(Yicai Global) Aug. 17 -- Geely Automobile’s shares tumbled after the Chinese carmaker said that its net profit fell 43 percent in the first half from a year earlier due to production halts caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The auto company's stock price [HK: 0175] slid 5.4 percent to HKD15.80 (USD2) in the afternoon.

The firm's net profit fell to CNY2.3 billion (USD330 million), the Taizhou-based company said in its earnings report published today. Its revenue decreased by 23 percent to CNY36.7 billion (USD5.3 billion).

Geely Auto sold 530,400 cars during the period, down 19 percent from a year ago. Its export volume slid by 49 percent to nearly 19,600.

Editor: Emmi Laine