Asian stock markets sank Tuesday, led by a plunge in the Shanghai index, after a renewed slump in the price of oil kept investors on edge about the global economy, AP reported.

The Shanghai Composite dropped 6.5 percent in afternoon trading to 2,748.54. Japan's Nikkei 225 lost 2.4 percent to 16,708.90. South Korea's Kospi slipped 1.2 percent to 1,871.69. Hong Kong's Hang Seng was down 2.5 at 18,863.64. Other regional markets were also mostly down.