Chinese stocks plummeted nearly seven percent Monday – the first day of trading for the new year – prompting a halt to trading for the day on the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges.

Poor manufacturing data in the world’s second-largest economy is mainly being blamed for the sharp selloff, along with rising tensions in the Middle East.

Japan’s Nikkei index and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng were also down about 3 percent in Monday trading. read more >>>

Source : VOANews.Com