Stock Market Today, Jan. 29: Nio Advances as Autonomous EV Focus Lifts Shares

Nio (NYSE:NIO), an electric vehicle maker, closed Thursday at $4.77, up 3.92%. The stock moved higher after fresh coverage highlighted it as a “Best Autonomous Vehicle Stock” and reiterated a Buy rating with a $7 target. Investors are watching whether sentiment improves further despite volatile recent trading dynamics.

The company’s trading volume reached 73.5 million shares, about 57% above its three-month average of 46.9 million shares. Nio IPO'd in 2018 and has fallen 28% since going public.

How the markets moved today

S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) slipped 0.13% to 6,969, while the Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQINDEX: ^IXIC) fell 0.72% to 23,685. Within electric vehicle manufacturing, industry peers XPeng (NYSE:XPEV) closed at $18.59, down 0.38%, and Li Auto (NASDAQ:LI) finished at $17.26, up 0.64%, underscoring divergent trading across Chinese EV names.

What this means for investors

Nio shares rose Thursday after renewed coverage highlighted the company as an autonomous-vehicle play and Morgan Stanley reiterated a Buy rating with a $7 target. The move came alongside elevated trading volume following a stretch of uneven performance in the stock.

The advance unfolded amid continued volatility across Chinese EV names. TipRanks attributed the advance largely to trading dynamics, highlighting how quickly flows can reshape performance across the Chinese EV group.

Recent analyst ratings, including a Macquarie upgrade, have helped steady expectations. Looking ahead, deliveries and progress toward future models, such as the planned ES9, will be the next markers investors use to judge whether recent performance holds beyond near-term trading.

Eric Trie has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.