As the Chinese stock market slumps, the country’s government has stepped in boldly, unveiling a raft of measures to prop up shares. But those efforts have done little to stabilize the market, with stocks continuing to slide on Wednesday. The losses create a political and economic challenge for the nation’s leadership. Beijing could face social unrest if the sell-off accelerates, since tens of millions of ordinary investors have plowed their savings into the market. The psychological toll on investors, in turn, could erode consumer confidence, dragging down growth in the already slowing economy. “The stock market is connected to the real economy,” says Fraser Howie, a longtime Asia banker and co-author of “Red Capitalism: The Fragile Financial Foundation of China’s Extraordinary Rise.” “When you see such violent moves, you don’t know what kinds of ripples are going to come down.” The Chinese government is moving swiftly to […]