The S&P/ASX 200 (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO) is down sharply following leads from international markets overnight.
Yesterday, further weak manufacturing data from China spooked investors, sending share markets into a nosedive, starting with China's CSI300 index.
After falling 7% on its first day of trading for 2016, the local share market was frozen by the Chinese government, echoing the events of 2015.
European and UK shares were also walloped, falling 2.8% and 2.4%, respectively, after they too reacted to poor economic data from the UK and Germany. In the US, a 1.6% selloff in the Dow Jones set the pace for a tough day of trading on the ASX.
Leading the ASX 200 lower are shares in the major banks, Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) (down 1.1%) and Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ASX: ANZ) (down 1.2%).
The A2 MILK FPO NZ (ASX: A2M) and Bellamy's Australia Ltd (ASX: BAL) share prices are also coming off the boil today, with both dairy companies falling more than 4%. And despite tensions building in major oil-producing nations of the Middle East, shares of Oil Search Limited (ASX: OSH) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) are down 2% and 1.8%, respectively.
Retailers JB Hi-Fi Limited (ASX: JBH) and Breville Group Ltd (ASX: BRG) are among today's best performers, despite rival Dick Smith Holdings Ltd (ASX: DSH) going into administration this morning.
