Shanghai, Jan 18, 2026, 04:38 CST — The market has closed.
- CATL Class A shares (300750.SZ) fell 0.40% on Jan. 16, closing at 352.32 yuan. 1
- A block trade of 990,000 shares changed hands at the closing price, valued at roughly 349 million yuan. 2
Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL) Class A shares dropped 0.4% on Friday to 352.32 yuan. The stock is now down for five sessions straight, with a 349 million yuan block trade hitting the closing price in Shenzhen. 3
That’s significant since CATL is central to China’s electric-vehicle battery industry. Whenever its stock wavers, traders see it as a swift gauge of whether capital remains locked in the “new energy” sector or is pulling out.
CATL dominated China’s power-battery market in 2025, holding a 43.42% share of installations, data from the China Automotive Battery Innovation Alliance shows, compiled by CnEVPost. BYD came in second, capturing just 21.58%. 4
A Cailian report this week highlighted new long-term partnerships forming between CATL and automakers, as firms look to secure supply and guard against volatile input costs following a rise in lithium carbonate prices. “Each kWh has about 600 grams of lithium,” UBS China auto research chief Gong Min noted, underscoring how swiftly raw material shifts can impact a vehicle’s production costs. 5
CATL investors face a tricky timing issue. Automakers push for steady prices, while battery makers need wiggle room when metal costs spike. That tension usually hits margins first, long before it makes the news.
Regulators outside the firm have raised concerns over leverage and churn. China’s securities regulator announced plans to tighten market oversight as the benchmark index approached a ten-year peak. On Jan. 19, stock exchanges will raise the minimum margin requirement for new borrowings from 80% to 100%. 6
The rule change hits margin trading—borrowing to buy shares—by requiring investors to front more cash for new leveraged positions. It’s a move that can chill quick money flows, even in major stocks.
Trading kicks off with macro factors in focus. The National Bureau of Statistics plans to drop its “National Economic Performance” update on Monday, Jan. 19, at 10:00. 7
Risks linger that the tape isn’t fully reflecting reality. If lithium prices jump sharply, battery makers could face a squeeze—they might struggle to pass those costs onto customers fast enough. Demand is uncertain too: Cui Dongshu, a passenger car association official, flagged in late December that China’s lithium-battery demand might drop in early 2026 as government incentives for buying cars fade. 8
The next hurdle arrives early next week. According to a Dazhong Securities Journal report on Sina, China will release crucial December activity data on Jan. 19, coinciding with the rollout of tighter margin rules. The latest loan prime rates, which guide bank lending, are set for Jan. 20. 9
