PRESS DIGEST - China - Oct 9

BEIJING/SHANGHAI Oct 9 (Reuters) - Chinese newspapers available in Beijing and Shanghai carried the following stories on Friday. Reuters has not checked the stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

SHANGHAI SECURITIES NEWS

-- A third batch of companies to be listed on ChiNext, the Nasdaq style start-up board that is due to be launched soon, have received regulatory approval and aim to raise a combined total of about 2.15 billion yuan ($315 million). The offerings will be priced on Oct. 13 and will take subscriptions on Oct. 15.

-- Average daily retail sales during China's eight-day "golden week" National Day holiday from Oct. 1 to 8 showed a strong 18 percent rise from the previous year's holiday week; the real estate market was more subdued than expected, although traffic in auto showrooms was up substantially.

-- A Zijin Mining Group Co (2899.HK) (601899.SS) subsidiary will acquire a 12.8 percent stake in Continental Minerals KMK.V for C$22.6 million ($21.50 million), paying C$1.07 per share to become the Canadian company's largest shareholder.

CHINA SECURITIES JOURNAL

-- Several analysts at securities firms believe China's GDP growth in the third quarter will hit 8.5 percent or more, reflecting continued stable growth in domestic demand. ($1=6.826 Yuan) ($1=1.051 Canadian Dollar) (Compiled by Beijing and Shanghai Newsrooms; Editing by Ken Wills)