Shanghai Stock Exchange

Shares in China closed higher on Wednesday following large falls earlier in the week.

The Shanghai Composite index rose 2.3% as investors grew in confidence following measures implemented by regulators.

On Tuesday, the China Securities Regulatory Commission said it would ban major shareholders from selling off a certain proportion of their stakes. And local media are reporting that the ban could be kept in place until new rules are set in place.

Shares on the Shanghai Composite fell 7% on Monday, triggering a new system which suspends shares to limit volatility. That prompted falls in share prices around the world.

Elsewhere, Japan's Nikkei 225 index closed 1% lower, and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 fell 1.2%.

The FTSE 100 opened slightly lower on Wednesday morning, with mining firms dragging the market down. BHP Billiton fell 2.8%, Rio Tinto dropped 2.1% and Antofagasta's price fell 1.9%.