Chinese shares opened slightly lower on Tuesday with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index down 0.07 percent to 2,512.01.

The Shenzhen Component Index dropped 0.21 percent to 9,519.42 at the opening.

The National Bureau of Statistics is scheduled to release first-quarter growth data Thursday, which are expected to demonstrate a recovery in the world's fastest-growing economy.

Data already announced have been positive. The central bank said over the weekend that new loans increased 1.89 trillion yuan (about US$278 billion) in March, the third straight month that new loans exceeded 1 trillion yuan.

(Xinhua News Agency April 14, 2009)