The rough patch started with Monday's opening bell, as a downbeat weekend reading on Chinese economic growth and the largest slide in gold prices in 30 years sent the Dow to its biggest one-day drop of the year.

WSJ: Stocks Trim Year's Biggest Weekly Loss

European markets traded broadly higher, with the Stoxx Europe 600 up 0.6% and on track to close at a near five-year high, amid the U.S. labor-market reading and encouraging Chinese data.

WSJ: Strong Jobs Data Buoy U.S. Stocks

This year there was no test of memorised basic knowledge in the Chinese language exam in Shanghai - only reading comprehension and creative writing.

BBC: China's educational elite

Chinese manufacturing data for March showed a preliminary PMI reading of 51.7 versus the final reading of 50.4 in February.

FORBES: A.M. Kitco Metals Roundup: Gold Near Steady as Bulls Gain More Confidence

His fascination was first sparked by reading Arthur Waley's translations from the Chinese at school.

ECONOMIST: Percy Cradock

New orders, a proxy for global demand for Chinese goods, reversed a 48.3-contraction reading from August, jumping to 50.9 in September.

FORBES: Manufacturing In China, U.S. Provides Glimmer Of Hope For Europe

We asked destiny consultant Master Raymond Lo, an expert in reading the I-Ching, the ancient Chinese "Book of Changes, " which of the top sports people bound for Beijing would be successful at the Olympics.

CNN: Reading the Olympians' fortunes