Silver Point

Thomas J. Monaco

Silver Point is a boutique research firm that focuses on the broader financial services sector, with a particular focus on troubled institutions globally. 

Asia Ex Japan

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

*Odd Finance Minister Commentary: A report on Bloomberg, suggests that Finance Minister Albayrak has ruled out capital controls in Turkey. This is strange, as capital controls have already been in place for well over a year given the longer settlement dates, higher taxes, limited liquidity, threats of prison, et al. These reported comments suggest a full blown crisis is a fait accompli;  *Low Rates Destroying TRY: Turkey is a slow moving train wreck thanks largely to the policies of President Erdogan. The Central Bank of Turkey (CBT) is keeping interest rates low, and failed to raise interest rates at its latest meeting – against consensus of a 200 bp increase. Despite what were punitive capital controls (in contravention to the Finance Minister’s comments), the Turkish lira (TRY) actually declined 2% on the day the CBT failed to raise rates at its last meeting – now nearing 8.2 TRY/USD and achieving another record low down 40% YTD versus the USD when most other currencies are strengthening versus the USD;  and*Risk Is High For Europe, and an EM Domino Effect Is Real: BBVA (BBVA.SM), BNP Paribas (BNPP.FP), and Unicredit (UCG.IM), and HSBC Holding (5.HK) are most exposed. With Turkish corporates/banking system F/X debt in the USD hundreds of billions, worries over counterparty risks are arising. Investors are likely to continue to take advantage an artificially high TRY by continuing to sell while the getting is still good. Geopolitical risk only adds to our concern.

*Odd Finance Minister Commentary: A report on Bloomberg, suggests that Finance Minister Albayrak has ruled out capital controls in Turkey. This is strange, as capital controls have already been in place for well over a year given the longer settlement dates, higher taxes, limited liquidity, threats of prison, et al. These reported comments suggest a full blown crisis is a fait accompli;  *Low Rates Destroying TRY: Turkey is a slow moving train wreck thanks largely to the policies of President Erdogan. The Central Bank of Turkey (CBT) is keeping interest rates low, and failed to raise interest rates at its latest meeting – against consensus of a 200 bp increase. Despite what were punitive capital controls (in contravention to the Finance Minister’s comments), the Turkish lira (TRY) actually declined 2% on the day the CBT failed to raise rates at its last meeting – now nearing 8.2 TRY/USD and achieving another record low down 40% YTD versus the USD when most other currencies are strengthening versus the USD;  and*Risk Is High For Europe, and an EM Domino Effect Is Real: BBVA (BBVA.SM), BNP Paribas (BNPP.FP), and Unicredit (UCG.IM), and HSBC Holding (5.HK) are most exposed. With Turkish corporates/banking system F/X debt in the USD hundreds of billions, worries over counterparty risks are arising. Investors are likely to continue to take advantage an artificially high TRY by continuing to sell while the getting is still good. Geopolitical risk only adds to our concern.

Turkey – Start Worrying About Counterparties

Asset Allocation & Fund Positioning, Copley Fund Research

Steven Holden

Asset Allocation & Fund Positioning

Copley Fund Research

Copley Fund Research provide research and data on asset allocation among Global and Emerging Market equity funds.  The analysis details absolute and relative positioning across countries, sectors and industries together with highly granular data on single stock and single fund allocations.  The data is updated monthly with time series going back to January 2011.

Global Research - Analysis of 165 prominent Global equity funds, combined AUM $335bn
GEM Research - Analysis of 127 prominent global EM equity funds, combined AUM $250bn

Asset Allocation - Global and GEM Equity

Cross Asset Strategy

In our Macro Overview of Global fund positioning, we cover the following: <ul>
<li>Managers raise EMEA Overweight, hit max underweight in US.</li>
<li>Taiwan key beneficiary of COVID rebalance, India sees outflows.</li>
<li>Cross country exodus seen in Financials/Energy.  Materials reverse long-term decline.</li>
<li>Active managers move towards defensive and secular growth sectors and out of cyclicals.</li>
<li>UK Energy stocks see decline, Dutch Tech stocks continue to attract new investment.</li>
</ul>Taken from our Global fund analysis, covering 391 active global funds with combined AUM of $800bn.

In our Macro Overview of Global fund positioning, we cover the following: 
Managers raise EMEA Overweight, hit max underweight in US.
Taiwan key beneficiary of COVID rebalance, India sees outflows.
Cross country exodus seen in Financials/Energy.  Materials reverse long-term decline.
Active managers move towards defensive and secular growth sectors and out of cyclicals.
UK Energy stocks see decline, Dutch Tech stocks continue to attract new investment.
Taken from our Global fund analysis, covering 391 active global funds with combined AUM of $800bn.

Global Equity Positioning:  Macro Overview.  Raising EU Overweights, Taiwan Vs India, UK Decouples

Research and consultancy, Tabbush Report

Daniel Tabbush

Research and consultancy

Tabbush Report

We provide research and consultancy on Asian banks. Our focus is on what we call “Asian bank research, without the noise.” We are interested in the most critical swing-factors for banks, the NPL and credit cycle, and where we believe there is a gap between perception and reality. We often focus on the less studied components of bank financial statements.  Our research is highly thematic, sometimes examining unlisted banks and companies as a window on mainstream banks. 

Being independent allows us to look at smaller banks, often overlooked by others. Analysis of BIS bank guidelines in the context of Asia, is also a focal point, while we also analyze global banks operating in the region. We use what we believe is the most comprehensive, reliable financials database, SNL Financial. S&P Capital IQ augments our database, with corporate data and CEIC, with economics. 

Asian bank research, without the noise.

There is another EUR100bn package announced in France. This is the same pattern we are seeing in most places, with governments and central banks increasing support, not limiting support. Where the main three banks in France took sizable credit costs during 1H20, with this new package there is greater likelihood of easing credit costs. We wonder if <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/societe-generale-sa" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21478:1" rel="noopener">Societe Generale Sa (GLE FP)</a> has the most to gain, considering that it lost the most during 1H20?

There is another EUR100bn package announced in France. This is the same pattern we are seeing in most places, with governments and central banks increasing support, not limiting support. Where the main three banks in France took sizable credit costs during 1H20, with this new package there is greater likelihood of easing credit costs. We wonder if Societe Generale Sa (GLE FP) has the most to gain, considering that it lost the most during 1H20?

*Military Flashpoint With Greece: In late July, a Turkish seismic exploration ship (“Oruc Reis”) was sent to Kastellorizo, an island on the Greek constellation shelf, to carry out gas surveys through August 23rd, and was accompanied by 15 Turkish naval ships. The French have deployed warships and fighter jets to the area, as the La Fayette frigate is participating in joint exercises with the Greek navy. Tensions between Turkey and France have already been at heightened levels since Turkey targeting the Forbin with radar; and   *Feckless Central Bank Leads To Crisis: A crisis in confidence starts slowly but is difficult to stop once momentum gathers. In Turkey's case, the stop gap measures now appear to be crumbling. With both locals and foreigners fleeing the TRL, the the risks of the introduction of a TRL gray market should NOT be underestimated. MSCI has also threatened to downgrade Turkey's equity market to frontier status which would trigger further outflows.

*Military Flashpoint With Greece: In late July, a Turkish seismic exploration ship (“Oruc Reis”) was sent to Kastellorizo, an island on the Greek constellation shelf, to carry out gas surveys through August 23rd, and was accompanied by 15 Turkish naval ships. The French have deployed warships and fighter jets to the area, as the La Fayette frigate is participating in joint exercises with the Greek navy. Tensions between Turkey and France have already been at heightened levels since Turkey targeting the Forbin with radar; and   *Feckless Central Bank Leads To Crisis: A crisis in confidence starts slowly but is difficult to stop once momentum gathers. In Turkey's case, the stop gap measures now appear to be crumbling. With both locals and foreigners fleeing the TRL, the the risks of the introduction of a TRL gray market should NOT be underestimated. MSCI has also threatened to downgrade Turkey's equity market to frontier status which would trigger further outflows.

* ECB Potentially Killing Dividends: The European Central Bank (ECB) is likely to make a final decision next week on whether to allow banks to pay dividends in 2020 from 2019 results. The ECB leaning towards not allowing banks to pay dividends;*Asia-Pacific Likely To Follow: The financial sectors of Japan, Australia, mainland China, and India had been experiencing feeling capital pressures prior to COVID-19, now the entire Asia-Pacific regions would appear to be in the same boat. As such, we look for the entire region to follow the ECB’s lead on dividends – possibly even some of the ECB’s more ridiculous capital forbearance moves; and    *Europeans Banks Not Likely At Risk: BNP Paribas (BNP.FP) and Intesa Sanpaolo (ISP.IM) likely have the best lobbying power to pay a dividend in the event that national regulators are given the discretion to allow dividends. On a regulatory capital basis, as noted in our “DNB ASA – Window to Be Constructive Is Now Open” report dated July 13, 2020, DNB ASA (DNB.NO) remains best positioned to resume dividend payment and share buybacks, as CET1 is already back in compliance with pre-COV-19 capital target excluding all regulatory forbearance.

* ECB Potentially Killing Dividends: The European Central Bank (ECB) is likely to make a final decision next week on whether to allow banks to pay dividends in 2020 from 2019 results. The ECB leaning towards not allowing banks to pay dividends;*Asia-Pacific Likely To Follow: The financial sectors of Japan, Australia, mainland China, and India had been experiencing feeling capital pressures prior to COVID-19, now the entire Asia-Pacific regions would appear to be in the same boat. As such, we look for the entire region to follow the ECB’s lead on dividends – possibly even some of the ECB’s more ridiculous capital forbearance moves; and    *Europeans Banks Not Likely At Risk: BNP Paribas (BNP.FP) and Intesa Sanpaolo (ISP.IM) likely have the best lobbying power to pay a dividend in the event that national regulators are given the discretion to allow dividends. On a regulatory capital basis, as noted in our “DNB ASA – Window to Be Constructive Is Now Open” report dated July 13, 2020, DNB ASA (DNB.NO) remains best positioned to resume dividend payment and share buybacks, as CET1 is already back in compliance with pre-COV-19 capital target excluding all regulatory forbearance.

ECB Dividend Action Likely Leads to Similar Moves In Asia

France

BNP Paribas S.A. attracts deposits and offers commercial, retail, investment, private and corporate banking services.  The Bank also provides asset management and investment advisory services to institutions and individuals in Europe, the United States, Asia and the Emerging Markets.

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BNP Paribas (BNP FP)

Turkey – Start Worrying About Counterparties

TURKEY RISK: Odd Comments From Finance Minister Suggest Lack Of Understanding Of Capital Controls In Place. No Rate Hikes, Weak TRY/USD, And...

Thomas J. Monaco

Global Equity Positioning: Macro Overview. Raising EU Overweights, Taiwan Vs India, UK Decouples

In our Macro Overview of Global fund positioning, we cover the following: Managers raise EMEA Overweight, hit max underweight in US. Taiwan key...

Steven Holden

France Banks – Reboot Package

There is another EUR100bn package announced in France. This is the same pattern we are seeing in most places, with governments and central banks...

Daniel Tabbush

Turkey – On The Brink

*Military Flashpoint With Greece: In late July, a Turkish seismic exploration ship (“Oruc Reis”) was sent to Kastellorizo, an island on the Greek...

Thomas J. Monaco

ECB Dividend Action Likely Leads to Similar Moves In Asia

* ECB Potentially Killing Dividends: The European Central Bank (ECB) is likely to make a final decision next week on whether to allow banks to pay...

Thomas J. Monaco

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