European auto stocks fall on uncertainty over China's tariff response
Adds fund manager comments, analyst comment
By Danilo Masoni
MILAN, June 13 (Reuters) -Shares of some of Europe's biggest carmakers fell further on Thursday on uncertainty over how China might respond to the EU's new tariffs on imported Chinese electric vehicles to combat what Brussels sees as excessive subsidies from Beijing.
Chinese countermeasures could target autos directly, which raises the risk for German luxury carmakers, and could even take aim at other sectors like France's cognac industry, analysts said.
"The risk is that China could also take action that would particularly hit the German OEMs who are exporting to China," said Stifel analyst Daniel Schwarz in Frankfurt.
Some investors, however, expect a balanced response from Beijing as Chinese carmakers will still be able to export to Europe, albeit at lower margins.
"I believe it is actually a flash in the pan. The tariffs are not so severe for the Chinese and absolutely necessary for Europe," said Massimo Baggiani, founder at Niche Asset Management in London. "If this hadn't happened, it would have been a significant problem for the European economy, the development of electric mobility, and employment."
By 1145 GMT, Europe's auto index .SXAP fell 2.3% to its lowest level in more than four months, while the broader region-wide STOXX 600 .STOXX was down 0.8%.
China-exposed Volvo Car VOLCARb.ST was the biggest decliner, tumbling 6.2%, followed by German carmakers Porsche AG P911_p.DE, Volkswagen VOWG_p.DE, Mercedes MBGn.DE and BMW BMWG.DE, down between 1.7-3.7%.
Brussels said on Wednesday it would impose extra duties on imported Chinese electric cars from July, ranging from 17.4% for BYD 002594.SZ to 38.1% for SAIC 600104.SS, on top of the standard 10% car duty.
According to Chinese state news agency Xinhua, Beijing hopes the European Union will reconsider tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and stop going further in the "wrong direction" to shield its auto industry from competition.
Morgan Stanley said it was particularly cautious on luxury carmaker Porsche, majority controlled by Volkswagen. Porsche was trading at its lowest since listing in 2022.
"We expect sentiment towards German OEMs to stay depressed as this development could cause management teams to talk down FY24/25 numbers toward the lower end of guides," analysts at the U.S. bank said in a note.
UBS said that even if the tariffs become final it still expected leading Chinese players to press ahead with their expansion into the European market and accelerate the localisation of plants in the region, a welcome investment for states like Hungary, Italy and Spain.
"It's not clear so far if China will retaliate at all and if yes, whether it would happen within the auto sector," analysts at the Swiss bank said in a note. "Given the negative sentiment, we see a good entry point for top pick Mercedes."
Auto suppliers were also hit. Paris-listed Forvia FRVIA.PA and Valeo VLOF.PA were down 5% and 3.2%, respectively.
Concerns over possible Chinese retaliation spread beyond the auto sector. Shares in French cognac maker Remy Cointreau RCOP.PA fell 4.5%. A trade body for French cognac producers on Wednesday expressed concern over the EU's tariff decision.
China's commerce ministry said Chinese firms reserve the right to request anti-subsidy and anti-dumping investigations into European dairy and pork imports.
GRAPHIC Chinese car exports soared by more than 50% in 2023 https://reut.rs/4bKSMZy
GRAPHIC China's auto exports to European countries rise https://reut.rs/4aUn2Qr
FACTBOX China-made EV makers hit with EU tariffs nL1N3IA0CP
Reporting by Danilo Masoni; Additional reporting by Ozan Ergenay, editing by Alun John, Bernadette Baum and Susan Fenton
Mga Kaugnay na Asset
Pinakabagong Balita
Disclaimer: Ang mga kabilang sa XM Group ay nagbibigay lang ng serbisyo sa pagpapatupad at pag-access sa aming Online Trading Facility, kung saan pinapahintulutan nito ang pagtingin at/o paggamit sa nilalaman na makikita sa website o sa pamamagitan nito, at walang layuning palitan o palawigin ito, at hindi din ito papalitan o papalawigin. Ang naturang pag-access at paggamit ay palaging alinsunod sa: (i) Mga Tuntunin at Kundisyon; (ii) Mga Babala sa Risk; at (iii) Kabuuang Disclaimer. Kaya naman ang naturang nilalaman ay ituturing na pangkalahatang impormasyon lamang. Mangyaring isaalang-alang na ang mga nilalaman ng aming Online Trading Facility ay hindi paglikom, o alok, para magsagawa ng anumang transaksyon sa mga pinansyal na market. Ang pag-trade sa alinmang pinansyal na market ay nagtataglay ng mataas na lebel ng risk sa iyong kapital.
Lahat ng materyales na nakalathala sa aming Online Trading Facility ay nakalaan para sa layuning edukasyonal/pang-impormasyon lamang at hindi naglalaman – at hindi dapat ituring bilang naglalaman – ng payo at rekomendasyon na pangpinansyal, tungkol sa buwis sa pag-i-invest, o pang-trade, o tala ng aming presyo sa pag-trade, o alok para sa, o paglikom ng, transaksyon sa alinmang pinansyal na instrument o hindi ginustong pinansyal na promosyon.
Sa anumang nilalaman na galing sa ikatlong partido, pati na ang mga nilalaman na inihanda ng XM, ang mga naturang opinyon, balita, pananaliksik, pag-analisa, presyo, ibang impormasyon o link sa ibang mga site na makikita sa website na ito ay ibibigay tulad ng nandoon, bilang pangkalahatang komentaryo sa market at hindi ito nagtataglay ng payo sa pag-i-invest. Kung ang alinmang nilalaman nito ay itinuring bilang pananaliksik sa pag-i-invest, kailangan mong isaalang-alang at tanggapin na hindi ito inilaan at inihanda alinsunod sa mga legal na pangangailangan na idinisenyo para maisulong ang pagsasarili ng pananaliksik sa pag-i-invest, at dahil dito ituturing ito na komunikasyon sa marketing sa ilalim ng mga kaugnay na batas at regulasyon. Mangyaring siguruhin na nabasa at naintindihan mo ang aming Notipikasyon sa Hindi Independyenteng Pananaliksik sa Pag-i-invest at Babala sa Risk na may kinalaman sa impormasyong nakalagay sa itaas, na maa-access dito.
