EMBARGOED TO 1910 SG (1210 LONDON) ON TUES AUG 13 2024
The New York Stock Exchange welcomes Zeekr Intelligent Technology Holding Limited in celebration of its initial public offering on May 10, 2024.
BEIJING — Chinese electric car brand Zeekr announced new batteries on Tuesday, which it says boast the fastest charge in the world.
The offering aims to address consumers’ long-standing worries about battery driving range and ease of charging.
In just 10.5 minutes, Zeekr’s new batteries can go from a 10% to an 80% charge, using the automaker’s ultra-fast charging stations, the U.S.-listed company said. Zeekr said that the new battery could achieve the same charge performance even in negative 10 degree Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit) weather in about 30 minutes.
The company’s website says the Model 3 can recharge up to 175 miles in 15 minutes, or about 48% of the car’s stated 363 mile-range.
Chinese automaker Nio has also offered the alternative of a three-minute battery swap. The subscription service automatically changes out the battery of designated car models with a charged one at specific swap stations.
Zeekr said that its 2025 007 sedan, which is set to begin deliveries next week, will be the first model to use the new batteries.
The company noted it has opened more than 500 ultra-fast charging stations in China and plans to double that tally by then end of this year. Zeekr aims to operate more than 10,000 ultra-fast charging stations in 2026.
The Geely-owned electric car company delivered a record number of vehicles in June, making its deliveries for the first half of the year the largest among U.S.-listed Chinese companies that only sell pure electric cars. Deliveries fell slightly in July.
Check out the companies making headlines in midday trading. Rivian Automotive – Shares popped 19% after the electric vehicle maker’s vehicle production and deliveries for 2024 met the company’s previously announced guidance. This comes after the company had lowered its production target for the full year in October. U.S. Steel – Shares fell 6% following President Joe Biden’s decision to block Japan’s Nippon Steel from acquiring U.S. Steel . Biden said the proposed $14.9 billion takeover would create a risk for the nation’s supply chains. Block – The fintech stock added 5.1% following an upgrade to outperform from market perform at Raymond James. Analyst John Davis believes the stock’s valuation still looks attractive despite a recent run higher, and has renewed conviction in Block’s 2025 acceleration story. Chewy – Shares popped 4% after Wolfe Research upgraded the pet retailer to outperform from peer perform and named it a top internet stock idea. Wolfe listed expectations for earnings upside, an improved macro backdrop and product-related catalysts as reasons for optimism. Alcohol stocks – Shares of alcoholic beverage companies fell after U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued a new advisory warning on the link between alcohol consumption and at least seven types of cancer. Shares of Diageo dropped more than 3%, while Anheuser-Busch Inbev and Molson Coors declined 2.2% and 3.1%, respectively. Meanwhile, Constellation Brands shares fell 1%. Constellation Energy — Shares jumped 4.1%, extending their gains from Thursday when the company announced it received more than $1 billion in contracts to supply the U.S. government with nuclear power over the next decade. Carvana – Shares dropped 5% after short-seller Hindenburg alleged Carvana’s recent turnaround is a “mirage” based on unstable loans and accounting manipulation . The online used-car seller stock surged 284% in 2024. It’s down more than 5% so far this year. Ford , General Motors – Shares of Ford and General Motors increased after both automakers posted their best annual U.S. sales since 2019 . Ford gained 2%, while General Motors rose 0.4%. Vistra – The stock jumped 7.7%, extending the gains seen in the previous session. On Thursday, the stock rose more than 8%, making it the best performer in the S & P 500 in the first trading day of the new year. The gains follow a massive year for the stock, as it soared about 258% in 2024. That made it the second-biggest gainer in the broad market index last year. JetBlue Airways – Shares slid 1% following the Department of Transportation fining the airline $2 million for “chronically delayed flights.” The DOT said that JetBlue operated four routes that were delayed at least 145 times between June 2022 and November 2023. — CNBC’s Alex Harring, Sarah Min, Lisa Kailai Han, Pia Singh and Michelle Fox contributed reporting.
Check out the companies making headlines before the bell. U.S. Steel — U.S. Steel shares slid nearly 8% after President Joe Biden blocked Japanese company Nippon Steel’s $14.9 billion takeover of U.S. Steel, saying : “U.S. Steel will remain a proud American company.” Biden said the domestic steel industry is a national security priority. Block — Shares of the fintech company moved nearly 3% higher after Raymond James upgraded the stock to outperform from market perform, saying Block is trading at an attractive valuation even after its recent run. According to the firm, Block’s seller gross payment volumes will be a catalyst for the stock’s 2025 acceleration story. Carvana — The online used-car seller saw shares fall more than 2% after short-selling firm Hindenburg Research on Thursday alleged that Carvana’s recent turnaround is a “mirage” supported with unstable loans and accounting manipulation. Chewy — The pet-focused e-commerce stock popped more than 2% following Wolfe Research’s upgrade to outperform from peer perform. Wolfe also named Chewy a top pick among internet stocks. The firm cited expectations for earnings upside, a better macro backdrop and product catalysts as reasons for optimism. Las Vegas Sands — The stock rose more than 3% after receiving an upgrade to buy from hold at Jefferies. The firm said that “improving macro conditions” in Macao will strengthen this consumer, leading to incremental growth in the near term. Constellation Energy — Shares edged nearly 2% higher, extending its gains from Thursday when Constellation announced more than $1 billion in contracts to supply the U.S. government with nuclear power over the next decade. — CNBC’s Alex Harring and Sean Conlon contributed reporting.
Ken Griffin, founder and CEO of Citadel, speaks during The New York Times’ annual DealBook Summit in New York City, Dec. 4, 2024.
Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images
Billionaire investor Ken Griffin’s handful of hedge funds at Citadel all posted double-digit returns in 2024, led by its tactical trading strategy.
Citadel’s multistrategy Wellington fund, its largest, finished the year up 15.1%, according to a person familiar with the returns. All five strategies used in the flagship fund — commodities, equities, fixed income, credit and quantitative — were positive for the year, the person said.
The Miami-based firm’s tactical trading fund was the standout performer with a 22.3% return for 2024, the person said. Citadel’s equity fund returned roughly 18%, while its global fixed income strategy gained 9.7% last year.
Citadel declined to comment. The hedge fund giant had $66 billion in assets under management as of December.
The stock market just closed out a banner year with the S&P 500 surging 23.3%, building on a gain of 24.2% in 2023. The two-year gain of 53% is the best since the nearly 66% rally in 1997 and 1998.
The CEO also said he’s not focused on taking Citadel Securities public in the foreseeable future. The securities firm is a Miami-based market maker founded by the 56-year-old Florida native in 2002.