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Stellantis-backed Leapmotor delivered a record 45,067 vehicles in May, reflecting year-on-year growth of 148%.

Cfoto | Future Publishing | Getty Images

Chinese electric carmakers Leapmotor and Aito reported record high deliveries in May, while other startups struggle to catch up as the price war intensifies.

Stellantis-backed Leapmotor delivered a record 45,067 vehicles in May, reflecting year-on-year growth of 148%. On May 15, the automaker launched an updated version of its C10 model, a mid-sized SUV, that retailed from 122,800 yuan ($17,045). Leapmotor said over 13,000 units of the C10 were delivered in May.

And on Sunday, Seres-backed Aito announced on social media that it had delivered 44,454 vehicles, setting a new record. The automaker, which uses Huawei tech, on May 30 officially launched the Maextro S800, an ultra-luxury sedan, with a starting price of 708,000 yuan.

Industry giant BYD maintained its stronghold in the industry, with 376,930 cars sold in May. Total car sales in May rose by 14.1% increase year on year, based on CNBC’s calculations of publicly available figures.

The automaker on May 23 slashed prices on 22 models, bringing the price of its Seagull hatchback down 20% to 55,800 yuan, causing Chinese automakers’ shares to slide.

The EV juggernaut has recently been scrutinized over claims that it had pressured Jinan Qiansheng, one of BYD’s dealers in the eastern province of Shandong, over cash flow. BYD refuted claims in a statement to Chinese media.

The intensifying price war has also sparked fears of a next “Evergrande” — China’s former real estate giant, which defaulted on its debt in 2021.

Xpeng May deliveries dipped to 33,525 vehicles from 35,045 vehicles the previous month. But the company reported a year-on-year growth of 230% and maintained its streak of delivering over 30,000 vehicles for the seventh consecutive month.

The automaker on May 28 officially launched the Mona M03 Max and Plus models, retailing from 129,800 yuan and 119,800 yuan, respectively.

Xiaomi delivered more than 28,000 vehicles in May, mirroring its performance last month.

The smartphone company on May 22 teased a new model of YU7 luxury SUV, which is set to be officially launched in July.

BYD's price cuts are a desperate attempt to get rid of excess inventory, says consultancy

Other startups, however, experienced modest growth in deliveries.

Li Auto delivered 40,856 vehicles in May, representing a year-over-year increase of 16.7%, while Geely-owned Zeekr delivered 18,908 vehicles, indicating a 1.6% year-on-year growth, based on CNBC calculations of publicly available data. That’s despite Zeekr’s attempts to differentiate itself from the competition with its announcement of free driver-assistance technology in March.

Nio‘s May deliveries fell from the previous month, with a total of 23,231 vehicles delivered, reflecting 13.1% year-on-year growth. Onvo, Nio’s family-oriented smart electric vehicle brand, made up 6,281 of total deliveries. That makes May Onvo’s best-performing month so far this year.

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AMD’s Lisa Su dismisses AI spending fears as stock rallies on growth projections: ‘It’s the right gamble’

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AMD's Lisa Su dismisses AI spending fears as stock rallies on growth projections: 'It's the right gamble'

AMD CEO Lisa Su dismisses AI spending fears: 'It's the right gamble'

Advanced Micro Devices‘ CEO Lisa Su shut down concerns over Big Tech’s elevated spending during an interview with CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Wednesday and said investing in more computing will accelerate the pace of innovation.

“I don’t think it’s a big gamble,” she said. “I think it’s the right gamble.”

Many of AMD’s hyperscaler customers over the last 12 months have beefed up spending as the technology reaches an “inflection point” and companies can see the return on that spending, Su added.

Su’s comments come as tech’s megacaps announced more than $380 billion in AI spending in their latest earnings reports as the firms race to build out infrastructure to support soaring demand.

Read more CNBC tech news

On Tuesday, Su told analysts that AMD expects revenues to grow 35% per year over the next three to five years due to “insatiable” AI chip demand.

Shares were last up more than 7%.

Concerns of a potential AI bubble have jolted markets in recent sessions as Wall Street raises concerns that valuations have gotten too high.

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Coinbase moves incorporation to Texas from Delaware, following Musk’s lead

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Coinbase moves incorporation to Texas from Delaware, following Musk's lead

Brian Armstrong, chief executive officer of Coinbase Global Inc., speaks during the Messari Mainnet summit in New York, on Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023.

Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Coinbase is following Tesla out of Delaware and into Texas.

Paul Grewal, Coinbase’s chief legal officer, wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed on Wednesday that the crypto exchange is moving its state of incorporation, a year after Elon Musk did the same with his electric vehicle maker. Musk also reincorporated his rocket maker SpaceX from Delaware to Texas.

“Delaware’s legal framework once provided companies with consistency. But no more,” Grawal wrote, pointing to recent “unpredictable outcomes” in the Delaware Chancery Court.

A handful of notable names, including Dropbox, TripAdvisor and venture firm Andreessen Horowitz have announced departures from Delaware. It’s a move that was championed by Musk following a Delaware Chancery Court ruling that ordered Tesla to rescind the CEO’s 2018 pay package, worth about $56 billion in options.

“If your company is still incorporated in Delaware, I recommend moving to another state as soon as possible,” Musk wrote in a post on X in February 2024, when he filed to change SpaceX’s incorporation state.

Read more CNBC tech news

Last week, Tesla shareholders voted to approve Musk’s more recent pay package, which could be worth up to $1 trillion.

Delaware has long been the dominant state for U.S. companies to incorporate due to its flexible corporate code and expert judiciary, and is seen as balancing the rights of executives and shareholders. A Texas state law allows corporations to limit shareholder lawsuits against insiders for breach of fiduciary duty. 

Coinbase and Andreessen Horowitz, an early backer, currently face a lawsuit in Delaware concerning the sale of shares in the crypto company tied to its public listing in 2021.

Like Musk, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong was a major contributor to President Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign for the White House.

— CNBC’s Lora Kolodny contributed to this report.

WATCH: Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer says laws didn’t change as a result of Musk

Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer: Our corporate laws did not change as a result of Elon Musk's Tesla case

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AI trade stalls, ‘ghost job’ listings, Trump floats tariff rebate checks and more in Morning Squawk

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AI trade stalls, 'ghost job' listings, Trump floats tariff rebate checks and more in Morning Squawk

Mike Intrator, Chief Executive Officer and founder of CoreWeave, poses for a photo during the company’s Initial Public Offering(IPO) at the Nasdaq headquarters on March 28, 2025 in New York City.

Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images

This is CNBC’s Morning Squawk newsletter. Subscribe here to receive future editions in your inbox.

Here are five key things investors need to know to start the trading day:

1. Chips and dip

2. Numbers game

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is the principal Federal agency responsible for measuring labor market activity, working conditions, and price changes in the economy.

Bill Clark | Getty Images

While the government shutdown could be over soon, don’t expect the Bureau of Labor Statistics to release all the missed economic data immediately.

As CNBC’s Jeff Cox reports, government agencies will need time to catch up on data collection. If the shutdown ends this week, Goldman Sachs estimated that the BLS could have a schedule for when it would release reports — but not the data itself — out early next week.

Market watchers are especially eager to see what job market data will say, as other data sources point to loosening in the labor force. Adding to the uncertainty is the rise of “ghost job” postings, a term used to describe listings for open roles that have never appeared to be filled.

3. Payment plans

A protester with the Main Street Alliance holds a sign outside the U.S. Supreme Court, as its justices are set to hear oral arguments on U.S. President Donald Trump’s bid to preserve sweeping tariffs after lower courts ruled that Trump overstepped his authority, in Washington, D.C., U.S., November 5, 2025.

Nathan Howard | Reuters

President Donald Trump floated a tariff rebate check over the weekend. Experts are warning you shouldn’t hold your breath.

Policy analysts and economists told CNBC’s Jessica Dickler that Trump’s idea of paying Americans a “dividend” of at least $2,000 — except for “high income people” — likely wouldn’t happen anytime soon. They also warned that this type of economic stimulus could drive up inflation.

Speaking of tariffs, CNBC’s Lori Ann LaRocco reported that U.S. importers are expecting a simple repayment process if the Supreme Court rules against Trump’s levies and forces a refund.

4. Capital, capitol

Bitcoin and USA flag on a cracked wall.

Ruma Aktar | Istock | Getty Images

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5. Hit the ground running

The Roger models, named after former tennis player and company investor Roger Federer, are displayed in a shop of Swiss shoemaker On in Zurich, Switzerland, Aug. 28, 2025.

Denis Balibouse | Reuters

On, the Swiss sportswear company, isn’t seeing the same slowdown as other shoe makers. The company reported better-than-expected earnings and raised its guidance this morning, saying it wouldn’t need to offer Black Friday deals to juice demand. Shares of On surged nearly 9% in premarket trading.

Elsewhere in fitness, Oura CEO Tom Hale told CNBC in an exclusive interview that the smart ring maker could see $2 billion in sales in 2026, almost doubling sales for a second straight year. Oura raised $900 million in a funding round last month, bringing its value to $11 billion. But public market investors shouldn’t get too excited: Hale said there’s “no news on an IPO” for the Finnish company.

The Daily Dividend

Consumer sentiment varies significantly by the amount of stocks individuals hold. Click here to read more about how the biggest owners are buoying economic confidence, and what could change that.

CNBC’s Sean Conlon, Kif Leswing, Ashley Capoot, Jordan Novet, Yun Li, Jeff Cox, Jessica Dickler, Lori Ann LaRocco, Liz Napolitano, Gabrielle Fonrouge, Tasmin Lockwood and Arjun Kharpal contributed to this report. Josephine Rozzelle edited this edition.

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