Here's What's Behind Alibaba's $10 Billion Share Sale

Watch on YouTube ↗  |  August 24, 2026 at 09:03  |  5:00  |  Bloomberg Markets
Speakers
Anthony — Bloomberg Reporter
Michael Burry — Founder, Scion Asset Management; subject of The Big Short
Robert — Bloomberg Intelligence Analyst
Minmin — Bloomberg Reporter

Summary

Alibaba raised about $10.2 billion in Hong Kong's biggest secondary share sale, pricing stock at a discount after a sharp profit decline. Bloomberg reporters and analysts discussed how the heavy block could pressure the Hang Seng Tech Index and Chinese internet peers, while the AI-related proceeds may benefit STAR 50 hardware and software names. Michael Burry is highlighted as selling Alibaba and buying JD.com, expecting JD.com and Meituan to benefit. Robert argues Alibaba's AI spending is producing poor ROI and negative free cash flow.

  • Alibaba raised HK$80 billion ($10.2 billion) via a roughly 700 million share follow-on.
  • The sale priced at a 3.6% discount after Friday's 8% drop and a 75% quarterly profit decline.
  • Anthony said the heavy block is about 3.3 times ADV and one-third of Hong Kong volume, likely weighing on HSTECH.
  • Space-making and hedging flows could pressure Tencent and JD.com.
  • Proceeds are likely to fund AI and cloud capex, potentially benefiting STAR 50 hardware and software companies.
  • Michael Burry sold Alibaba and bought JD.com, expecting JD.com and Meituan to benefit.
  • Robert said China tech is in a depression and Alibaba's AI ROI is poor with negative free cash flow.
Ideas
Anthony Bloomberg Reporter 1:30
Heavy block sale pressures Hang Seng Tech
The Alibaba follow-on is a heavy block at roughly 3.3 times average daily volume arriving into very low Hong Kong summer volumes; it is about one-third of the market's Friday trading volume, and the overhang from placement mechanics, flippers, and hedging flows should continue to weigh on HSTECH.
Anthony Bloomberg Reporter 1:35
Block hedging forces selling in Tencent, JD
To absorb the Alibaba block, investors may have to sell other Chinese internet names such as Tencent and JD.com to make room; those names are already struggling on fundamentals, so this hedging and portfolio space-making flow adds to downside pressure.
Anthony Bloomberg Reporter 1:35
Block hedging forces selling in Tencent, JD
Burry sold his Alibaba stake and bought JD.com instead, saying he expects price pressures for these companies to improve; he believes that benefits JD.com and Meituan, while Alibaba still has an AI-led revenue segment losing money despite widely downloaded models and a low-cost LLM price war.
Anthony Bloomberg Reporter 2:02
Alibaba AI capex may lift STAR 50
Alibaba is likely to use the capital for AI and cloud infrastructure spending; that spending could flow to China's STAR 50 hardware and software companies, suggesting the spread between Chinese hardware/software and internet names may keep widening.
Michael Burry Founder, Scion Asset Management; subject of The Big Short 2:31
Burry swaps Alibaba for JD, Meituan
Burry sold his Alibaba stake and bought JD.com instead, saying he expects price pressures for these companies to improve; he believes that benefits JD.com and Meituan, while Alibaba still has an AI-led revenue segment losing money despite widely downloaded models and a low-cost LLM price war.
Michael Burry Founder, Scion Asset Management; subject of The Big Short 2:31
Burry swaps Alibaba for JD, Meituan
Alibaba's capex spending jumped more than two times sequentially to $10 billion in one quarter and is likely near $40 billion this year, while its cloud operating profit rose only $420 million and free cash flow turned negative, so the AI push has poor ROI and the share sale adds dilution concerns.
Robert Bloomberg Intelligence Analyst 3:08
China tech sector is in depression
A depression has entered the China tech sector because Tencent and Baidu disappointed investors and now Alibaba is following; the sector is being repriced as AI investment costs run ahead of returns.
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This Bloomberg Markets video, published August 24, 2026, features Anthony, Michael Burry, Robert discussing HSTECH, TCEHY, JD, CQQQ, Meituan, BABA, KWEB. 7 trade ideas extracted by AI with direction and confidence scoring.

Speakers: Anthony, Michael Burry, Robert  · Tickers: HSTECH, TCEHY, JD, CQQQ, Meituan, BABA, KWEB