Core Viewpoint - The article highlights the contrasting performance of US tech companies leveraging AI and space exploration against Chinese internet giants embroiled in a subsidy war in the food delivery sector, leading to a collective decline in stock prices for the latter [1][3]. Group 1: Market Dynamics - On July 2, Taobao Shanguo announced a subsidy plan worth 500 billion RMB, resulting in a significant increase in orders [1]. - From July 5 to 6, Meituan and Alibaba engaged in a fierce competition, offering substantial food delivery coupons, with Meituan reporting over 120 million orders on July 5 [1]. - As of July 8, JD.com, which entered the food delivery market in February, reported nearly 200 restaurant brands achieving over 1 million in sales, holding a 45% market share in the quality delivery segment [2]. Group 2: Stock Market Reactions - On July 7, while tea beverage stocks surged, the stock prices of Meituan and Alibaba fell, with Meituan dropping over 4% and Alibaba over 2.5% [3]. - The decline in stock prices for Meituan and Alibaba continued for seven trading days, with a cumulative drop of approximately 9%-10% [3]. - In contrast, JD.com experienced a smaller cumulative decline of about 4% during the same period [3]. Group 3: Competitive Strategies - Analysts suggest that JD.com may focus on high-tier cities and specific categories rather than a broad approach like Meituan and Alibaba, aiming for daily orders of 20-30 million [2]. - The ongoing price war is expected to reshape the industry landscape, with a total investment of 25 billion RMB by the three companies in June alone [5]. - Goldman Sachs outlined three potential competitive scenarios for the future of the food delivery and instant retail markets, indicating varying outcomes for Meituan, Alibaba, and JD.com [5]. Group 4: Long-term Implications - The article discusses whether the food delivery and instant retail markets represent new growth opportunities or merely a redistribution of existing market shares, emphasizing the cyclical nature of "burning money" strategies in the internet sector [6]. - The reliance on subsidies as a competitive weapon has led to a cycle of user price sensitivity rather than loyalty, creating an unsustainable ecosystem [6]. - To break this cycle, companies must shift focus from short-term capital consumption to long-term value creation through technological innovation and service optimization [6][7].