Xiaomi Founder’s $13 Million Share Purchase Sparks Stock Rebound

Core Viewpoint - Lei Jun, the founder of Xiaomi Corp., purchased approximately HK$100 million ($12.9 million) worth of company stock, which may enhance market sentiment following a more than 30% decline in shares since July [1][2]. Group 1: Stock Purchase Impact - Lei Jun's stock purchase increased his stake in Xiaomi to 23.26%, resulting in a 4.4% rally in shares, marking the largest one-day increase in two months [2]. - Analysts suggest that this unusual move by the founder indicates efforts to stabilize the stock and mitigate further declines [2][3]. Group 2: Historical Context and Buyback Programs - Xiaomi has a track record of executing well-timed buybacks, with several repurchase programs since 2022 that have led to market gains [4]. - The recent buyback by Lei Jun of 2.6 million shares is in addition to the 21.4 billion shares remaining to complete the June buyback program [4]. Group 3: Market Sentiment and Hedging Costs - The relative cost of hedging against fluctuations in Xiaomi shares has decreased from earlier highs, indicating that investors may feel less need for protection [5]. - The spread of one-month implied volatility on Xiaomi stock compared to the Hang Seng Tech Index is currently around 7.5 points, down from an average of 11 over the past year [5].