shanghai nov 3 reuters  china stocks closed lower on wednesday as market sentiment was dented after premier li keqiang warned of downward pressure in the world’s secondlargest economy and as new locally transmitted covid19 cases spiked to a near threemonth high  at the close the bluechip csi300 index fell 039 to 482111 points while the shanghai composite index eased 02 to 349854 points  the smaller shenzhen index ended 006 lower for the day and the startup board chinext composite index lost 038  premier li was quoted by state media on tuesday evening saying that china’s economy faces new downward pressures but that policymakers would keep economic operations within a reasonable range and take measures to support industrial sectors  however shares of traditional resources such as coal outperformed the market on wednesday with the coal subindex jumping 42  some market analysts said the coal subindex was tracking an increase in coal futures and spot prices despite china’s state planner statement that coal prices would “accelerate their return to a reasonable level”  the national health commission confirmed on wednesday 93 new local symptomatic cases for nov 2 up from 54 a day earlier and the highest daily count since aug 9 at the peak of china’s last major outbreak  market analysts and traders said investors were also anxiously awaiting the outcome of us federal reserve’s policy meeting due later in the day where the us central bank was likely to announce winding down of its pandemicera monetary stimulus reporting by the shanghai newsroom editing by sherry jacobphillips