BEIJING, April 14 (Xinhua) -- China's benchmark stock index plunged 5.62 percent on Monday, the biggest one-day loss since late January, as the huge sell-offs on the Wall Street and other regional markets dealt a further blow to the fragile investor confidence.

The key Shanghai Composite Index, which covers both A and B shares on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, closed 196.22 points lower at 3,296.67.

The Shenzhen Component Index, which tracks the smaller Shenzhen Stock Exchange, plummeted 984.50 points, or 7.39 percent, to 12,343.61, recording the biggest percentage loss since June 4 last year.