Meta stock slips premarket as China opens probe into Manus AI acquisition
New York, Jan 8, 2026, 06:25 EST — Premarket Meta Platforms (META.O) shares slipped 0.4% in premarket trading on Thursday after China said it would assess and investigate the company’s acquisition of artificial intelligence startup Manus. Investing.com+1 The move adds a fresh layer of regulatory risk to Meta’s push to buy AI talent and tools, an area where Beijing has shown growing sensitivity around data and technology moving offshore. Traders were already cautious after Meta fell 1.8% on Wednesday, closing at $648.69 after touching a session low of $644.81. Yahoo Finance China’s review was already on investors’ radar after the