BEIJING: US electric vehicle maker Tesla Inc is considering lifting its prices in China from September amid yuan-related uncertainty, two people familiar with the matter said.
The people declined to be named as the plan has not been made public. They did not offer detail on the price change.
China allowed the yuan to weaken past the 7-per-dollar level on Monday for the first time in more than a decade, after which the US government labelled China a currency manipulator, raising the stakes in the trade dispute between the two countries.
China firmly opposes the currency manipulator label saying it has not used and will not use the yuan to cope with the US trade frictions.
The sharp drop in the yuan comes days after US President Donald Trump stunned financial markets by vowing to impose 10% tariffs on the remaining $300 billion of Chinese imports from Sept. 1, abruptly breaking a brief ceasefire in a trade war that has disrupted global supply chains and slowed growth.
Tesla currently imports all the cars it sells in China, but it is in the process of building a factory in Shanghai that will manufacture Model 3 cars in the initial phase and help it minimize the impact of the trade war and tariffs.
If enacted, this would be the first case of a planned price adjustment by an importer since the yuan fell this week and points to the growing pressure that importers are facing.
Tesla broke ground on the Shanghai factory in January and its Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk has said the firm aims to finish initial construction this summer and start production of the Model 3 towards the end of the year.
Deliveries of all models in the second quarter this year rose 51% from the first quarter to 95,200 vehicles, including 77,550 Model 3s, 17,650 Model S and X.
Last month, Tesla globally dropped the standard-range variants of its Model X and Model S from its product lineup and adjusted prices across its range.
In China, the world's largest electric vehicle market, the trade frictions between China and the US has caused Tesla to adjust its multiple times over the past year because of the tariff changes.
Tesla said to be considering raising prices in China
Tesla said to be considering raising prices in China
- Company may raise prices starting in September
Closing Bell: Saudi benchmark index closes lower at 10,540
RIYADH: Saudi equities ended Wednesday’s session lower, with the Tadawul All Share Index falling 55.13 points, or 0.52 percent, to close at 10,540.72.
The sell-off was mirrored across other indices, with the MSCI Tadawul 30 Index retreating 5.79 points, or 0.41 percent, to close at 1,393.32, while the parallel market Nomu slipped 74.56 points, or 0.32 percent, to 23,193.21.
Market breadth remained firmly negative, as decliners outpaced advancers, with 207 stocks ending the session lower against just 51 gainers on the main market.
Trading activity moderated compared to recent sessions, with volumes reaching 123.5 million shares, while total traded value stood at SR2.72 billion ($725.2 million).
On the sectoral and stock level, Al Moammar Information Systems Co. led the gainers after surging 9.96 percent to close at SR172.30, extending its rally following a series of contract announcements tied to data center and IT infrastructure projects.
Al Masar Al Shamil Education Co. climbed 4.89 percent to SR27.48, while Naqi Water Co. advanced 3.36 percent to SR58.50. Al Yamamah Steel Industries Co. and Al-Jouf Agricultural Development Co. also posted solid gains, rising 3 percent and 2.86 percent, respectively.
Losses, however, were concentrated in industrial names. Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Co. fell 3.67 percent to SR4.73, while Makkah Construction and Development Co. slid 3.44 percent to SR80.
Saudi Tadawul Group Holding Co. retreated 3.28 percent to SR147.50, weighed down by broader market weakness, and Saudi Cable Co. declined 3.18 percent to SR143.
Alkhaleej Training and Education Co. rounded out the top losers, shedding just over 3 percent.
On the announcement front, BinDawood Holding announced the signing of a share purchase agreement to acquire 51 percent of Wonder Bakery LLC in the UAE for 96.9 million dirhams, marking a strategic expansion of its food manufacturing footprint beyond Saudi Arabia.
The acquisition, which remains subject to regulatory approvals, is expected to support the group’s regional growth ambitions and strengthen supply chain integration.
BinDawood shares closed at SR4.68, up 0.43 percent, reflecting a positive market reaction to the overseas expansion move.
Meanwhile, Al Moammar Information Systems disclosed the contract sign-off for the renewal of IT systems support licenses with the Saudi Central Bank, valued at SR114.4 million, inclusive of VAT.
The 36-month contract is expected to have a positive financial impact starting from fourth quarter of 2025, reinforcing MIS’s position as a key technology partner for critical government institutions. The stock surged to the session’s limit making it the top gainer.
In a separate disclosure, Maharah Human Resources confirmed the completion of the sale of its entire stake in Care Shield Holding Co. through its subsidiary, Growth Avenue Investments, for a total consideration of SR434.3 million.
The transaction involved the transfer of 41.36 percent of Care Shield’s share capital to Dallah Healthcare, with Maharah receiving the full cash proceeds.
Despite the strategic divestment, Maharah shares closed lower, ending the session at SR6.12, down 1.29 percent.
