Chinese stocks nosedived on Thursday, triggering the second daylong trading halt of the week and sending share markets, currencies and oil prices lower as investor jitters rippled across Asia.
The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index tumbled 7.3 percent to 3,115.89 before new "circuit breakers" suspended trading for the day.
The smaller Shenzhen Composite Index slumped 8.3 percent to 1,955.88.
Chinese stock trading was also suspended on Monday after a plunge that roiled Wall Street and other global markets.
The Shanghai benchmark has dropped 12 percent so far this year, which is barely a week old.
Thursday's market plunge may have been exacerbated by investors rushing to sell before they were locked out, some analysts said.