AKIPRESS.COM - The value of Chinese stocks rose above $10 trillion for the first time, the latest milestone for the nation's world-beating rally.

Companies with a primary listing in China are valued at $10.05 trillion, an increase of $6.7 trillion in 12 months, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

"No other stock market has grown as much in dollar terms over a 12-month period."

The gain alone is more than the $5 trillion size of Japan's entire stock market. The US is the biggest globally at almost $25 trillion.

No other stock market has grown as much in dollar terms over a 12-month period, as Chinese individuals piled into the nation's equities using borrowed funds to bet gains will continue. Valuations are now the highest in five years and margin debt has climbed to a record, all while the economy is mired in its weakest expansion since 1990.

Outside of China, investors aren't showing the same enthusiasm toward the nation's equities. Funds pulled a net $6.8 billion out of Chinese stock funds in the seven days through Wednesday, Barclays Plc. said in a research note, citing EPFR Global data. Dual-listed Chinese shares cost more than twice as much on average on mainland exchanges than they do in Hong Kong.

MSCI Inc.'s June 9 decision against including mainland equities in its benchmark gauge had little impact on the Shanghai Composite Index, which climbed 2.9 per cent last week to its highest level since January 2008. Foreigners are limited by quotas when buying shares in Shanghai via an exchange link with Hong Kong, while similar access to Shenzhen-traded stocks will likely start this year, according to the Hong Kong bourse.