Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi Corp. shares have slipped in its first trading day in Hong Kong following a multibillion-dollar initial public offering.
Xiaomi's Founder, Chairman and CEO Lei Jun, center, hits the gong during the listing ceremony at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in Hong Kong Monday, July 9, 2018. At left is Laura Cha, chairman of Hong Kong Stock Exchange. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
Trading on Monday opened at 16.60 Hong Kong dollars ($2.11) per share, below Xiaomi's offering price of 17 Hong Kong dollars ($2.17). Its shares lost about 4 percent in early trading but recovered most of that later in the morning.
Xiaomi helped to pioneer the trend for ultra-low-priced smartphones and says it plans to become an equipment-and-hardware brand alongside Apple Inc. The 8-year-old company has yet to give details of how that business model will work outside China.
Xiaomi's Founder, Chairman and CEO Lei Jun smiles after he hits the gong during the listing ceremony at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in Hong Kong Monday, July 9, 2018. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
Xiaomi's Founder, Chairman and CEO Lei Jun, right, toasts with Laura Cha, chairman of Hong Kong Stock Exchange during the listing ceremony at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in Hong Kong Monday, July 9, 2018. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
Xiaomi's Founder, Chairman and CEO Lei Jun receives an interview after the listing ceremony at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in Hong Kong Monday, July 9, 2018. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Justin Verlander allowed two runs and four hits over six innings in the three-time Cy Young Award winner's season debut for the Houston Astros, a 5-3 victory against the Washington Nationals on Friday night.
The 41-year-old right-hander, who began the season on the injured list because of right shoulder inflammation, struck out four and walked none, throwing 50 of 78 pitches for strikes. Verlander averaged 94.3 mph with 35 four-seam fastballs and induced five groundouts. The nine-time All-Star retired the side in order four times.
Verlander had made a pair of minor league injury rehabilitation starts.
“I have been working on a lot,” Verlander said. “When you don’t have as many starts you have to find it quicker. I have been thinking about a lot of things mechanically and thankfully I was able to execute today.”
A key pickoff by Verlander caught Ildemaro Vargas in the third inning.
“Just an instinct,” Verlander smiled. “Just a crafty old vet trying to get an out any way you can.”
Vargas hit an RBI single in the third and Riley Adams homered in the fourth, cutting Washington’s deficit to 4-2.
“Command and control was on," Astros manager Joe Espada said. “The shape of his slider was good. He threw a couple of good changeups, fastball up to 94 mph and there’s more there in the tank that eventually will come. But for him he can just hit his spots and he will keep you off balance.”
Verlander retired his first eight batters before Adams doubled off the base of the wall in right-center field.
“He was excellent," catcher Yainer Diaz said through an interpreter. "He was executing his pitches and following the plan that we had. This is something we are accustomed to seeing from him. Obviously, he was able to execute the curveball wherever he wanted to, but I thought all his pitches were very good today.”
Verlander was 13-8 with a 3.22 ERA last year for the New York Mets and Houston, who acquired him ahead of the trade deadline.
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Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander throws to a Washington Nationals batter during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, April 19, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander throws to a Washington Nationals batter during the second inning of a baseball game Friday, April 19, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander throws to a Washington Nationals batter during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, April 19, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander throws during the fourth inning of the team's baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Friday, April 19, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander throws during the fifth inning of the team's baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Friday, April 19, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander asks for a new ball during the second inning of the team's baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Friday, April 19, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
