SHANGHAI: A sharp fall in the US market further weakened investor sentiment yesterday, dragging down the benchmark index nearly 2 percent to its lowest level in three months.

Turnover on the mainland's two bourses shrank 10 percent yesterday to 78.57 billion yuan from the day before, as many investors sold stocks in anticipation of a downward trend, analysts said.

The Shanghai Composite Index dropped 1.97 percent, or 97.74 points, to close at 4861.11. Losers outnumbered gainers 533 to 293. The Shenzhen Component Index fell 2.34 percent to close at 15861.01, while the Hang Seng Index slipped 1.51 percent.