A dark cloud over Chinese stocks
Shares in Chinese companies have experienced the biggest two-day fall since 2008 amid growing regulatory pressure.
Shares in Chinese companies have plunged amid growing regulatory pressure. The Nasdaq Golden Dragon China index, which tracks Chinese firms listed in America, fell by 15% on Monday and Tuesday, the biggest two-day plunge since 2008. China’s benchmark CSI 300 index fell by 6.5% over the same period. Tech firms slumped, with Tencent’s shares in Hong Kong down by nearly 16% over Monday and Tuesday. The latest falls followed news of a ban on for-profit school tutoring, a big industry in Asia.
The sell-off underscores just “how fragile investors’ confidence has become after a months-long regulatory onslaught”, say Jeanny Yu and Livia Yap on Bloomberg. Beijing is intent on reining in “private enterprises it blames for exacerbating inequality” and “increasing financial risk”. The realisation that regulators are willing to impose “short-term pain” on markets while pursuing “longer-term socialist goals has been a rude awakening for investors”.
As of 5 May, there were 248 Chinese companies with listings in the US. Companies such as Alibaba and Pinduoduo have listings in America in order to access Western capital markets. There is now a “dark cloud hanging over” these stocks, writes Therese Poletti for MarketWatch. The next one in the firing line? The Chinese authorities have made their displeasure clear with ride-hailing app Didi, which recently listed in New York.
MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE

Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Get the latest financial news, insights and expert analysis from our award-winning MoneyWeek team, to help you understand what really matters when it comes to your finances.
Alex is an investment writer who has been contributing to MoneyWeek since 2015. He has been the magazine’s markets editor since 2019.
Alex has a passion for demystifying the often arcane world of finance for a general readership. While financial media tends to focus compulsively on the latest trend, the best opportunities can lie forgotten elsewhere.
He is especially interested in European equities – where his fluent French helps him to cover the continent’s largest bourse – and emerging markets, where his experience living in Beijing, and conversational Chinese, prove useful.
Hailing from Leeds, he studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the University of Oxford. He also holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Manchester.
-
Is it time to ride the recovery in emerging markets?
Interview What's the outlook for emerging markets? Gustavo Medeiros, head of research at Ashmore Group, gives his analysis and reviews progress in developing economies
-
Could the Enterprise Investment Scheme cut your tax bill?
The Enterprise Investment Scheme is tax-efficient and potentially lucrative. Taking a chance on the scheme could trim your family’s IHT bill, says David Prosser
-
'Ride the recovery in emerging markets': Gustavo Medeiros of Ashmore Group tells MoneyWeek
Interview What's the outlook for emerging markets? Gustavo Medeiros, head of research at Ashmore Group, gives his analysis and reviews progress in developing economies
-
What is the Enterprise Investment Scheme and should you have one?
The Enterprise Investment Scheme is tax-efficient and potentially lucrative. Taking a chance on the scheme could trim your family’s IHT bill, says David Prosser
-
The alcohol industry is suffering as consumers sober up – is it still worth investing in the sector?
Changing consumer tastes are rocking the alcohol industry, but the best players are adapting their strategies. Buy them while their shares are still cheap
-
A strange calm in credit
Corporate bond markets remain remarkably relaxed, with yields that offer little compensation for risks
-
The City's big bet on green finance fails to pay out
Opinion Insurers and banks are backing away from “green finance”, and there is not much sign of the green boom we were promised. That’s a problem for the City
-
Why is English football thriving – and can it last?
What has gone so right for English football? The national team has found its feet; the Premier League is swimming in money and profits are soaring
-
Six top investment trusts for smaller stocks
Liquidity constraints mean investment trusts are best placed to seize the juiciest opportunities
-
Could colour diamonds add a sparkle to your portfolio?
Diamonds of various shades never go out of fashion, says Chris Carter