Equities slide as liquidity concerns mount

Share prices on the mainland tumbled on Tuesday, sending the benchmark index to the biggest drop since March, after foreign direct investment sank to a four-year low and investors speculated that new share sales would divert funds.

SAIC Motor Corp and Hisense Electric Co slid more than 3 percent to lead declines for consumer companies reliant on economic growth. Apple Inc supplier Han's Laser Technology Co fell 4.8 percent, trimming this year's gain to 42 percent, while Yonyou Software Co lost 6.2 percent, dragging down a gauge of technology shares to the biggest loss among industry groups.

The Shanghai Composite Index slumped 1.8 percent to 2,296.56 at the close, as the value of shares traded jumped to the highest since Nov 12, 2010.