A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M) shares are ending the week on a very positive note.
In morning trade, the ASX All Ords share jumped as much as 18% to $6.77.
The infant formula company's shares have eased back a touch since then but remain up almost 8% at $6.24 at the time of writing.
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Why is this ASX All Ords share jumping?
Investors have been buying the company's shares today despite there being no news out of it.
When this happens, the ASX will often give a company a speeding ticket and ask for it to explain the price action.
So, there's a fair chance that A2 Milk will provide the market with an answer to this puzzle later today. But for now, let's take a look at what could be driving this ASX All Ords share higher on Friday.
What is happening?
When a company's shares rocket so much in a single day, it can spark hopes that a takeover is coming. However, there's no word on the street about one in the works, so this seems unlikely.
Moving on. Yesterday there was a new substantial shareholder, Paradice Investment Management, on the A2 Milk share register. While that is a positive, it's not likely to put a rocket under the ASX All Ords share.
This leaves us with China. And recent stimulus measures the country's leaders are rolling out to stimulate economic growth.
One such measure that has been reported by Reuters could be particularly good news for A2 Milk and its junior rival Bubs Australia Ltd (ASX: BUB), which is also racing higher today.
According to the media outlet, sources claim that China is planning to issue special sovereign bonds worth about 2 trillion yuan (US$284.43 billion) this year as part of a fresh fiscal stimulus.
In addition, as part of the package, the Ministry of Finance reportedly plans to issue 1 trillion yuan of special sovereign debt primarily to stimulate consumption in response to growing concerns about a stuttering post-COVID economic recovery.
And importantly for A2 Milk, the "proceeds will also be used to provide a monthly allowance of about 800 yuan, or US$114, per child to all households with two or more children, excluding the first child, the first source said."
Given that the Chinese infant formula market has been going through a rough patch recently, investors may believe that this will give it a boost. It may also help lift China's falling birth rate, which would be good news for the ASX All Ords share.
