China shares were mixed in early trade with airlines and oil refiners in demand after a significant drop in oil prices, while coal producers struggled, dealers said.

At 9:44 am, the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index was up 11.14 points or 0.48 pct at 2,316.03.

Light, sweet crude fell 5.75 usd to settle at 109.71 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange after the US Gulf Coast and its oil facilities were spared heavy damage from Hurricane Gustav.

China Southern Airlines rose 4.25 pct to 3.68 yuan and Air China advanced 3.45 pct to 5.70 yuan.

China Petroleum & Chemical Corp (Sinopec) was up 1.71 pct at 10.11 yuan.

Yanzhou Coal Mining fell 2.74 pct to 13.50 yuan, while Shanxi Xishan Coal and Electricity Power tumbled 5.82 pct to 28.30 yuan.

Zijin Mining, China's second largest gold miner, fell 1.04 pct to 4.76 yuan.

(1 usd = 6.83 yuan)