Economic security

China is destroying its stock market in order to save it

Surprisingly, after Wednesday's Chinese stock market plunge and gloomy media coverage, the Chinese stock market ended the week ahead. By Friday, the benchmark Shanghai Composite index had gained 5.1 percent from the previous Friday's close.

The increase followed a series of extraordinary interventions by the government. In an effort to prop up prices, the government banned some people from selling shares, ordered other people to buy shares, and provided cash to help people buy stocks with borrowed money.