China Macroeconomics & Academia

Christopher Balding

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ol><li>Given the available data, we believe it indicates that Chinese consumer growth remains positive but significantly weaker than headline official numbers indicate.</li><li>Large retailers appear to be suffering near zero growth across a variety of products.</li><li>Online retailing is still growing rapidly but its rate of growth is slowing and remains responsible for only 10.6% of spending.</li><li>Due to the weakness in large retailers and strong but small market share of online retailers, this leaves only small and medium size retailers as driving official retail sales numbers. We find this a dubious conclusion.</li><li>The combined retail sales and physical output of consumer product data implies that retail and consumer spending is growing much closer to the 3-6% range than the official 11% retail sales growth.</li><li>Related services like transport and hotel is showing significant weakness that is more reflective of an overall weak retail and services sector.</li></ol>

Given the available data, we believe it indicates that Chinese consumer growth remains positive but significantly weaker than headline official numbers indicate.Large retailers appear to be suffering near zero growth across a variety of products.Online retailing is still growing rapidly but its rate of growth is slowing and remains responsible for only 10.6% of spending.Due to the weakness in large retailers and strong but small market share of online retailers, this leaves only small and medium size retailers as driving official retail sales numbers. We find this a dubious conclusion.The combined retail sales and physical output of consumer product data implies that retail and consumer spending is growing much closer to the 3-6% range than the official 11% retail sales growth.Related services like transport and hotel is showing significant weakness that is more reflective of an overall weak retail and services sector.

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

Contemporary Amperex Technology / Index Rebalance

Contemporary Amperex Technology (3750 HK)

<ul>
<li>Post market close on Friday, Hang Seng Indexes will announce the changes for 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> that will be implemented at the close on 6 March.</li>
<li>We highlight 8 stocks that have a higher probability of being added to the index. With the index committee entitled to a lot of discretion, there will be differences.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/contemporary-amperex-technology-catl-co-limited" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:45179:1" rel="noopener">CATL (3750 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/yum-china-holdings-inc-0533692c-6dae-4014-baa1-ed0b050638f2" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29259:1" rel="noopener">Yum China Holdings (9987 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/wuxi-xdc-cayman-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:39917:1" rel="noopener">WuXi XDC Cayman (2268 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/3sbio-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:459:1" rel="noopener">3SBio Inc (1530 HK)</a> have better odds than others of being added to the index.</li>
</ul>


Post market close on Friday, Hang Seng Indexes will announce the changes for the Hang Seng Index (HSI INDEX) that will be implemented at the close on 6 March.
We highlight 8 stocks that have a higher probability of being added to the index. With the index committee entitled to a lot of discretion, there will be differences.

CATL (3750 HK), Yum China Holdings (9987 HK), WuXi XDC Cayman (2268 HK) and 3SBio Inc (1530 HK) have better odds than others of being added to the index.


Hang Seng Index (HSI) Rebalance Preview: Inclusion Candidates for Mar26

Asia Pac ECM and Index Rebal, Shenton Research

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

Asia Pac ECM and Index Rebal

Asia Pac IPO & Placement Research, China Biotech

DZT Research

DZT Research is an independent Asia Pacific equity specialist. Our quantitative research covers index rebalancing flows, alongside exchange data analytics accross Asia Pacific. On the equity capital markets side, we focus on Asia Pacific ECM, especially biotech and TMT. Our lead analyst is frequently cited by international media.

Quantitative Analysis

<ul>
<li>We analysed the earning revision of component stocks of HSI in the past month.</li>
<li>We tabulated stocks with the top impact on index's EPS, stocks' EPS revision, and revenue revision.</li>
<li>We highlighted EPS revision on MEITUAN, CCB, China Life, HENGAN INTERNATIONAL, LI AUTO, ICBC, XIAOMI.</li>
</ul>


We analysed the earning revision of component stocks of HSI in the past month.
We tabulated stocks with the top impact on index's EPS, stocks' EPS revision, and revenue revision.
We highlighted EPS revision on MEITUAN, CCB, China Life, HENGAN INTERNATIONAL, LI AUTO, ICBC, XIAOMI.


HSI Index Earning Revision (Dec): MEITUAN, CCB, China Life, HENGAN INTERNATIONAL, LI AUTO, ICBC

<ul>
<li>Post market close on Friday, Hang Seng Indexes will announce the changes for 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> that will be implemented at the close on 5 December.</li>
<li>We highlight 6 stocks that have a higher probability of being added to the index. With the index committee entitled to a lot of discretion, there will be differences.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/contemporary-amperex-technology-catl-co-limited" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:45179:1" rel="noopener">CATL (3750 HK)</a> will have a 6-month trading history by implementation of the index changes and is a high probability inclusion to the index. But cornerstone lock-up ends tomorrow.</li>
</ul>


Post market close on Friday, Hang Seng Indexes will announce the changes for the Hang Seng Index (HSI INDEX) that will be implemented at the close on 5 December.
We highlight 6 stocks that have a higher probability of being added to the index. With the index committee entitled to a lot of discretion, there will be differences.

CATL (3750 HK) will have a 6-month trading history by implementation of the index changes and is a high probability inclusion to the index. But cornerstone lock-up ends tomorrow.


Hang Seng Index (HSI) Rebalance Preview: Inclusion Candidates for Dec25

HK/China Equity Long-Short

Osbert Tang, CFA

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/softcare-limited" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:44292:1" rel="noopener">Softcare (2698 HK)</a>'s IPO price was fixed at HK$26.20, or 16.4x FY26F PER, with overwhelming positive responses in both the Hong Kong IPO and international offer. </li>
<li>We calculate its fair value at HK$26.07-29.43, based on a 50% premium to <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hengan-international-group-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29:1" rel="noopener">Hengan International Group (1044 HK)</a> and a 20% discount to the US peers, leaving limited upside.</li>
<li>Its tiny public shareholder ownership (15%) and the potential of being an M&amp;A target will elevate its valuations. However, anything above the US peers (i.e. 20.5x PER) is expensive. </li>
</ul>



Softcare (2698 HK)'s IPO price was fixed at HK$26.20, or 16.4x FY26F PER, with overwhelming positive responses in both the Hong Kong IPO and international offer. 
We calculate its fair value at HK$26.07-29.43, based on a 50% premium to Hengan International Group (1044 HK) and a 20% discount to the US peers, leaving limited upside.
Its tiny public shareholder ownership (15%) and the potential of being an M&amp;A target will elevate its valuations. However, anything above the US peers (i.e. 20.5x PER) is expensive. 


Softcare (2698 HK): Where Should It Be Traded?

China

Hengan International Group is a leading Chinese manufacturer and distributor of personal hygiene and household paper products. Its core offerings include sanitary napkins, baby and adult diapers, and various tissue paper products. The company was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Jinjiang City, Fujian, China.

Price Gauge
52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
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Hengan International (1044 HK)

Retail and Consumer Activity in China

Given the available data, we believe it indicates that Chinese consumer growth remains positive but significantly weaker than headline official...

Christopher Balding

Hang Seng Index (HSI) Rebalance Preview: Inclusion Candidates for Mar26

We highlight 8 potential adds to the HSI in March. CATL is still a high prob add along with Healthcare names. Estimated turnover is 4.1% and trade...

Brian Freitas

HSI Index Earning Revision (Dec): MEITUAN, CCB, China Life, HENGAN INTERNATIONAL, LI AUTO, ICBC

We analyzed HSI's consensus for Dec 2025 and highlighted changes of EPS in MEITUAN (3690 HK), CCB (939 HK), China Life (2628 HK), HENGAN...

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

Hang Seng Index (HSI) Rebalance Preview: Inclusion Candidates for Dec25

We highlight 6 potential adds to the HSI in Dec. CATL is a high prob add and has a lock-up expiry tomorrow. Estimated turnover is 1.9% and trade is...

Brian Freitas

Softcare (2698 HK): Where Should It Be Traded?

Softcare's IPO price was fixed at HK$26.20, with positive responses. Fair value is HK$26.07-29.43, and limited upside is expected. Small free...

Osbert Tang, CFA

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Retail and Consumer Activity in China

Given the available data, we believe it indicates that Chinese consumer growth remains positive but significantly weaker than headline official...

Christopher Balding

Hang Seng Index (HSI) Rebalance Preview: Inclusion Candidates for Mar26

We highlight 8 potential adds to the HSI in March. CATL is still a high prob add along with Healthcare names. Estimated turnover is 4.1% and trade...

Brian Freitas

HSI Index Earning Revision (Dec): MEITUAN, CCB, China Life, HENGAN INTERNATIONAL, LI AUTO, ICBC

We analyzed HSI's consensus for Dec 2025 and highlighted changes of EPS in MEITUAN (3690 HK), CCB (939 HK), China Life (2628 HK), HENGAN...

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

Hang Seng Index (HSI) Rebalance Preview: Inclusion Candidates for Dec25

We highlight 6 potential adds to the HSI in Dec. CATL is a high prob add and has a lock-up expiry tomorrow. Estimated turnover is 1.9% and trade is...

Brian Freitas

Softcare (2698 HK): Where Should It Be Traded?

​Softcare's IPO price was fixed at HK$26.20, with positive responses. Fair value is HK$26.07-29.43, and limited upside is expected. Small free...

Osbert Tang, CFA

Softcare's IPO price was fixed at HK$26.20, with positive responses. Fair value is HK$26.07-29.43, and limited upside is expected. Small free...