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Trading in China suspended after shares plunge 7%

Trading in China's leading share index has been suspended early after a dramatic 7% fall on the first trading day of 2016.

An investor in Beijing takes a nap in front of an electronic board showing stock information on the day the markets were shut early. Credit: Reuters

An initial 5% fall on the Shanghai Composite Index - the benchmark for Chinese markets - led to a 15-minute break in trading but the resumption saw a further slump.

The day's trading was ended 90 minutes early after the stock market fell 7%, triggering a new "circuit breaker" suspension mechanism, which was introduced to ward against volatility in the market.