(Yicai Global) Feb. 26 -- Stock markets on the Chinese mainland opened lower again this morning as investors around the world show concern over global spread of Covid-19.

The Shanghai Composite Index started at 2,978.42, down 1.15 percent, while the Shenzhen Component Index opened 1.51 lower at 11,677.63. The ChiNext Price Index, which tracks growth enterprises listed in Shenzhen, opened down 1.69 percent at 2,248.65.

Most sectors shared the gloom, though some media and face mask companies managed to buck the trend.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 3.15 percent lower at 27,081.36 yesterday, and the S&P 500 fell 3.03 percent to 3,128.21. The Nasdaq Composite Index slipped 2.77 percent to 8,965.61 and the CBOE Volatility Index, or VIX, rose 11.27 percent to 27.85 after hitting an intraday high of more than 30.

Outside the US, The FTSE 100 lost 1.94 percent to finish at 7,017.88 yesterday. Germany's DAX Index fell 1.88 percent to 12,790.49, and France's CAC-40 Index closed down 1.94% at 5,679.68.

Editor: James Boynton