Chinese regulators want DIDI to leave Wall Street in a timely manner
The shares of DiDi Global Inc (NYSE:DIDI) are down 5.6% at $7.66 this morning, after a Bloomberg report revealed that Chinese regulators asked the company to delist in the U.S. According to the report, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) made the request that Didi leave the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) over concerns that the mobile transportation company could leak sensitive data. The delisting will take some finagling, and the CAC is requesting a timely resolution for the issue, with one source saying the company is considering a "straight-up privatization."
The news comes after a series of crackdowns by Chinese reuglators on U.S.-listed firms. Today's negative price action puts Didi stock at risk of trading at nearly half of its June initial public offering (IPO) price of $14. Further, DIDI was on pace to turn in a small win for November, but will all but erase that lead, should today's pullback hold through the holiday-shortened session, putting the equity on track for its fourth monthly loss in five.
Bearish options activity is ramping up today in response to the news. So far 19,000 puts have crossed the tape, which is four times the volume typically seen at this point. The two most popular positions are the weekly 11/26 7.50- and 8-strike puts, while new positions are being bought to open at the 7.50-strike call from the same series.
Short interest is on the rise, up 9.1% in the latest reporting period. Shorts already have a decent grip on Didi stock, with short interest accounting for 2% of the stock's available float, or over four days' worth of pent-up buying power.