Economic recovery hopes fade for China as stocks nosedive

Stocks in China have plummeted to an eight-month low, dashing hopes that the country’s economy was on its way to a strong recovery. After markets slumped nearly 3 percent on Friday, today saw China's blue-chip CSI300 index fall 2.1% to 3,065.62, while the Shanghai Composite Index lost 2.8%, dropping down to 2,832.11 points. China’s April trade data, which was released yesterday, further dampened the outlook with both exports and imports dropping more than expected.