The Shanghai Composite fell about 8.5% in a single day in 2015, triggering a global sell-off.
On 24 August 2015, the Shanghai Composite Index dropped 8.49%. The date became known internationally as “Black Monday” because major markets in Europe and North America also fell sharply. Concerns about China’s economic growth, currency policy, and the effects of earlier speculative buying weighed on investors.
China’s market had risen rapidly during the preceding year, helped by margin financing and enthusiasm from individual investors. When confidence reversed, forced selling and reduced liquidity intensified the decline. The Chinese government introduced several measures to support the market, though these interventions also generated debate about the role of state policy.
The episode is distinct from China’s 2007–08 market decline and from the 2020 pandemic crash. It was a major international shock, but it did not produce a global banking collapse comparable to 2008.