On Tuesday, July 24, at 08:22 a.m. in the pre-market session, Anshi Group released a significant announcement:
[The company's largest shareholder expresses strong confidence in the company's long-term stability and improvement. They plan to increase their holdings from the secondary market, acquiring no more than 1.5% of the company's total share capital. The average price of the increased shares will not exceed 21 yuan/share.]
This positive news generated considerable excitement in the market. The comment section under Anshi Group's trading code became highly active and quickly rose to the top of a certain financial platform's popularity list.
"Woah, let the battle begin, the first and second-largest shareholders are in a showdown. Let the bullish trend continue!"
"Haha, almost fell for the old man's words. The first brother is a bit ruthless, fearing a change in the largest shareholder."
"Don't be so straightforward, you know... [Funny]"
"The first brother is making moves behind the scenes. I like it!"
"The main upward trend has started!"
"Those inside must be thrilled; the first and second-largest shareholders are lifting the sedan chair. Time to count the gains!"
"Getting old and not dying is a scoundrel move. Deserves the criticism. Spending 20 billion on repurchases and barely buying 1 billion so far, blindsided by the sneak attack from a young guy who knows his way around. This time it's really a hefty loss, 47 billion is not a small sum."
"Finally, a big market move! It was 14.5 yuan on Monday, January 5th, and until now, it's increased several times."
"Alright, brother, you've been holding on for so long, bull market!"
"What's up with Anshi Group's stock? It's quite complicated. Made me miss the super market in the first half of the year, but it also helped me avoid the flash crash last month. Anyway, when I bought it, it was 14.5 yuan. For more than half a year, it's been trading in the 12~15 yuan range. After the first brother raised his placard, it jumped to the current 17 yuan, finally turning green and gaining 17 points."
"Considering it that way, these big blue chips with low valuations aren't that bad. At least they're resistant to falling. Anshi Group's stock doesn't have a chance of plummeting. The first brother's placard triggered an epic rally; it could only go up."
"Let's not get too excited. Old man An is quite cunning. These folks love to play word games. 'No more than 1.5%, no more than 21 yuan,' the 'no' at the beginning is very crafty."
The call auction had yet to start, but Anshi Group was already gaining significant attention. Retail investors were witnessing a remarkable turnaround for Anshi Group after months of struggle.
When the market officially opened at 9:15 a.m., Anshi Group's stock was immediately locked at the daily limit, with no shares available for sale. The final bidding results showed that the stock had risen by 46% from its lowest point during the flash crash earlier in July.
In this month alone, Anshi Group experienced three daily limit increases — on July 9, July 20, and today — highlighting a significant positive shift in its market performance. For retail investors who had endured months of uncertainty, it was a moment of relief and joy.
Wednesday, July 22.
In the first two trading days of this week, Anshi Group closed at the daily limit, setting the stage for today's critical test of the second and third limit-up scenarios.
The outcome of the day's call auction showed a promising opening at 19.87 yuan, a 5.98% increase, and managed to secure the second consecutive limit-up.
Market opening at 9:30 saw a slight dip in Anshi's shares by two points, quickly rebounding to the opening price and surging ahead. By 9:39, Anshi's shares had reached 20.62 yuan, achieving the second and third consecutive limit-ups, marking the third consecutive daily limit for the stock.
The trading volume for the day reached an impressive 26.1 billion shares, surpassing the previous day by 3.2 billion.
The total market capitalization of Anshi Group surged to 325.7 billion yuan, rebounding from falling below the 200 billion mark earlier in July. In less than half a month, the market value increased by nearly 130 billion.
Tiansheng Capital, currently holding 1.58 billion shares of Anshi Group with an average cost of 14.33 yuan, saw a reversal of losses at the beginning of the month, turning it into a profit of 10 billion yuan at the current market price.
However, Lu Ming remains indifferent to these paper profits, recognizing that they are only realized when sold, and any sale would require a public announcement.
In the following days, Anshi Group's stock price stabilized near 20 yuan, failing to enter the fourth daily limit after three consecutive increases. It maintained a sideways trend at a high level.
On Monday, July 27, the stock market experienced an -8.48% crash. Anshi Group's stock price fell below the previous high platform but rebounded, finding strong support around 20 yuan due to the largest shareholder's intervention.
The An family's strategy focused on maintaining this support, accumulating funds, and protecting the market. Their goal was clear, spending time with Tiansheng Capital, waiting for them to either make a decisive move or admit the loss and exit the game.
Friday, July 31.
At the month's end, Tiansheng Capital raised its stake in Anshi Group once again, reaching 15% and quoting 21.01 yuan. This price was 1 cent more than the fixed price of An's family's increased holdings, provoking a direct challenge.
The three placards cost Tiansheng Capital a total of 39.2 billion yuan. The repeated raising of the placard within a month stirred up the domestic capital market. The aggressive moves signaled an apparent intention to seize control of Anshi Group, causing a significant uproar in the market. Major financial and non-financial media outlets reported the incident prominently.