Stock markets in China finished largely even in volatile trading Tuesday, a day after falling nearly 7 percent in a selloff that spread to markets across the globe.

Markets in Shanghai and Shenzhen opened sharply lower Tuesday and were down again about 2 percent in late trading before rallying in the final hour to finish within 0.3 percent of Monday’s close.The massive losses there Monday prompted officials to stop trading.

Japan’s Nikkei, which fell 3 percent Monday, rallied to a small gain Tuesday before dipping into negative territory to close down 0.42 percent.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng saw its early gains erased in afternoon trading with the index falling about one-half percent near market close.

Monday’s trading in the United States saw the Dow and S&P fall around 1.6 percent while the NASDAQ lost more than 2 percent.

European markets were also hurt, with Germany’s DAX losing more than 4 percent and the FTSE in London falling more 2 percent.

The global selloff was sparked by another in a series of disappointing reports on Chinese manufacturing.  Investors saw that as evidence that China’s economic growth is slowing down.  China is the world’s second largest economy and a key market for many other nations.

Crude oil prices were volatile.  At one point, oil prices rose on concerns that rising tensions between key oil producers Saudi Arabia and Iran might reduce energy supplies.  Later, priced declined as investors worried that slowing economic growth could cut energy demand.
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