Chinese stocks plummeted¹ nearly seven percent Monday - the worst first day of trading for the new year in China - prompting a halt to trading for the day on the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges.

European markets followed Asia's lead, opening lower, with Germany's DAX down more than four percent and the FTSE in London more than two percent lower.

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 closed down 3 percent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell more than two-and-a-half percent.

The price of oil rose Monday, mainly over concerns in the Middle East with Saudi Arabia in a tense political dispute with Iran.

中国股市星期一暴跌近7%，这是中国新年首盘表现最差的一次。上海和深圳的证券交易所被迫停止交易。

欧洲股市开盘步亚洲后尘呈现跌势。德国DAX指数下跌逾4%，伦敦金融时报指数的跌幅也超过2%。

作为世界第二大经济体的中国的制造业数据不佳，被认为是大批抛售的主要诱因，其他因素还包括中东紧张局势的不断升级。

日本的日经指数收盘时下跌3%，香港恒生指数的跌幅也超过2.5%。

星期一石油价格上涨，主要原因是沙特阿拉伯与伊朗之间的政治争端引发人们对中东局势的担忧。