Derivatives and Quantitative Strategist

Gaudenz Schneider

Equity Derivatives

<ul>
<li>
Context: <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tencent-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26:1" rel="noopener">Tencent (700 HK)</a> is set to release Q2 earnings on 13 April 2025. In the lead-up, options strategies on the Hong Kong Exchange showcase a variety of approaches.</li>
<li>
Highlights: Recent option trades show a mix of bullish and bearish sentiment. Calendar Spreads, Strangles, and Spreads using weekly options are explored.</li>
<li>
Why Read: This review offers real-market insight into how sophisticated participants are positioning around Tencent’s earnings — providing actionable reference points for structuring trades or assessing market expectations.</li>
</ul>



Context: Tencent (700 HK) is set to release Q2 earnings on 13 April 2025. In the lead-up, options strategies on the Hong Kong Exchange showcase a variety of approaches.

Highlights: Recent option trades show a mix of bullish and bearish sentiment. Calendar Spreads, Strangles, and Spreads using weekly options are explored.

Why Read: This review offers real-market insight into how sophisticated participants are positioning around Tencent’s earnings — providing actionable reference points for structuring trades or assessing market expectations.


Tencent (700 HK): How Traders Are Positioning Into Earnings

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

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Periscope Analytics

Periscope Analytics focuses on event-driven trades across Asia Pacific and provides comprehensive, timely and systematic coverage of index changes to major Asia Pacific indices in a structured manner.

The analysis includes forecasted inclusions and exclusions to all major Asian indices that have significant amount of tracking assets, including estimates of passive buy/sell flow on the stocks. The service also provides commentary and impact of market consultations, ground rule changes, and other events (IPOs, spin-offs, M&A) that could lead to index changes and passive flow.

Periscope Analytics works with multi-strategy hedge funds, proprietary trading firms, stat arb trading groups and long-only investors that invest and trade in the Asia Pacific region with the data being used to trade index rebalances, avoid pre-positioning and passive flow, and to time entry into and exit from stocks.

Event-Driven Trades Across Asia Pacific

Index Rebalance

<ul>
<li>There should be big passive inflows to <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/horizon-robotics-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:35637:1" rel="noopener">Horizon Robotics (9660 HK)</a> over the next 6 weeks and that could take the stock higher in the short term.</li>
<li>Southbound Stock Connect investors have bought more than 10% of the Class B shares outstanding since the stock was added to the link a couple of months ago.</li>
<li>Short interest jumped following the Stock Connect inclusion but there has been covering over the last few weeks. Short-term direction for the stock price looks to be higher.</li>
</ul>


There should be big passive inflows to Horizon Robotics (9660 HK) over the next 6 weeks and that could take the stock higher in the short term.
Southbound Stock Connect investors have bought more than 10% of the Class B shares outstanding since the stock was added to the link a couple of months ago.
Short interest jumped following the Stock Connect inclusion but there has been covering over the last few weeks. Short-term direction for the stock price looks to be higher.


Horizon Robotics (9660 HK): Index Inclusion & Upweights to Drive US$1bn Inflows

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>
<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> / <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-mobile-ltd-cca8f162-fa93-4d59-944e-86bad7251e5c" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:35371:1" rel="noopener">China Mobile (600941 CH)</a> will release 2024 interim results on Thursday, 7 August 2025. The stock is a key constituent of the HSI and HSCEI.</li>
<li>
Highlights: Past earnings moves have been modest, but the options skew hints at potential for surprises. Dividend decision also due.</li>
<li>
Why Read: Helps time exposure and evaluate short-term risks ahead of results and dividend announcement for cash investors and option traders.</li>
</ul>



China Mobile (941 HK) / China Mobile (600941 CH) will release 2024 interim results on Thursday, 7 August 2025. The stock is a key constituent of the HSI and HSCEI.

Highlights: Past earnings moves have been modest, but the options skew hints at potential for surprises. Dividend decision also due.

Why Read: Helps time exposure and evaluate short-term risks ahead of results and dividend announcement for cash investors and option traders.


China Mobile (941 HK) Results on 7 Aug: Low Volatility History Faces Test

Macroeconomics

<ul>
<li>
Context: Central Bank rate decisions, index changes and political events can move markets and affect volatility. Exchange holidays and option expiration schedules might influence liquidity on these days.</li>
<li>
Highlights: Earnings season keeps several regional markets busy through early to mid-August. Meanwhile, three central banks in the region are scheduled to hold monetary policy meetings spaced across the month.</li>
<li>
Why Read: Plan ahead and take into account known market events when making investment and trading decision.</li>
</ul>



Context: Central Bank rate decisions, index changes and political events can move markets and affect volatility. Exchange holidays and option expiration schedules might influence liquidity on these days.

Highlights: Earnings season keeps several regional markets busy through early to mid-August. Meanwhile, three central banks in the region are scheduled to hold monetary policy meetings spaced across the month.

Why Read: Plan ahead and take into account known market events when making investment and trading decision.


The Month Ahead: Key Events in August 2025

<ul>
<li>The review period for the September rebalance of the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hang-seng-china-enterprises-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22900:1" rel="noopener">HSCEI INDEX</a> ended on 30 June, the results will be announced on 22 August and will be implemented on 5 September.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/pop-mart-international-group-l" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29016:1" rel="noopener">Pop Mart International Group L (9992 HK)</a> could be added to the index while <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/j-t-global-express-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:36819:1" rel="noopener">J&amp;T Global Express (1519 HK)</a> could be deleted from the index.</li>
<li>There is a possibility of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/pop-mart-international-group-l" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29016:1" rel="noopener">Pop Mart International Group L (9992 HK)</a> being added to the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hong-kong-hang-seng-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22899:1" rel="noopener">Hang Seng Index (HSI INDEX)</a> as well.</li>
</ul>


The review period for the September rebalance of the HSCEI INDEX ended on 30 June, the results will be announced on 22 August and will be implemented on 5 September.

Pop Mart International Group L (9992 HK) could be added to the index while J&amp;T Global Express (1519 HK) could be deleted from the index.
There is a possibility of Pop Mart International Group L (9992 HK) being added to the Hang Seng Index (HSI INDEX) as well.


HSCEI Index Rebalance Preview: Pop Mart (9992 HK) Could Replace J&T Global (1519 HK)

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)

Tencent (700 HK): How Traders Are Positioning Into Earnings

An in-depth review of recent option trades on Tencent (700 HK), revealing how market participants are positioning ahead of the Q2 earnings...

Gaudenz Schneider

Horizon Robotics (9660 HK): Index Inclusion & Upweights to Drive US$1bn Inflows

Index inclusion and float increase over the next 6 weeks could lead to US$1bn of inflows to Horizon Robotics. Stock Connect investors hold around...

Brian Freitas

China Mobile (941 HK) Results on 7 Aug: Low Volatility History Faces Test

Options markets remain calm ahead of results but price in a fat-tailed return distribution, indicating traders are hedging against potential...

Gaudenz Schneider

The Month Ahead: Key Events in August 2025

Three central banks (India, Australia, South Korea) decide on rates. Earnings season continues in South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, and India, and is...

Gaudenz Schneider

HSCEI Index Rebalance Preview: Pop Mart (9992 HK) Could Replace J&T Global (1519 HK)

Pop Mart could replace J&T Global in the HSCEI in Sep. There will be capping and FAF changes for stocks. Shorts have been increasing in both...

Brian Freitas

Tencent (700 HK): How Traders Are Positioning Into Earnings

​An in-depth review of recent option trades on Tencent (700 HK), revealing how market participants are positioning ahead of the Q2 earnings...

Gaudenz Schneider

Horizon Robotics (9660 HK): Index Inclusion & Upweights to Drive US$1bn Inflows

Index inclusion and float increase over the next 6 weeks could lead to US$1bn of inflows to Horizon Robotics. Stock Connect investors hold around...

Brian Freitas

China Mobile (941 HK) Results on 7 Aug: Low Volatility History Faces Test

Options markets remain calm ahead of results but price in a fat-tailed return distribution, indicating traders are hedging against potential...

Gaudenz Schneider

The Month Ahead: Key Events in August 2025

Three central banks (India, Australia, South Korea) decide on rates. Earnings season continues in South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, and India, and is...

Gaudenz Schneider

HSCEI Index Rebalance Preview: Pop Mart (9992 HK) Could Replace J&T Global (1519 HK)

Pop Mart could replace J&T Global in the HSCEI in Sep. There will be capping and FAF changes for stocks. Shorts have been increasing in both...

Brian Freitas

An in-depth review of recent option trades on Tencent (700 HK), revealing how market participants are positioning ahead of the Q2 earnings...