Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Event-Driven

The Ping An A-shares <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ping-an-insurance-group-co-of-china" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24682:1" rel="noopener">Ping An Insurance Group Co Of China (601318 CH)</a> are trading at a 2.75% discount versus the H-shares <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ping-an-insurance-grp-co-of-china-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12880:1" rel="noopener">Ping An Insurance (H) (2318 HK)</a>. This continues the cycle of premiums and discounts going back to 2015.The last time the A-shares traded at a discount to the H-shares was in April this year. By mid May, the A-shares traded at a 5% premium to the H-shares before moving lower again.With <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ping-an-insurance-group-co-of-china" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24682:1" rel="noopener">Ping An Insurance Group Co Of China (601318 CH)</a> trading at a 2.75% discount to <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ping-an-insurance-grp-co-of-china-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12880:1" rel="noopener">Ping An Insurance (H) (2318 HK)</a> the risk/reward is favourable to setting up a premium expansion trade. The current discount lies at the 82nd percentile over the last 5 years and the discount has been widening as the premium of the overall market continues to increase.Northbound holdings of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ping-an-insurance-group-co-of-china" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24682:1" rel="noopener">Ping An Insurance Group Co Of China (601318 CH)</a> have increased over the last couple of months, while the Southbound shareholding on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ping-an-insurance-grp-co-of-china-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12880:1" rel="noopener">Ping An Insurance (H) (2318 HK)</a> has dropped sharply. This implies that mainland China investors have been selling the A-shares a lot more aggressively than the H-shares.In this Insight, we look at the historical premium for Ping An and compare it to the premium on the AH index and other large caps, and look at some catalysts that could lead to an expansion of the premium.

The Ping An A-shares Ping An Insurance Group Co Of China (601318 CH) are trading at a 2.75% discount versus the H-shares Ping An Insurance (H) (2318 HK). This continues the cycle of premiums and discounts going back to 2015.The last time the A-shares traded at a discount to the H-shares was in April this year. By mid May, the A-shares traded at a 5% premium to the H-shares before moving lower again.With Ping An Insurance Group Co Of China (601318 CH) trading at a 2.75% discount to Ping An Insurance (H) (2318 HK) the risk/reward is favourable to setting up a premium expansion trade. The current discount lies at the 82nd percentile over the last 5 years and the discount has been widening as the premium of the overall market continues to increase.Northbound holdings of Ping An Insurance Group Co Of China (601318 CH) have increased over the last couple of months, while the Southbound shareholding on Ping An Insurance (H) (2318 HK) has dropped sharply. This implies that mainland China investors have been selling the A-shares a lot more aggressively than the H-shares.In this Insight, we look at the historical premium for Ping An and compare it to the premium on the AH index and other large caps, and look at some catalysts that could lead to an expansion of the premium.

Ping An A/H: Discount Widens and Diverges from Broader Market

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)

*Document 15: Recently the China Bank and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC) issued guidance to both banks and insurers on implicit debt of local government financing vehicles (LGFV) via Document 15 – tightening the screws even further;  and*No Let Up In Sight: Coupled with the structural reforms of an increase in risk-based capital minimums for certain state banks, the partial bank Wealth Management Product (WMP) resolution, and the recent reserve requirement ratio (RRR) reduction, these tightening measures should act to contain some of the out of control financial risk within the mainland Chinese financial system.

*Document 15: Recently the China Bank and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC) issued guidance to both banks and insurers on implicit debt of local government financing vehicles (LGFV) via Document 15 – tightening the screws even further;  and*No Let Up In Sight: Coupled with the structural reforms of an increase in risk-based capital minimums for certain state banks, the partial bank Wealth Management Product (WMP) resolution, and the recent reserve requirement ratio (RRR) reduction, these tightening measures should act to contain some of the out of control financial risk within the mainland Chinese financial system.

Hang Seng Indexes has increased the number of index shares and free float for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/alibaba-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28434:1" rel="noopener">Alibaba Group (9988 HK)</a> in the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hong-kong-hang-seng-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22899:1" rel="noopener">Hong Kong Hang Seng Index (HSI INDEX)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hang-seng-china-enterprises-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22900:1" rel="noopener">Hang Seng China Enterprises Index (HSCEI INDEX)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hang-seng-tech-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31367:1" rel="noopener">Hang Seng Tech Index (HSTECH INDEX)</a>, with no change made to the capping factor.This will lead to an increase in the index weight for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/alibaba-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28434:1" rel="noopener">Alibaba Group (9988 HK)</a> and passive funds benchmarked to the indices will need to buy the stock at the close of trading on 16 July while selling the other index constituents.For July, we estimate passive funds will need to buy 45.52m shares (HK$9.34bn; 2 days of ADV) of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/alibaba-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28434:1" rel="noopener">Alibaba Group (9988 HK)</a>. The largest impact of passive selling in terms of days of ADV will be on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hsbc-holdings-plc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:516:1" rel="noopener">HSBC Holdings (5 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/clp-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:14433:1" rel="noopener">CLP Holdings (2 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-construction-bank-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:45:1" rel="noopener">China Construction Bank H (939 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hang-lung-properties-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:49:1" rel="noopener">Hang Lung Properties (101 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/country-garden-holdings-co" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:5225:1" rel="noopener">Country Garden Holdings Co (2007 HK)</a>.However, passive funds will need to sell <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/alibaba-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28434:1" rel="noopener">Alibaba Group (9988 HK)</a> at the implementation of the quarterly rebalance in September when the capping factor will be lowered to cap the weight of the stock at 8% in the three indices.

Hang Seng Indexes has increased the number of index shares and free float for Alibaba Group (9988 HK) in the Hong Kong Hang Seng Index (HSI INDEX), Hang Seng China Enterprises Index (HSCEI INDEX) and Hang Seng Tech Index (HSTECH INDEX), with no change made to the capping factor.This will lead to an increase in the index weight for Alibaba Group (9988 HK) and passive funds benchmarked to the indices will need to buy the stock at the close of trading on 16 July while selling the other index constituents.For July, we estimate passive funds will need to buy 45.52m shares (HK$9.34bn; 2 days of ADV) of Alibaba Group (9988 HK). The largest impact of passive selling in terms of days of ADV will be on HSBC Holdings (5 HK), CLP Holdings (2 HK), China Construction Bank H (939 HK), Hang Lung Properties (101 HK) and Country Garden Holdings Co (2007 HK).However, passive funds will need to sell Alibaba Group (9988 HK) at the implementation of the quarterly rebalance in September when the capping factor will be lowered to cap the weight of the stock at 8% in the three indices.

Alibaba (9988 HK): Passive Inflow from HSI, HSCEI, HSTECH Trackers in July

Global Emerging Market Equities, Propitious Research

Wium Malan, CFA

Global Emerging Market Equities

Independent, Fundamental Quantitative Research

Propitious Research

Fully independent, fundamental and quantitative equity research, focused on companies in the Telecommunication, Media, Technology, Internet and Healthcare sectors in the Global Emerging Markets. Idea generation focused on Quality stocks, trading below their intrinsic Value, with sound Corporate Governance.

Quantitative Analysis

This insight provides the output, and an overview of our, machine learning-driven, proprietary GEM screening model, which takes a three-pronged approach to find the best medium-term long ideas within the top100 largest stocks in the MSCI GEM Index. The model is based on 1) a typical quantitative multifactor screening model, enhanced by two Artificial Intelligence Technology-based approaches using 2) a Deep Neural Network model, and 3) a Recurrent Neural Network model. This model, which has been developed and tweaked over the past 24 months (and implemented in its current state for &gt;12 months), has a solid real-world performance track record, which I set out in the detail below. Notable new entrants to the top decile this month include Russian energy plays <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/gazprom-pjsc-6a7231a9-d5e4-4da4-bf21-aa1b9d50fbf8" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27578:1" rel="noopener">Gazprom PJSC (GAZP RM)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/lukoil-pjsc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24141:1" rel="noopener">Lukoil PJSC (LKOD LI)</a>, Brazilian securities exchange <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/b3-sa-brasil-bolsa-balcao" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24580:1" rel="noopener">B3 Sa - Brasil Bolsa Balcao (B3SA3 BZ)</a>, and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-construction-bank-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:45:1" rel="noopener">China Construction Bank H (939 HK)</a>.<table class="table table-striped">
<colgroup>
<col>
<col>
<col>
<col>
<col>
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 74.7344px;">rank</td>
<td style="width: 263.203px;">Name</td>
<td style="width: 185.312px;">Sector</td>
<td style="width: 147.938px;">Location</td>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 74.8125px;">prev.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 74.7344px;">1</td>
<td style="width: 263.203px;">
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sk-hynix-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:16955:1" rel="noopener">SK Hynix (000660 KS)</a> </td>
<td style="width: 185.312px;">Information Technology</td>
<td style="width: 147.938px;">Korea (South)</td>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 74.8125px;">3</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 74.7344px;">2</td>
<td style="width: 263.203px;">
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-mobile-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27:1" rel="noopener">China Mobile (941 HK)</a> </td>
<td style="width: 185.312px;">Communication</td>
<td style="width: 147.938px;">China</td>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 74.8125px;">9</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 74.7344px;">3</td>
<td style="width: 263.203px;">
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cnooc-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:175:1" rel="noopener">CNOOC Ltd (883 HK)</a> </td>
<td style="width: 185.312px;">Energy</td>
<td style="width: 147.938px;">China</td>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 74.8125px;">1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 74.7344px;">4</td>
<td style="width: 263.203px;">
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/posco" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:208:1" rel="noopener">Posco (005490 KS)</a> </td>
<td style="width: 185.312px;">Materials</td>
<td style="width: 147.938px;">Korea (South)</td>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 74.8125px;">21</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 74.7344px;">5</td>
<td style="width: 263.203px;">
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kia-motors-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:156:1" rel="noopener">Kia Motors Corp (000270 KS)</a> </td>
<td style="width: 185.312px;">Consumer Discretionary</td>
<td style="width: 147.938px;">Korea (South)</td>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 74.8125px;">4</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 74.7344px;">6</td>
<td style="width: 263.203px;">
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/bank-of-china-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:656:1" rel="noopener">Bank Of China Ltd (H) (3988 HK)</a> </td>
<td style="width: 185.312px;">Financials</td>
<td style="width: 147.938px;">China</td>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 74.8125px;">5</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 74.7344px;">7</td>
<td style="width: 263.203px;">
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/gazprom-pjsc-6a7231a9-d5e4-4da4-bf21-aa1b9d50fbf8" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27578:1" rel="noopener">Gazprom PJSC (GAZP RM)</a> </td>
<td style="width: 185.312px;">Energy</td>
<td style="width: 147.938px;">Russian Federation</td>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 74.8125px;">14</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 74.7344px;">8</td>
<td style="width: 263.203px;">
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/lukoil-pjsc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24141:1" rel="noopener">Lukoil PJSC (LKOD LI)</a> </td>
<td style="width: 185.312px;">Energy</td>
<td style="width: 147.938px;">Russian Federation</td>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 74.8125px;">32</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 74.7344px;">9</td>
<td style="width: 263.203px;">
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/b3-sa-brasil-bolsa-balcao" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24580:1" rel="noopener">B3 Sa - Brasil Bolsa Balcao (B3SA3 BZ)</a> </td>
<td style="width: 185.312px;">Financials</td>
<td style="width: 147.938px;">Brazil</td>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 74.8125px;">70</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 74.7344px;">10</td>
<td style="width: 263.203px;">
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-construction-bank-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:45:1" rel="noopener">China Construction Bank H (939 HK)</a> </td>
<td style="width: 185.312px;">Financials</td>
<td style="width: 147.938px;">China</td>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 74.8125px;">41</td>
</tr>
<tr><td colspan="5" style="text-align: left; width: 746px;">Source: FactSet financial data and analytics, my estimates and calculations, Tensorflow, Keras, Google Colaboratory, pandas</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>As usual, please feel free to reach out for the full output table, any questions, clarifications needed or suggestions.

This insight provides the output, and an overview of our, machine learning-driven, proprietary GEM screening model, which takes a three-pronged approach to find the best medium-term long ideas within the top100 largest stocks in the MSCI GEM Index. The model is based on 1) a typical quantitative multifactor screening model, enhanced by two Artificial Intelligence Technology-based approaches using 2) a Deep Neural Network model, and 3) a Recurrent Neural Network model. This model, which has been developed and tweaked over the past 24 months (and implemented in its current state for &gt;12 months), has a solid real-world performance track record, which I set out in the detail below. Notable new entrants to the top decile this month include Russian energy plays Gazprom PJSC (GAZP RM) and Lukoil PJSC (LKOD LI), Brazilian securities exchange B3 Sa - Brasil Bolsa Balcao (B3SA3 BZ), and China Construction Bank H (939 HK).









rank
Name
Sector
Location
prev.


1

SK Hynix (000660 KS) 
Information Technology
Korea (South)
3


2

China Mobile (941 HK) 
Communication
China
9


3

CNOOC Ltd (883 HK) 
Energy
China
1


4

Posco (005490 KS) 
Materials
Korea (South)
21


5

Kia Motors Corp (000270 KS) 
Consumer Discretionary
Korea (South)
4


6

Bank Of China Ltd (H) (3988 HK) 
Financials
China
5


7

Gazprom PJSC (GAZP RM) 
Energy
Russian Federation
14


8

Lukoil PJSC (LKOD LI) 
Energy
Russian Federation
32


9

B3 Sa - Brasil Bolsa Balcao (B3SA3 BZ) 
Financials
Brazil
70


10

China Construction Bank H (939 HK) 
Financials
China
41

Source: FactSet financial data and analytics, my estimates and calculations, Tensorflow, Keras, Google Colaboratory, pandas

As usual, please feel free to reach out for the full output table, any questions, clarifications needed or suggestions.

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

Active Global managers are running record underweights in Emerging Market stocks.  The average Emerging Markets allocation among the active Global funds in our analysis stands at 9.44%, underweight -4.56% compared to the MSCI ACWI weight with 78.3% of funds underweight the benchmark.
Whilst India Financials are the largest overweight, China &amp; HK Consumer Discretionary and Health Care, Taiwan Financials and Saudi Financials have driven the underweight to all-time highs.
On a stock level, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/taiwan-semiconductor-manufacturing-company" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11230:1" rel="noopener">TSMC (2330 TT)</a> is the most widely held stock, owned by 48% of the 383 active Global managers in our analysis.  The top 6 most widely held stocks, which are <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/taiwan-semiconductor-manufacturing-company" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11230:1" rel="noopener">TSMC (2330 TT)</a> , <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/aia-group-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:14895:1" rel="noopener">AIA Group Ltd (1299 HK)</a> , <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/alibaba-group-holding-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:787:1" rel="noopener">Alibaba Group (BABA US)</a> , <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/samsung-electronics-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:191:1" rel="noopener">Samsung Electronics (005930 KS)</a> , <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tencent-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26:1" rel="noopener">Tencent (700 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hdfc-bank-ltd-4b6b7a92-9087-468d-9dbe-ab169e77f014" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:558:1" rel="noopener">HDFC Bank (HDFCB IN)</a> occupy the top tier.  They are held by significantly more managers and at larger average weight than those below them.
In fact, active Global managers have come to rely on these top 6 names more and more over the last decade.  Almost 40% of all EM allocations are in these 6 stocks.  Should Global managers be better diversifying their EM allocations?
Analysis taken from our Global fund research, covering 383 active Global strategies with combined AUM of $1.05tr

Active Global managers are running record underweights in Emerging Market stocks.  The average Emerging Markets allocation among the active Global funds in our analysis stands at 9.44%, underweight -4.56% compared to the MSCI ACWI weight with 78.3% of funds underweight the benchmark.
Whilst India Financials are the largest overweight, China &amp; HK Consumer Discretionary and Health Care, Taiwan Financials and Saudi Financials have driven the underweight to all-time highs.
On a stock level, TSMC (2330 TT) is the most widely held stock, owned by 48% of the 383 active Global managers in our analysis.  The top 6 most widely held stocks, which are TSMC (2330 TT) , AIA Group Ltd (1299 HK) , Alibaba Group (BABA US) , Samsung Electronics (005930 KS) , Tencent (700 HK) and HDFC Bank (HDFCB IN) occupy the top tier.  They are held by significantly more managers and at larger average weight than those below them.
In fact, active Global managers have come to rely on these top 6 names more and more over the last decade.  Almost 40% of all EM allocations are in these 6 stocks.  Should Global managers be better diversifying their EM allocations?
Analysis taken from our Global fund research, covering 383 active Global strategies with combined AUM of $1.05tr

EM Underweight Hits Record High Among Global Managers

China

China Construction Bank Corporation provides banking services. The Company offers deposits, loans, fund management, foreign exchange, and other services. China Construction Bank provides its services to individuals, enterprises, and other clients.

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China Construction Bank (601939 CH)

Ping An A/H: Discount Widens and Diverges from Broader Market

The Ping An A/H spread is trading at a discount and has diverged from the spread on the overall market. Set up for a premium expansion trade that...

Brian Freitas

China Banks – Screws Tighten On LGFVs

CHINA BANKS: Recently the CBIRC issued guidance on implicit LGFV debt via Document 15 – further tightening the screws on mainland China's financial...

Thomas J. Monaco

Alibaba (9988 HK): Passive Inflow from HSI, HSCEI, HSTECH Trackers in July

Following an increase in the number of CCASS shares and free float, Alibaba's index shares will be increased. Passive HSI/ HSCEI/ HSTECH trackers...

Brian Freitas

Screening for GEMs: July 2021

This insight provides an overview of our, machine learning-driven, proprietary GEM screening model, based on a Multifactor model, a Deep Neural...

Wium Malan, CFA

EM Underweight Hits Record High Among Global Managers

Active Global managers are running record underweights in Emerging Market stocks. The average Emerging Markets allocation sits underweight -4.56%...

Steven Holden

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