Mainland China's two stock exchanges, Shanghai and Shenzhen, have widened the list of stocks available for securities lending.

Over 70 new securities will be opened up to lending at the start of next week, bringing the total number across the two bourses to 950.

The selected stocks have a low PE ratio, large circulation market value and stable market performance, according to both firms. 

Meanwhile, margin trading rules are being adjusted so that stocks with static P/E ratios and loss performance will not be converted as margin.

“The adjustment is beneficial to enhance margin trading and securities lending and sound and stable development of capital market,” officials wrote in a statement.

On its own, Shenzhen is the world's ninth-largest stock exchange by market capitalisation and eighth-largest by number of listed companies.

A new stock-trading link between Shenzhen and Hong Kong opened on Monday and is similar to the existing Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect, which was launched in late 2014.

The links are designed to give global investors greater access to China’s capital markets.