Shanghai stocks fall to monthly low on growth concerns

Shanghai stock market slumped to its worst close in a month on Tuesday, after the preliminary reading of HSBC's Purchasing Managers' Index showed the country's manufacturing growth fell in April.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index plunged 2.57 percent, the biggest drop in almost a month, to 2,184.54. Shares in Shenzhen dropped 2.92 percent, and in Hong Kong, they fell 1.08 percent.

Securities brokerage, construction material and real estate stocks led the index lower, in total trading worth 82.2 billion yuan ($13.3 billion), almost the same as Monday.