Trading halts ease stocks' fall

More companies request suspension

Over one-third of the companies listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges have suspended trading of their shares to provide a temporary safe haven from market turmoil.

Another 217 companies applied for trading suspension on Tuesday, which if granted would bring the number of suspensions to 986 of the roughly 2,800 companies listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges, according to media estimates.