Summary

  • China lifts stock market 'circuit breaker' controls

  • Sharp falls for shares in US, Tokyo, Hong Kong

  • Brent Crude falls below $33 per barrel

  • M&S chief executive Bolland to step down

  1. Circuit breaker 'intensifies panic' on Chinese marketpublished at 06:19

    BBC Radio 5 Live

    The system designed to prevent volatility on the Chinese stock markets, could just be making the situation worse according to Amy Zhuang, China analyst at Nordea Bank.      

    After a fall of 5%, circuit breakers activate which suspends trading for 15 minutes. The idea is to give the market time to cool down.

    But actually what happens is "everyone is gearing up to be ready to sell as soon as trading is resumed," according to Ms Zhuang.

    "Definitely the circuit breaker mechanism has been intensifying the panic sell-offs," she says.

  2. Chinese shares: trying to control the uncontrollable?published at 06:18

    Today Programme
    BBC Radio 4

    "If the authorities say on a Monday don't worry about it it's just a blip and then it happens again, the whole question of whether the authorities are trying to control the uncontrollable rises," says the BBC's Steve Evans in Beijing.

  3. Oil prices hit fresh 11-year lowpublished at 06:11

    BBC Radio 5 Live

    In Asian trading, oil prices fell to fresh 11-year lows. At one stage Brent Crude was down to $33.09 per barrel.

    There's been "a huge fundamental shift in the demand for oil," says fund manager George Godber on Wake Up To Money.

    He quotes a phrase used quite a bit recently in reference to the oil industry:

    "The stone age didn't come to an end due to a lack of stones," he says.

    So the oil age is coming to an end long before there's a shortage of oil, he says.

    However "major oil companies are in denial" about oil prices Mr Godber adds.

  4. UK new cars sales hit a record last yearpublished at 06:06

    BBC Radio 5 Live

    Mini cars on production lineImage source, AP

    UK new car sales hit an all-time record last year. Some 2.63 million vehicles were registered in 2015, up about 6% on 2014.

    Mike Hawes, the chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers, says that sales have been driven by "very attractive" private finance deals, low interest rates and the strong pound. 

    The strong pound means that overseas car makers can offer better deals in the UK market.

    Sales of plug-in hybrid cars have more the doubled and pure electric car sales are up 50%. However, alternative fuel cars are still less than 3% of the market, he says.

  5. Trading in Chinese shares suspended againpublished at 06:04

    BBC Radio 5 Live

    Brokerage house, HangzhouImage source, EPA

    Trading in Chinese shares had barely got underway today, when automatic circuit breakers kicked-in and shut down trading due to heavy losses.

    After less than half an hour, trading in Shanghai and Shenzhen was suspended for the day, following losses of 7%.

    Trading was also suspended on Monday due to heavy falls.

    George Godber, a fund manager with Miton blamed the volatility in Chinese markets on "the most enormous stock market bubble... like something we'd never seen anywhere before".

    He also said the Chinese economy has been going backwards for two years, but has really deteriorated over the last 6 months.

    He also said that the nation's banks are in a "dangerous" condition, with banks not facing up to bad loans.

  6. Good morningpublished at 06:01

    Welcome to Thursday's Business Live page. Stock markets are a shaky again. Last night the Dow closed 1.5% lower and Asian shares are down sharply. You can email us at bizlivepage@bbc.co.uk.