Trading was halted for 15 minutes on China's stock markets on Thursday morning after shares fell more than five percent, triggering an automatic "circuit breaker".

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index slumped 5.45 percent, or 183.14 points, to 3,178.70. The Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China's second exchange, tumbled 6.77 percent, or 144.38 points, to 1,989.58.