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Regulatory scrutiny has hit investor sentiment and two-thirds of Chinese listings in the US, have now fallen below their IPO prices. In fact, Chinese firms are facing regulatory hurdles from both Beijing and Washington; both seek to rectify some of the issues seen around audit and monopoly power. Some Chinese stocks may be forced to de-list from American markets if they fail to meet certain audit requirements.

The gains seen in the first half of 2021 places themselves as the 7th best for global stocks in the past 100 years. However, the annualized returned following the prior 6 best H1 gains was of -9% in 6 months. 

Shares of DIDI slide the day after NYSE debut after news of regulatory crackdown from Beijing.

The S&P500 had it's second-best first half of a year since 1998, and it hasn't shown many signs of letting up. US stock futures were little changed at record levels on Friday after the S&P 500 marked its sixth straight record close the day before, amid upbeat US economic data while investors await the payrolls report later in the day. Initial claims fell to a fresh 15-month low of 364K, job cuts were the lowest in 21 years and the ISM manufacturing PMI also pointed to robust factory growth. Meantime, the IMF raised its 2021 US growth projection to 7.0% from an April forecast of 4.6%, but mentioned that the Fed should begin reducing the pace of asset buying in H2 2022, while the first interest rate hike should be carried out in late 2022 or early 2023. On the pandemic front, CNN reported that the White House was set to announce the deployment of a team focused on the Delta strain of the COVID-19.

The first half of 2021 was great, but we need to keep in mind which stocks are not the greatest ones to own at this period of the year. Down below you will find the worst performing stocks on average for the month of July, with General Electric standing out among them. Opportunity to buy puts?