China stocks declined as investors sold bank shares on increased concern the government will hold tight money policy to combat anti-inflation.

The Shanghai Composite Index, which tracks yuan-denominated A shares and hard-currency B shares, lost 0.55 percent, or 20.11 points, to 3,637.32.

Pudong Bank dropped 3.1 percent to 30.08 yuan, while Merchants Bank, the nation's biggest dual-currency credit-card issuer, lost 1.8 percent to 31.96.

On the other side, utilities stocks performed strongly. Huaneng Power International Inc, the listed unit of China's largest power group, rose 3.16 percent to 9.48 yuan. GD Power Development Co, jumped 4.90 percent to 7.50 yuan, the most since April 29.

China Inflation