(Yicai Global) March 18 -- Stock markets on the Chinese mainland closed even higher this afternoon after a strong morning session, with the region's three main indexes all winding up more than 2 percent higher.

The Shanghai Composite Index finished nearly 2.5 percent up at 3,096.42, with investors swapping CNY398.4 billion (USD59.3 billion) worth of shares, while the Shenzhen Component Index ended up 3.07 percent higher at 9,843.43 with a trading volume of CNY434.1 billion. The ChiNext Price Index, which tracks growth enterprises in Shenzhen, closed up 2.67 percent at 1,707.06, with CNY115 billion of shares changing hands.

All sectors gained, with liquor and other drinks leading the way with a 6.2 percent surge. Agriculture, civil engineering, food and ferrous metal firms rose more than 4 percent on average.

Kweichow Moutai [SHA:600519], China's best-known premium distiller and subject of the mainland's most expensive shares, closed 4.22 percent higher at CNY810.1 (USD120.7) apiece after hitting historic high this morning, giving the firm a market cap of more than CNY1 trillion (USD149 billion).

Editor: James Boynton