Shares of Hyundai Motor (005380.KS), Kia (000270.KS) and other automakers fell in early trading on the 14th. The declines came as South Korea's stock market tumbled and after U.S. President Donald Trump said he could allow Chinese automakers to build vehicles in the United States, raising concerns about intensifying competition in the North American market.
As of 9:42 a.m., Hyundai Motor was trading at 367,000 won, down 15,500 won, or 4.05%, from the previous session, according to the Korea Exchange. Kia fell 3,900 won, or 3.08%, to 122,700 won.
Other Hyundai Motor Group affiliates also declined. Hyundai Mobis dropped 4.81% to 395,500 won, while Hyundai AutoEver fell 4.87% to 371,000 won. Hyundai Glovis (-3.12%), Hyundai Rotem (-1.21%) and Hyundai Steel (-1.93%) also traded lower.
Analysts said Trump's comments on Chinese automakers added pressure to auto shares at a time when investor sentiment was already weakened by a drop of more than 3% in the KOSPI.
In an interview with Fox News on the 11th, Trump said China could open factories in the United States and build cars there if it wanted to do so. The remarks were interpreted as meaning that Chinese automakers could be allowed into the U.S. market if they set up production facilities in the country and hire American workers.
Citing past U.S. investments by Japanese automakers, Trump said Japanese companies had done the same and were employing American workers, adding that hiring Americans was the most important consideration. He made clear, however, that he opposed an approach in which Chinese companies build production bases in Mexico and export finished vehicles to the United States.
Because the comments came ahead of a U.S.-China summit on the 24th, some observers expect the two leaders to discuss the question of Chinese automakers entering the U.S. market. Chinese-made vehicles are currently all but shut out of the U.S. market by tariffs of up to 127% and by the Commerce Department's connected-car rules.
Hyundai Motor Group has pushed large-scale local investment in the United States in response to Washington's tariff pressure. But if Chinese companies, armed with price competitiveness and electric-vehicle and battery technology, are able to build plants in the United States, competitive pressure could grow for Hyundai Motor and Kia, which have focused heavily on the U.S. market.
