Feb 17 (Reuters) - Chinese newspapers available in Beijing and Shanghai carried the following stories on Monday. Reuters has not checked the stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

SHANGHAI SECURITIES NEWS

- Data released by China's central bank shows January credit growth approaching a four-year high and social financing at a record, driven by enterprises' mid-term and long-term loans. Peng Wensheng, chief economist at CICC, expected a tightening preference in future monetary policies.

- China Railway Corp announced that it would raise transportation prices by 0.015 yuan per tonne per kilometer, and Daqin Railway Co Ltd's operational revenue is expected to increase by 4.3 billion yuan ($708.7 million) next year as a result.

CHINA SECURITIES JOURNAL

- Statistical indices must be adjusted to reflect the fact that data from the National Bureau of Statistics shows demand in real estate markets in 70 large- and medium-sized cities but oversupply in many small cities.

- China's higher-than-expected trade surplus in January was a result of industrial upgrading rather than hot money inflows, said Mei Xinyu, researcher at the Ministry of Commerce.

CHINA DAILY

- Heavy smog in the Chinese capital Beijing lasting for days has triggered harsh public criticism over the inaction of the municipal government.

GLOBAL TIMES

- The U.S. government has neither the capacity to influence China's political process, nor the power to impede any departments concerned from sanctioning dissidents who engage in illegal activities, an editorial said.

PEOPLE'S DAILY

- China still needs to set targets for annual national economic growth, although the pace must now be set to take into consideration the environment and other factors that will ensure sustainability of the growth, an editorial said.

For Hong Kong and South China newspapers see.....