Which index was at the center of China’s 2015 stock-market crash?

The Shanghai Composite was the main index at the center of China’s 2015 stock-market crash.

China’s mainland share market rose rapidly from mid-2014 into June 2015. The Shanghai Composite reached 5,178.19 on 12 June 2015, more than doubling from its level the previous year. Heavy retail participation, margin borrowing, and expectations of continued policy support helped fuel the surge.

The market then reversed. By 8 July 2015, the Shanghai Composite had fallen below 3,500, and the authorities introduced measures including trading suspensions, restrictions on some share sales, and support purchases. Turbulence returned in August, contributing to sharp falls in global markets.

The Shanghai Composite tracks many shares listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. It is not the same as the Shenzhen Component, the CSI 300, or Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index. Those benchmarks also moved during the episode, but the Shanghai Composite is the standard reference for the mainland crash.