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

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>The U.S. Department of Defense has designated <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tencent-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26:1" rel="noopener">Tencent (700 HK)</a> as a Chinese Military Company. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tencent-holdings-ltd-69366efb-cf6b-404d-a0e4-c6b9b2e128dc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:17:1" rel="noopener">Tencent Holdings (ADR) (TCEHY US)</a> shares were down nearly 8% overnight.</li>
<li>There is no change to the Non-SDN Chinese Military-Industrial Complex Companies List (NS-CMIC) yet. But the overlap between the DoD list and the NS-CMIC list is high.</li>
<li>If added to the NS-CMIC list, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tencent-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26:1" rel="noopener">Tencent (700 HK)</a> will be deleted from global indexes and there will be HUGE passive selling from these trackers.</li>
</ul>


The U.S. Department of Defense has designated Tencent (700 HK) as a Chinese Military Company. Tencent Holdings (ADR) (TCEHY US) shares were down nearly 8% overnight.
There is no change to the Non-SDN Chinese Military-Industrial Complex Companies List (NS-CMIC) yet. But the overlap between the DoD list and the NS-CMIC list is high.
If added to the NS-CMIC list, Tencent (700 HK) will be deleted from global indexes and there will be HUGE passive selling from these trackers.


Tencent (700 HK): DoD Says Chinese Military Company; Not on NS-CMIC List Yet

Index Rebalance

<ul>
<li>It has been a decent year for the index rebalance strategy, though there have been some big hiccups along the way.</li>
<li>Forecasting the index changes and impacts has been important, but timing (especially momentum/value regime changes) and hedge selection have also been major factors affecting the returns of the strategy.</li>
<li>As passive AUM continues to increase, we expect focus on the strategy to continue in 2025 with market players taking different approaches to trading the potential and announced index changes.</li>
</ul>


It has been a decent year for the index rebalance strategy, though there have been some big hiccups along the way.
Forecasting the index changes and impacts has been important, but timing (especially momentum/value regime changes) and hedge selection have also been major factors affecting the returns of the strategy.
As passive AUM continues to increase, we expect focus on the strategy to continue in 2025 with market players taking different approaches to trading the potential and announced index changes.


How Has the Index Rebalance Strategy Performed in 2024?

Asia L/S Equity PM/Macro/Thematic Idea Generation

Rikki Malik

Cross Asset Strategy

<ul>
<li>Sentiment, positioning and valuation provide a similar setup to January 2024</li>
<li>External macro events leading to a better fundamental environment for China</li>
<li>Foreign Investors' disappointment in minimal fiscal stimulus provides an asymmetric opportunity</li>
</ul>


Sentiment, positioning and valuation provide a similar setup to January 2024
External macro events leading to a better fundamental environment for China
Foreign Investors' disappointment in minimal fiscal stimulus provides an asymmetric opportunity


Just when I Thought I Was Out, They Pull Me Back In – Time for Another Tradeable Rally in the HSI?

<ul>
<li>In its last update, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/alibaba-group-holding-ltd-d7b798e2-202d-4e01-9a1e-799e2ae8f0c7" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28434:1" rel="noopener">Alibaba Group</a> announced that the company was preparing for its primary listing in Hong Kong and the process was expected to complete by the end August.</li>
<li>The Board meets on 14 August to approve results for the three months ending June. Could there be an announcement on the dual primary listing too?</li>
<li>Mainland Chinese own between 3.5%-15.5% of companies that converted from Secondary to Dual-Primary in the last few years. Similar buying in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/alibaba-group-holding-ltd-d7b798e2-202d-4e01-9a1e-799e2ae8f0c7" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28434:1" rel="noopener">Alibaba</a> could take the stock higher from here. </li>
</ul>


In its last update, Alibaba Group announced that the company was preparing for its primary listing in Hong Kong and the process was expected to complete by the end August.
The Board meets on 14 August to approve results for the three months ending June. Could there be an announcement on the dual primary listing too?
Mainland Chinese own between 3.5%-15.5% of companies that converted from Secondary to Dual-Primary in the last few years. Similar buying in Alibaba could take the stock higher from here. 


Alibaba (9988 HK/BABA) Dual Primary Listing: Are We There Yet?

<ul>
<li>In the short-term, meaningful policy reforms needed out of the Third Plenum</li>
<li>Chinese data continues to be lacklustre as expected while markets tread water</li>
<li>What can we expect from the Third Plenum to galvanise the next stage</li>
</ul>


In the short-term, meaningful policy reforms needed out of the Third Plenum
Chinese data continues to be lacklustre as expected while markets tread water
What can we expect from the Third Plenum to galvanise the next stage


The Hang Seng Index Is at a Critical Juncture

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): DoD Says Chinese Military Company; Not on NS-CMIC List Yet

The U.S. DoD has designated Tencent as a Chinese Military Company. The stock is not on the NS-CMIC list yet and could be added later. Addition to...

Brian Freitas

How Has the Index Rebalance Strategy Performed in 2024?

The index rebalance strategy has performed reasonably well this year. Accurate forecasting of index changes and optimal hedge selection have played...

Brian Freitas

Just when I Thought I Was Out, They Pull Me Back In – Time for Another Tradeable Rally in the HSI?

Bloomberg today -Chinese cities removing restrictions on non-Hukou purchases. "China Weighs Removing Major Homebuying Curbs to Boost...

Rikki Malik

Alibaba (9988 HK/BABA) Dual Primary Listing: Are We There Yet?

Alibaba will be in included in Southbound Stock Connect from the open of trading today. Volumes should be higher than usual as mainland investors...

Brian Freitas

The Hang Seng Index Is at a Critical Juncture

Third Plenum must deliver meaningful policy reforms to boost the Chinese consumer and market performance in the short-term.

Rikki Malik

Tencent (700 HK): DoD Says Chinese Military Company; Not on NS-CMIC List Yet

The U.S. DoD has designated Tencent as a Chinese Military Company. The stock is not on the NS-CMIC list yet and could be added later. Addition to...

Brian Freitas

How Has the Index Rebalance Strategy Performed in 2024?

The index rebalance strategy has performed reasonably well this year. Accurate forecasting of index changes and optimal hedge selection have played...

Brian Freitas

Just when I Thought I Was Out, They Pull Me Back In – Time for Another Tradeable Rally in the HSI?

Bloomberg today -Chinese cities removing restrictions on non-Hukou purchases. "China Weighs Removing Major Homebuying Curbs to Boost...

Rikki Malik

Alibaba (9988 HK/BABA) Dual Primary Listing: Are We There Yet?

Alibaba will be in included in Southbound Stock Connect from the open of trading today. Volumes should be higher than usual as mainland investors...

Brian Freitas

The Hang Seng Index Is at a Critical Juncture

​Third Plenum must deliver meaningful policy reforms to boost the Chinese consumer and market performance in the short-term.

Rikki Malik

Third Plenum must deliver meaningful policy reforms to boost the Chinese consumer and market performance in the short-term.