A snapshot of motorcycle and ATV industry share performance across key manufacturers and major global markets at the trading week closure on Friday 21 March 2025. BDN financial editor Roger Willis reports.
USA — YO YO TRADING
Wall Street market indices, afflicted by the Trump regime’s erratic behaviour, were on course to end a four-week losing streak by Friday, albeit with slim and temporary gains. The S&P 500 eventually closed just 0.5% up, while NASDAQ’s Composite struggled to add only 0.2%. Best performance came from the Dow Jones Industrial Average, finishing 1.2% ahead.
S&P’s MidCap 400 put on 0.6%. But key MidCap US biker stocks — notably Harley-Davidson, Harley’s electric spin-off LiveWire and Indian Motorcycle parent Polaris — were about to feel the receiving end of 50% European retaliatory import tariffs from 1 April, exacting revenge for 25% Trump tariffs on steel and aluminium exports from Europe to the US. This unwelcome prospect certainly showed in their share price weakness.
NASDAQ-listed electric delivery scooter brand Niu Technologies’ current run of good luck in the share price department is also likely to hit the buffers soon, following US trade investigators questioning the origin of its products. It transpires these may begin life solely in China and therefore be subject to the full weight of anti-Chinese tariff warfare.
Currently, the Starmer-led UK government is seeking to negotiate its way around the US steel and aluminium imposition. And, if successful, may let US motorcycle brands shipping to our shores off a similar retaliatory hook.
| Currency: dollar | Price | Week | Month |
| Harley-Davidson | 24.71 | +0.6% | -6.5% |
| Polaris Industries | 41.99 | -0.8% | -9.8% |
| Textron | 73.08 | -0.2% | +1% |
| Niu Technologies | 3.87 | +42.3% | +65.4% |
| LiveWire | 2.02 | -9.4% | -13.3% |
EUROPE — NO ESCAPE
European stocks began to slip as the weekend approached, after European Central Bank president Christine Lagarde opined that Donald Trump’s trade war could deal a heavy blow to the eurozone economy, reigniting inflation in the currency area. Germany’s key Xetra Dax market index in Frankfurt subsequently closed 0.4% down, as this bad news impinged on the Teutonic automotive industry. Share prices for BMW and Volkswagen dropped by larger margins, given they both share complex transatlantic relationships involving US-based assembly plants and distribution networks.
| Currency: euro | Price | Week | Month |
| BMW | 79.16 | -3.6% | -4.1% |
| Volkswagen | 103.70 | -5.5% | +1.3% |
| Pierer Mobility | 18.75 | +9% | -21.9% |
| Piaggio Group | 2.02 | +0.5% | -9.8% |
JAPAN — READY FOR ACTION
Tokyo and Osaka’s key Nikkei 225 stock index was positive for a third consecutive week, putting on a useful 1.7%, as the Bank of Japan held fast to its interest rate setting — essentially battening down the hatches in advance of an anticipated slice of the Trump steel and aluminium tariff assault. The four Japanese motorcycle-related brands all enjoyed upbeat weekly share price advances too, thanks to booming sales in Asian markets.
| Currency: yen | Price | Week | Month |
| Honda | 1503 | +3.7% | +8.9% |
| Yamaha | 1225.5 | +2.3% | -1% |
| Suzuki | 1882.5 | +6.2% | +0.1% |
| Kawasaki | 9535 | +4% | +21.3% |
INDIA — BETTER INVESTMENT PROSPECTS
Mumbai’s S&P BSE Sensex 30 and NSE Nifty 50 market indices brightened up, with strong respective gains of 4.2% and 4.3%. Muscular quarterly economic data from Bank of India sources was largely responsible. All five indigenous motorcycle manufacturing majors benefited from this surge in investor interest.
| Currency: rupee | Price | Week | Month |
| Hero MotoCorp | 3629.00 | +2.8% | -5.8% |
| Bajaj Auto | 8067.85 | +7.5% | -5.2% |
| TVS Motor | 2413.85 | +7.2% | +3.8% |
| Eicher Motors | 5305.95 | +5.8% | +6.9% |
| Mahindra | 2801.85 | +6% | +5% |
CHINA — FIDDLING THE FIGURES
The Beijing government has just launched a wide range of economic stimulus measures to circumvent increasing US tariff obstacles and now US sanctions against Chinese petrochemical groups for allegedly importing Iranian crude oil. The stimulus packages are geared towards boosting personal incomes to increase domestic consumer activity, as well as stabilising the stock and real-estate markets by encouraging investors.
However, it seems to have got off to a rocky start, as far as market indices are concerned. Shanghai’s SSE Composite promptly fell by 1.6% and the blue-chip CSI 300 finished 2.3% in arrears. As for the ten listed Chinese motorcycle producers, half of them declined in value.
| Currency: yuan | Price | Week | Month |
| Qianjiang | 18.01 | -4.6% | -7.1% |
| Zongshen | 22.41 | -5% | -13.7% |
| Sundiro | 4.84 | +22.4% | +31.2% |
| CETC (Jialing) | 12.85 | -3.5% | -3.2% |
| Qianli (Lifan) | 8.47 | -4.2% | -6.4% |
| Loncin | 10.67 | +6% | -9.8% |
| Linhai | 10.09 | +1.6% | +7.3% |
| Guangzhou Auto Group | 8.54 | -0.9% | -5.6% |
| CFMoto | 178.87 | N/A | -8.2% |
| Xinri E-Vehicle | 11.33 | +0.1% | +9.5% |