Hyundai, Kia say Apple car deal now off, see $8.5 billion wiped off market value

FILE PHOTO: The Hyundai booth displays the company logo at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan, U.S. January 16, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo/File Photo

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's Hyundai Motor Co said on Monday it is not now in talks with Apple Inc on autonomous electric cars, just a month after it confirmed early-stage talks with the tech giant, sending the automaker's shares skidding.

Wiping $3 billion off its market value, Hyundai's stock slid 6.2%. Shares in its affiliate Kia Corp, which had been tipped in local media reports as the likely operational partner for Apple, tumbled 15% - a $5.5 billion hit.