Hong Kong - Hong Kong shares plunged 5 per cent in the opening minutes of trading Wednesday, falling below the 16,000 mark to their lowest level in more than two years.

The blue-chip Hang Seng Index dropped to 15,888.32 in the first five minutes of trading Wednesday, losing 915.44 points or 5.45 per cent.

The index was closed for a public holiday Tuesday after losing 4.97 per cent in Monday trading. Hong Kong shares are now off almost 50 per cent from their peak of just below 32,000 in October
2007. (dpa)