Nio stock is seeing headwinds from Didi Global's pending U.S. delisting
Electric vehicle name Nio Inc (NYSE:NIO) is taking a hit today, alongside other Chinese tech stocks, after Didi Global (DIDI) announced plans to delist from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Chinese regulators initially requested that the company delist in the U.S. last week, which is fueling speculation that the era of China-based stock listings in the states is coming to a close.
Last seen down 8.1% at $33.26, NIO earlier fell below the $33 area for the first time since May, and is now pacing for its worst week since late March. The 320-day moving average, which pressured the shares lower back in September, is once again acting as resistance. With just four positive months in the books in 2021, it is unsurprising NIO sports a 31.5% year-to-date deficit. It is also worth noting that the security has just landed on the Short Sale Restricted (SSR) list.
An unwinding of optimism in the options pits could add even more pressure. Nio stock's 50-day call/put volume ratio of 3.53 at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX) sits in the 98th percentile of its annual range, indicating long calls are being picked up at a quicker-than-usual clip.
Additional headwinds may come from a shift in analyst sentiment. Of the seven analysts covering NIO, six rate it a "buy" or better, and one says "hold." The 12-month consensus price target of $58.52 is a 77.3% premium to current levels, leaving ample room for both downgrades and price-target cuts.
Options traders are targeting NIO at double the intraday average today. So far, 191,000 calls and 119,000 puts have exchanged hands. The two most popular contracts are the December 45 call, and the weekly 12/3 33-strike put, where positions are being opened.