Charting the Markets: China's Plunge Again Rattles Global Markets

The 2016 global equity sell-off has entered its fourth day. $2.5 trillion of value disappeared from stocks in the first three trading days of the year. Look no further than China for what's behind today's move. The nation's central bank cut its yuan reference rate by the most since August, heightening speculation a slowdown in the world's second-biggest economy is deeper than official data suggest. Both Asian and European stocks slumped to a three-month low.

Trading in China lasted a mere 29 minutes today. For half of that time trade was suspended after the CSI 300 Index sank 5 percent, triggering automatic circuit breakers. Once the gauge sank 7 percent, trading was halted for a second day this week. Today's slide came after policy makers weakened the yuan for an eighth straight day, sending the onshore currency to a five-year low against the U.S. dollar. Billionaire George Soros, who made his name - and $1 billion - in 1992 when he bet the U.K. would be forced to devalue the pound, warned today that China is struggling to find a new growth model and its currency devaluation is transferring problems to the rest of the world.