Li Auto Shorts Climb to Record as EV Competition Intensifies

After earning a reputation as one of Asia’s most profitable short trades last year, Li Auto Inc.’s bearish bets are jumping to record levels as the company struggles to fend off rivals in the premium SUV market.

Wagers against the Hong Kong-listed stock climbed to a fresh high of 9.6% of free float as of Wednesday, up from around 1% a year earlier, according to S&P Global data. The firm has been the most shorted Chinese automaker since September, Bloomberg-compiled figures show.