ChiNext stocks opened higher Thursday, with the ChiNext Index up 0.53 percent to open at 1,002.36.

The index, officially launched Tuesday on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, has a base value of 1,000 points.

The ChiNext Index, together with the Shenzhen Component Index and the Shenzhen SME (small and medium-sized enterprises) Board Index makes up the three core indices reflecting the performance of China's stocks listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.