The Shanghai Composite now rests at its lowest level since March 2009 – which is just when stock markets the rest of the world over began to recover. Admittedly, Shanghai bounced several months earlier, once China started administering its stimulus. But still, this is quite a turn of events given that the Chinese economy continues to grow far faster than the rest of the world.
What gives? Specifically with relation to Shanghai, it entered the period in the aftermath of a historic bubble that looked almost exactly like the Nasdaq bubble that had burst seven years earlier. There follows a chart from the Short View back in late 2007, when the Shanghai had indeed, we now know, peaked.
James Mackintosh is the Financial Times' Investment Editor, writing and presenting the daily Short View column and video. In 16 years at the FT his posts have included comment editor, motor industry editor and hedge funds correspondent, as well as spells in the Parliamentary lobby and Paris. He was the first reporter hired for FT.com, joining two weeks before it launched.
John Authers is the Financial Times' Senior Investment Columnist, writing the Saturday Long View and a regular Monday column. In a 22-year career at the FT, his previous posts have included global head of the Lex column, investment editor, US markets editor, Mexico City bureau chief and US banking correspondent. His latest book is The Fearful Rise of Markets. 