Shares of Chinese electric-vehicle makers were rising, a lot, to start the week in Hong Kong trading. Investors can thank demand, which appears to be returning after Covid lockdowns roiled the entire Chinese economy.
June passenger vehicle wholesale volumes to grow 50% in June, compared with May. What’s more, retail sales volumes are expected to grow 20% quarter over quarter, boosted by improving production and tax cuts designed to stimulate demand.
That’s a relief for investors. NIO , for instance, delivered about 5,000 vehicles in April 2022, down more than 50% from December levels, as Covid lockdowns hit production as well as sales across China.
In addition to Chung’s Monday report, Chinese auto maker BYD also reported May sales volumes. Sales of its battery electric vehicle, or BEV, hit 53,349 units in May, up 185% from May 2021. That’s a tangible sign demand for electric vehicles is returning after the Covid slump.
Shares of BYD were up 5.7% in Hong Kong trading Monday.
Shares of NIO, XPeng and Li Auto gained 5.9%, 8.3% and 12.5%, respectively, in Hong Kong trading. All three of those companies have stock listings in Hong Kong as well as New York.
The Hong Kong trading was leading U.S. trading early Monday. New York-listed shares of NIO, XPeng and Li rose 5.1%, 5.2% and 9.1% in premarket trading, respectively.
It looks to be a good start to the week for most U.S. stocks. S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average futures also were rising about 1.1% and 0.8%, respectively.
Tesla shares rose Monday by about 3.9% to roughly $731 a piece. Better Chinese EV demand is part of the story, but so is CEO Elon Musk.
Tesla stock fell 9.2% Friday after employment confusion created by a series of reports indicated that Tesla might be cutting headcount. Musk clarified his position in a Saturday tweet, indicating Tesla total headcount would grow in 2022, while the headcount of salaried employees would remain relatively flat.
The initial reports were jarring for investors because Tesla is expected to grow unit volumes roughly 50% in 2022. It takes more people to build more cars.
Coming into Monday, Tesla shares have declined about 33% this year. Inflation and rising interest rates have sapped some investor enthusiasm for most automotive stocks. Higher inflation threatens profit margins via higher costs. Higher rates threatens new car demand by hurting affordability. Most cars are purchased with financing.
NIO, XPeng and Li shares have fallen almost 40%, on average, in 2022. Auto trends have impacted those three too