Autohome Inc. (NYSE:ATHM) Increases Engagement: Is ATHM One of the Cheapest Chinese Stocks to Buy?

In This Article:

We recently published a list of 12 Cheap Chinese Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Autohome Inc. (NYSE:ATHM) stands against the other Cheap Chinese stocks to buy.

Trump’s Back and China’s Stimulus Lags

Trump is back as the President of the United States and China’s stimulus plans have let down investors, which has created more economic uncertainty regarding China. China is trying to fix its economy and Trump’s comeback to the White House means steep tariffs for Chinese-made goods. In his first term, President-elect Donald Trump imposed tariffs up to 25% on Chinese goods, initiating a trade war between two global giants. Trump’s second stint in the office is expected to imply tariffs as high as 60% on Chinese-made goods.

On the other hand, China’s stimulus of $1.5 trillion or nearly 10 billion yuan to back its economy doesn’t seem to appeal the investors. China’s stimulus has come at a time when the economy is struggling badly and there are potential tariff threats from the new U.S. administration. In addition to that, overseas companies are drawing their money out of China as the growth outlook seems gloomier. In the first nine months of 2024, foreign direct investment (FDI) slid nearly $13 billion. According to China’s Administration of Foreign Exchange, the FDI outflows exceeded $8.1 billion in Q3, potentially leading to a net FDI outflow for the first time since 1990. This shows that investors are still pessimistic regarding China’s economic reforms aimed at stabilizing growth.

READ ALSO Jim Cramer’s Latest Lightning Round: 11 Stocks to Watch and Jim Cramer on AMD and Other Stocks

Other Problems with the Chinese Economy

The consumer price inflation (CPI) in October eased to 0.3% year-over-year compared to an expected 0.4%, while the producer price index (PPI) dropped by 2.9% year-over-year in October, slightly widening from the 2.8% decline observed in September 2024. Following the U.S. elections and China’s lower-than-expected inflation outcome, UBS has lowered China’s 2025 GDP growth estimate to 4% from the 4.5% it made in October. The Swiss Bank anticipates the GDP growth for 2026 to be also considerably lower.

What Could Happen in the Short-Term and the Long-term?

With Trump’s victory and the news regarding sparking expectations of steep tariffs, U.S. importers are expected to rush to front-load goods from China before the Presidential inauguration in January 2025. This could potentially lead to cost increases and deliver a surprising push to Chinese exports.

Waiting for permission
Allow microphone access to enable voice search

Try again.