The awareness program which includes advertisements in various mass media aims to help investors understand their own financial circumstances, better understand markets, along with the development history of funds and fund management companies.

Average annual yields of equity funds have undergone huge fluctuations since 2002 and even lost 11.9 percent in 2004, according to the figures released by the Galaxies Securities.

Investors' buying spree however showed no signs of abating in the week-long Spring Festival holiday as people shared their trophies when visiting friends and relatives -- more than 100 percent yields in the past one year, an equivalent of 50 years of bank interests.

Some retail investors said they will not focus their attention on the short-term up-and-downs, but it is still tough for new buyers to act rationally amid the current boom.

The frenzy has added mounting jitters to fund managers who run the massive stockpile for the millions of punters. "As a rational investor, we find limited satisfying objects worth investing", said Li Xuli, investment director of the Bank of Communications Schoroder Fund Management Co.

"I fought to get to sleep every night fearing big market tumbles to bring down profits, and it is the most tricky time in my eight years of career", Li spoke up his mind.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index plummeted 8.84 percent to close at 2,771.79 points earlier this week partly on profit-taking, the biggest daily dive since February 18 in 1997 when the index dropped 8.91 percent.

Fund managers suggest investors engage in long-term investment, while warning of speculative activities only after hearing of other people making money.