Chinese share prices opened slightly lower Friday, with market sentiment dampened more or less by overnight jitters on the U.S. stock market.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index opened at 4,523.79 points, down 28.53 points, or 0.63 percent, from the previous closing of 4,552.32 points.

The Shenzhen Component Index for the smaller Shenzhen bourse lost 90.94 points, or 0.54 percent, to open at 16,614.0 points.

On Thursday, Ben Bernanke, chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve, pledged to tackle the credit crunch that was threatening America's growth by acting "as needed" to bolster its flagging economy.

Market observers believed Bernanke's words signaled new interest rate cut.

(Xinhua News Agency February 15, 2008)