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

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Event-Driven

Hang Seng China Enterprises Index / Event-Driven

After staying negative on the <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> dividend futures expiring in 2021 for most of the year, we finally think a near term bottom has been formed. The dividend futures are 28% lower over the period, and adjusted for a strengthening <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cny" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22820:1" rel="noopener">CNY (USDCNY CURNCY)</a> are around 35% lower.Most of the drop has come about as a result of the changes (and upcoming changes) to the constituents of the <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>, with the damage done by COVID-19 adding to the selloff.Post the inclusion of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ant-financial-services-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24240:1" rel="noopener">Ant Group (6688 HK)</a> in the HSCEI and the changes in the upcoming review to be announced on 13 November (and implemented at the close on 4 December), we do not see any major changes to the index.The company Q3 results announced over the last couple of weeks do not provide any major catalysts, and the future direction of the 2021 dividend futures will be driven by news flow, expectations around the dividends to be paid out by the megabanks, and expectations around further changes to the <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> capping on WVR securities.With the market trading near our estimated fair value of 271.825 index points, we take a look at some catalysts that could cause our estimates to move higher/ lower. Spoiler: there are a lot more catalysts for the dividend futures to move lower than higher.

After staying negative on the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index (HSCEI INDEX) dividend futures expiring in 2021 for most of the year, we finally think a near term bottom has been formed. The dividend futures are 28% lower over the period, and adjusted for a strengthening CNY (USDCNY CURNCY) are around 35% lower.Most of the drop has come about as a result of the changes (and upcoming changes) to the constituents of the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index (HSCEI INDEX), with the damage done by COVID-19 adding to the selloff.Post the inclusion of Ant Group (6688 HK) in the HSCEI and the changes in the upcoming review to be announced on 13 November (and implemented at the close on 4 December), we do not see any major changes to the index.The company Q3 results announced over the last couple of weeks do not provide any major catalysts, and the future direction of the 2021 dividend futures will be driven by news flow, expectations around the dividends to be paid out by the megabanks, and expectations around further changes to the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index (HSCEI INDEX) capping on WVR securities.With the market trading near our estimated fair value of 271.825 index points, we take a look at some catalysts that could cause our estimates to move higher/ lower. Spoiler: there are a lot more catalysts for the dividend futures to move lower than higher.

HSCEI Dividends: Finely Poised; Negative Catalysts Overwhelm the Positive

On Friday evening, the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (SEHK), a wholly-owned subsidiary of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hong-kong-exchanges-clearing" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:490:1" rel="noopener">HKEX (388 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.hkex.com.hk/News/Regulatory-Announcements/2020/201030news?sc_lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">published</a> the conclusions to its consultation on the Corporate WVR beneficiaries.The SEHK will treat Greater China issuers that are controlled by corporate Weighted Voting Rights (WVRR) beneficiaries and have a primary listing on a Qualifying Exchange in the same manner as current grandfathered Greater China issuers. The cut-off date for the grandfathered issues is 30 October 2020.Qualifying corporate WVR issuers will need to meet the following requirements:<ul>
<li>a minimum market cap threshold of at least HK$40bn, or a market cap of at least HK$10bn and revenue of at least HK$1bn in its most recent audited financial year.</li>
<li>be an 'innovative company' as part of the suitability for listing</li>
<li>demonstrate that the laws, rules and regulations provide certain shareholder protection standards</li>
</ul>The secondary listing applicant would also need to demonstrate that it is controlled by a single corporate WVR beneficiary, or a group of corporate beneficiaries acting in concert, controlling at least 30% of the total shareholder votes.This paves the way for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tencent-music-entertainment" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27255:1" rel="noopener">Tencent Music (TME US)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/iqiyi-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26755:1" rel="noopener">iQIYI Inc (IQ US)</a>, among others, to pursue a secondary listing on the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hong-kong-exchanges-clearing" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:490:1" rel="noopener">HKEX (388 HK)</a>.

On Friday evening, the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (SEHK), a wholly-owned subsidiary of HKEX (388 HK), published the conclusions to its consultation on the Corporate WVR beneficiaries.The SEHK will treat Greater China issuers that are controlled by corporate Weighted Voting Rights (WVRR) beneficiaries and have a primary listing on a Qualifying Exchange in the same manner as current grandfathered Greater China issuers. The cut-off date for the grandfathered issues is 30 October 2020.Qualifying corporate WVR issuers will need to meet the following requirements:
a minimum market cap threshold of at least HK$40bn, or a market cap of at least HK$10bn and revenue of at least HK$1bn in its most recent audited financial year.
be an 'innovative company' as part of the suitability for listing
demonstrate that the laws, rules and regulations provide certain shareholder protection standards
The secondary listing applicant would also need to demonstrate that it is controlled by a single corporate WVR beneficiary, or a group of corporate beneficiaries acting in concert, controlling at least 30% of the total shareholder votes.This paves the way for Tencent Music (TME US) and iQIYI Inc (IQ US), among others, to pursue a secondary listing on the HKEX (388 HK). 

Conclusions of the Corporate WVR Consultation: Small Changes for Now

Index Rebalance

Last evening post market close in Hong Kong, Hang Seng Indexes released an <a href="https://www.hsi.com.hk/static/uploads/contents/en/news/indexChgNotice/20201030T100000.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">index notice</a> announcing a new Fast Entry rule for the <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>.As one can imagine, this is being done solely to ensure the early inclusion of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ant-financial-services-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24240:1" rel="noopener">Ant Group (6688 HK)</a> in the index. Index investors would then look at buying index futures and other derivatives on the HSCEI to play the upside. The early inclusion could also help the HSCEI to catch up with other China focused indices, where it has been a laggard for some time now.<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ant-financial-services-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24240:1" rel="noopener">Ant Group (6688 HK)</a>'s Fast Entry into the index will also mean that one stock needs to be deleted, though from the index rules it is not very clear if that would happen at the regular index review in December 2020 or March 2021.In this Insight, we take a look at the impact of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ant-financial-services-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24240:1" rel="noopener">Ant Group (6688 HK)</a>'s inclusion in the HSCEI on the stock and what it means for the other stocks in the index.

Last evening post market close in Hong Kong, Hang Seng Indexes released an index notice announcing a new Fast Entry rule for the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index (HSCEI INDEX).As one can imagine, this is being done solely to ensure the early inclusion of Ant Group (6688 HK) in the index. Index investors would then look at buying index futures and other derivatives on the HSCEI to play the upside. The early inclusion could also help the HSCEI to catch up with other China focused indices, where it has been a laggard for some time now.Ant Group (6688 HK)'s Fast Entry into the index will also mean that one stock needs to be deleted, though from the index rules it is not very clear if that would happen at the regular index review in December 2020 or March 2021.In this Insight, we take a look at the impact of Ant Group (6688 HK)'s inclusion in the HSCEI on the stock and what it means for the other stocks in the index. 

Ant Group: Everyone Wants a Piece of The Action - HSCEI Fast Entry

The <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sse-science-and-technology-innovation-board-50-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29279:1" rel="noopener">SSE STAR 50 (STAR50 INDEX)</a> (short for 'The Science and Technology Innovation Board 50 Index') was first published on 23 July this year. The index is free float market cap weighted and is made up of the 50 largest stocks based on full market cap that are listed on the STAR Market. The STAR50 Index has outperformed its peers and has narrowly underperformed the Chinext Index on a year to date basis.
Four asset managers were approved by the CSRC to launch ETFs on the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sse-science-and-technology-innovation-board-50-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29279:1" rel="noopener">SSE STAR 50 (STAR50 INDEX)</a> and they raised CNY 20bn (CNY 5bn each), the maximum allowed, in one day. Total subscriptions were around CNY 100bn.
With a relatively large AUM benchmarked to a volatile index with volatile stocks, plus a lot of large listings coming through, there will be some interesting moves in stocks at the upcoming December rebalance. The index methodology specifies that there cannot be more than 5 inclusions and exclusions in a single review, and we will hit that number very easily. In the absence of the 5 name change limit, we would have had close to 12 inclusions and exclusions. With the 5 name changes, the one-way turnover will be in excess of 22%.
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ant-financial-services-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24240:1" rel="noopener">Ant Financial (1051260D CH)</a> could be included in the index at the December review. If it is not included in December, then its a sure inclusion in the March 2021 review.

The SSE STAR 50 (STAR50 INDEX) (short for 'The Science and Technology Innovation Board 50 Index') was first published on 23 July this year. The index is free float market cap weighted and is made up of the 50 largest stocks based on full market cap that are listed on the STAR Market. The STAR50 Index has outperformed its peers and has narrowly underperformed the Chinext Index on a year to date basis.
Four asset managers were approved by the CSRC to launch ETFs on the SSE STAR 50 (STAR50 INDEX) and they raised CNY 20bn (CNY 5bn each), the maximum allowed, in one day. Total subscriptions were around CNY 100bn.
With a relatively large AUM benchmarked to a volatile index with volatile stocks, plus a lot of large listings coming through, there will be some interesting moves in stocks at the upcoming December rebalance. The index methodology specifies that there cannot be more than 5 inclusions and exclusions in a single review, and we will hit that number very easily. In the absence of the 5 name change limit, we would have had close to 12 inclusions and exclusions. With the 5 name changes, the one-way turnover will be in excess of 22%.
Ant Financial (1051260D CH) could be included in the index at the December review. If it is not included in December, then its a sure inclusion in the March 2021 review.

STAR Board: STAR50 Index - The December Rebalance Is Going to Be BIG

The AH premium for Ping An Insurance (<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> / <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 continued to move in cycles. After hitting a high of 10% a year ago, and a low of -2.5% earlier this year, the AH premium is trading near the 98th percentile using data going back to January 2015.At a premium of close to 13% now, the reward to risk of buying the H-shares and selling the A-shares is attractive and we expect a reversion over the next few months.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 a reversion in the premium.

The AH premium for Ping An Insurance (Ping An Insurance Group Co Of China (601318 CH) / Ping An Insurance (H) (2318 HK)) has continued to move in cycles. After hitting a high of 10% a year ago, and a low of -2.5% earlier this year, the AH premium is trading near the 98th percentile using data going back to January 2015.At a premium of close to 13% now, the reward to risk of buying the H-shares and selling the A-shares is attractive and we expect a reversion over the next few months.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 a reversion in the premium.

Ping An A/H Premium - Back Near The Highs

China

The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index is a free-float capitalization-weighted index comprised of H-Shares listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and included in the Hang Seng Mainland Composite Index. The base value of this index is 2000 as of Jan 3, 2000. This index replaced the old HSCE index on Oct. 3, 2001.

Hang Seng China Enterprises Index (HSCEI INDEX)

Hang Seng China Enterprises Index (HSCEI INDEX)

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Ant Group: Everyone Wants a Piece of The Action - HSCEI Fast Entry

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Brian Freitas

Ping An A/H Premium - Back Near The Highs

The AH premium for Ping An Insurance Ping An Insurance Group Co Of China (601318 CH) / $2318 hk

Brian Freitas