U.S. stocks fell sharply on investor fears of China’s continuing slide

 U.S. stocks fell sharply because of investor fears about the declining Chinese markets and a continuing slide in oil prices. The Dow stock market in the U.S. on Thursday decreased 5.2 percent since the end of 2015 in the worst first four trading days since the creation of the 30-stock index in 1928, dragged down by another drop in Chinese equities and oil prices at 12-year lows. China allowed the biggest fall in the yuan currency in five months, adding to investor fears about the health of its economy, while Shanghai stocks were halted for the second time this week after another steep selloff. Oil prices fell to 12-year lows and copper prices touched their lowest since 2009.