BEIJING, April 7 -- China's treasury bond futures opened lower on Tuesday, with contract for settlement in June 2015 down 0.12 percent at 97 yuan (15.79 U.S. dollars).

The contract for settlement in September 2015 opened 0.05 percent lower at 97.2 yuan while the contract for settlement in December 2015 dipped 0.01 percent at 97.9 yuan.

The contracts are agreements to buy or sell treasury bonds at a predetermined price and set date. They allow investors to bet on or profit from the movements in the value of the bonds.

The treasury bond futures were launched at the Shanghai-based China Financial Futures Exchange and started trading on Sept. 6, 2013.