What was the 2015 sell-off in mainland Chinese equities commonly called?

The 2015 sell-off in mainland Chinese equities is commonly called the 2015 Chinese stock market crash. The Shanghai Composite Index had more than doubled in the year leading to June 2015, then fell sharply after the speculative surge weakened.

The Shanghai Composite reached an intraday high of about 5,178 on June 12, 2015. By August 26, it had fallen to roughly 2,927, a decline of about 43% from that high. Concerns about margin lending, slowing economic growth, and the sustainability of high valuations contributed to the reversal.

Chinese authorities responded with measures including trading restrictions, support for share purchases, and investigations of market activity. A separate global sell-off occurred in August 2015, when concerns about China’s economy and currency added pressure to international markets. The episode is often discussed alongside, but should not be confused with, China’s 2015 currency devaluation.