Chinese stocks closed mixed Tuesday with nonferrous metal and steel sectors leading the decline.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index fell 0.19 percent to close at 3,372.04. The Shenzhen Component Index closed 0.04 percent higher at 11,275.34.

The ChiNext Index, China's NASDAQ-style board, lost 0.3 percent to close at 1,876.99.

Combined turnover on the two bourses stood at 389.6 billion yuan (58.9billion U.S. dollars), down from 545.9 billion yuan the previous trading day.

Sectors including nonferrous metal and steel dragged down the Shanghai index with their sub-indices dropping 1.85 percent and 1.09 percent respectively.

Shandong Iron and Steel Company shed 2.05 percent to close at 2.39 yuan per share, and China Northern Rare Earth High-tech lost 2.6 percent to close at 14.98 yuan.

Bucking the trend, the sector related to housing rentals gained most with the sub-index rising 5.45 percent, as China is pushing development of the home rental market in large and medium cities to address rising rental demand from urban newcomers.

China is expected to release its first regulation on housing rentals soon, according to Xinhua-run Economic Information Daily Tuesday.

The regulation will list detailed rules that supervise market participants, including requiring that written rental contracts should be signed with specified rules regarding lease terms, rents and the rights of tenants.