Key points
- Buy now, pay later shares started February in the red
- Block’s ASX listing crashed amid a sell-off in the United States
- Interest rate rises in 2022 were flagged by the RBA this week
- Block and Zip recovered some of their losses today
Buy now, pay later (BNPL) shares have had a shocking start to the month but some edged higher today.
Block Inc CDI (ASX: SQ2) share price has fallen nearly 15% since market open on 1 February. Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P) has fallen nearly 13% in the same time period. However, in today’s trade Block climbed 0.88% while Zip Co jumped 3%.
Let’s take a look at what’s been happening to BNPL shares lately.
BNPL woes
Block and Zip are not the only BNPL shares to fall in February. The Openpay Group Ltd (ASX: OPY) share price has descended 13% since market open on 1 February, while Beforepay Group Ltd (ASX: B4P) has slipped 9%.
Sezzle Inc (ASX: SZL) has also shed 13% in the same time period. In today’s trade, Openpay held steady while Beforepay fell 4.64% and Sezzle finished 0.89% in the red.
Block’s ASX listing dived after the company’s US listing plummeted. Block Inc (NYSE: SQ) fell 20% between market close on 1 February in the US and 3 February.
Investors sold Block shares after rival Paypal’s quarterly results fell short of market expectations. Paypal Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: PYPL) fell a mammoth 29% between market close on 1 February and 3 February in the US.
However, in after-hours trade, Block’s US listing has gained more than 3% and Paypal has edged ahead 1.5%. This could be helping the company’s ASX listing and confidence in the BNPL sector overall.
Zip’s shares also fell heavily this week amid negative sentiment in the industry. My Foolish colleague Aaron noted any Reserve Bank of Australia rate hikes could impact consumer spending. And the Zip business model depends on this spending.
BNPL’s shares suffered amid an overall tech stock slide this week. The S&P/ASX All Technology Index (ASX: XTX) dived almost 4% between market open on 1 February and close today. The index finished today 0.39% ahead.
BNPL share price recap
BNPL shares have suffered major losses in the past 52 weeks.
In the past year, the Zip Co share price has dived 63%. Meanwhile, Openpay has crashed 82% and Sezzle has plunged 74%. Meanwhile, Beforepay has shed 55% since joining the ASX this year, while Block has slipped 17%.
Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has returned more than 5% in the past year.
