Tesla's shares plummet again, sales in China fall further

Tesla Inc. shares tumbled on a report that the electric-car maker’s Chinese orders dropped by almost half in May. The stock, which was already down more than 30% from the late January peak through Wednesday, fell 5.3% Thursday. The shares also slipped after a U.S. regulator disclosed recalls of more than 5,500 Model 3 and Y vehicles as well as almost 2,200 Model Ys over separate seat-belt flaws.

Tesla’s monthly net orders in China dropped to about 9,800 in May from more than 18,000 in April, according to The Information, a San Francisco-based tech news company, which cited a person with knowledge of the data. That’s just the latest in a string of reports that seem to suggest a sales slowdown in a country widely regarded as one of the most important markets for the industry.

Dan Levy, an analyst at Credit Suisse Group AG, said Wednesday that Tesla’s market share in global electric-vehicle sales had dropped in April -- adding that the company lost ground in China, Europe and the U.S.

Tesla has now had recalls emerge on back-to-back days. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration posted a notice Wednesday saying the carmaker will inspect, tighten or replace brake calipers that could be loose on almost 6,000 Model 3 and Y vehicles.