BUZZ-Li Auto leads slide in HK-listed EV makers after weak January sales

** Shares of Li Auto 2015.HK lead the slide in Hong Kong-listed Chinese electric vehicle $(EV)$ makers, falling 7.9% to HK$84.60, their biggest intraday pct drop since Nov 1, 2024

** Li Auto LI.O delivered 29,927 vehicles in January this year, compared with 31,165 vehicles delivered in January 2024 and December's 58,513 vehicles

** Shares of Great Wall Motor 2333.HK fall 4.3%, NIO 9866.HK decline 3.4%, BYD 1211.HK ease 2.1%, and Geely 0175.HK down 1.8%

** Great Wall Motor said January vehicle sales volume fell 22.2% Y/Y, BYD's January new energy vehicle sales volume was at 300,538 units, and Geely's January total sales volume at 266,737 units

** Nomura said a weak start of China EV for 2025 is expected with BYD delivered sales of 296k units in Jan-25, +47.5% y-y and -41.8% m-m

** "Due to the rush deliveries in Dec-24, cold weather and ... an early lunar new year holiday, most of the OEMs show a muted sales momentum (m-m shipment decline) in Jan-25, as we expected," Nomura said, adding market situation will improve from end-Feb on supportive policies

** Hang Seng Commerce & Industry Index .HSNC falls 1.7%, Hang Seng Tech Index .HSTECH drops 2.6%, and Hang Seng Index .HSI down 1.8%

(Reporting by Donny Kwok)

((donny.kwok@thomsonreuters.com))