Alibaba shares jumped around 8% both in premarket trade in New York and at the end of the trading day in Hong Kong after the company's founder Jack Ma made a public appearance for the first time in three months.
During Ma's absence, some concerns arose over his wellbeing since he did not show up in a final episode of a reality show he judges. The last time Ma was seen before today's video conference with teachers was at a forum in Shanghai where he criticized tech regulations in China. Meanwhile, China started an anti-monopoly probe into Alibaba and reports said President Xi Jinping had personally blocked Ant Group's initial public offering.
Alibaba shares were 7.54% higher in premarket trading in the United States at 4:32 am ET. The company's shares ended the day in Hong Kong with a jump of 8.52%.
