.55 points, or 1.40 percent, from the previous close.

The combined turnover of the two bourses rose to 249.23  billion yuan ($34.2 billion), up slightly from the 224.48 billion yuan on Friday.