Chinese commodity markets collapsed on the first day of trading after the Lunar New Year holidays as investors returned to markets gripped by fear over the impact the coronavirus will have on demand in the world’s biggest consumer of raw materials.
The country’s three major commodity exchanges were hit by a wave of selling as they reopened at 9 a.m. local time as Chinese traders had their first opportunity to catch up with losses inflicted on overseas markets while they had been on holiday. China’s benchmark iron ore contract fell by its daily limit of 8%, while copper, crude and palm oil also sank by the maximum allowed.