US-listed Chinese firms trade mostly higher

NEW YORK -- US-listed Chinese companies traded mostly higher on Thursday with eight of the top 10 stocks by weight in the S&P US Listed China 50 index ending the day on an upbeat note.

Shares of TAL Education Group and NetEase rose 1.91 percent and 1.8 percent, respectively, leading the gainers in the top 10 stocks in the index.

Baidu and JD.com slid 0.71 percent and 0.11 percent, respectively, the only two decliners in the top 10 stocks in the index.

US stocks finished significantly higher on Thursday, with the Nasdaq going above the 9,000 mark for the first time ever, adding to the year-end rally.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 105.94 points, or 0.37 percent, to 28,621.39. The S&P 500 advanced 16.53 points, or 0.51 percent, to 3,239.91. The Nasdaq Composite Index jumped 69.51 points, or 0.78 percent, to 9,022.39.

The Cboe Volatility Index, widely considered the best fear gauge in the stock market, fell 0.16 percent to 12.65 on Thursday.

As of Tuesday, the S&P US Listed China 50 index stood at 3,202.86, marking a 5.11-percent increase for the month-to-date returns and a 39.78-percent gain for the year-to-date returns.