HK/China Equity Long-Short

Osbert Tang, CFA

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Statistics supported "Sell in May, go away" for the HSI. Since 2013, the average return for May is -2%, and is negative in 8 out of the last 12 years.</li>
<li>On average, May is the worst month since 2020, too. This even eclipsed the month of Oct, which is widely believed to be normally the worst month.</li>
<li>If a weak May happens, the heavily weighted yet strongly performed constituents like <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/byd-co-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20962:1" rel="noopener">BYD (1211 HK)</a>, <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 (9988 HK)</a>, and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/xiaomi-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24409:1" rel="noopener">Xiaomi Corp (1810 HK)</a> are to suffer. </li>
</ul>


Statistics supported "Sell in May, go away" for the HSI. Since 2013, the average return for May is -2%, and is negative in 8 out of the last 12 years.
On average, May is the worst month since 2020, too. This even eclipsed the month of Oct, which is widely believed to be normally the worst month.
If a weak May happens, the heavily weighted yet strongly performed constituents like BYD (1211 HK), Alibaba Group (9988 HK), and Xiaomi Corp (1810 HK) are to suffer. 


HK Strategy: Sell in May, Go Away? The History Says Yes!

Derivatives and Quantitative Strategist

Gaudenz Schneider

Equity Derivatives

<ul>
<li>Over the past five trading days, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tencent-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26:1" rel="noopener">Tencent (700 HK)</a> multi-leg option strategies showcased a variety of approaches. Strategy highlights are provided.</li>
<li>
Popular Strategies: Call/Put Spreads account for 70% of all strategies. With a bias towards bullish views, Bull Call Spreads outnumber Bear Put Spreads by 2:1.</li>
<li>
Lottery Trades: following observations of such strategies in other stocks, a lotter trade bets on a low probability event with a high payout. Trade size tends to be sizable.</li>
</ul>


Over the past five trading days, Tencent (700 HK) multi-leg option strategies showcased a variety of approaches. Strategy highlights are provided.

Popular Strategies: Call/Put Spreads account for 70% of all strategies. With a bias towards bullish views, Bull Call Spreads outnumber Bear Put Spreads by 2:1.

Lottery Trades: following observations of such strategies in other stocks, a lotter trade bets on a low probability event with a high payout. Trade size tends to be sizable.


Tencent (700 HK): Top Trades and Strategic Insights from HKEX Options Trading

<ul>
<li>
Implied Volatility Trends: One-month implied volatility for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tencent-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26:1" rel="noopener">Tencent (700 HK)</a> has declined from recent peaks, aligning near its 3-year median, indicating a potential stabilization in market expectations.</li>
<li>
Skew and Term Structure Dynamics: The term structure is largely flat with a slight uplift due to the upcoming earnings on 14 May 2025. A pronounced volatility smile favors spreads.</li>
<li>
Open Interest Distribution: Liquidity is concentrated in near-term (April, May) and quarterly expiries, with call open interest slightly outweighing puts (48-60%).</li>
</ul>



Implied Volatility Trends: One-month implied volatility for Tencent (700 HK) has declined from recent peaks, aligning near its 3-year median, indicating a potential stabilization in market expectations.

Skew and Term Structure Dynamics: The term structure is largely flat with a slight uplift due to the upcoming earnings on 14 May 2025. A pronounced volatility smile favors spreads.

Open Interest Distribution: Liquidity is concentrated in near-term (April, May) and quarterly expiries, with call open interest slightly outweighing puts (48-60%).


Tencent (700 HK): Volatility Smile Signals Strategic Opportunities in Options Trading

<ul>
<li>Over the past five trading days, <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 Holding (9988 HK)</a> multi-leg option strategies showcased a variety of approaches. Strategy highlights are provided.</li>
<li>Diagonal Spreads account for nearly 30% of all strategies. Many of these strategies sell short term risk to finance longer term protection.</li>
<li>Several structures hedge against low probability tail events. One such strategy traded 100 contracts.</li>
</ul>


Over the past five trading days, Alibaba Group Holding (9988 HK) multi-leg option strategies showcased a variety of approaches. Strategy highlights are provided.
Diagonal Spreads account for nearly 30% of all strategies. Many of these strategies sell short term risk to finance longer term protection.
Several structures hedge against low probability tail events. One such strategy traded 100 contracts.


Alibaba (9988 HK): Top Trades and Strategic Insights from HKEX Options Trading

<ul>
<li>
<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 Holding (9988 HK)</a> one-month implied volatility has decreased from recent peaks but remains above the 70th percentile, while realized volatility exceeds 80% (96th percentile).</li>
<li>A relatively flat term structure and skew render Calendar and Diagonal Spreads interesting strategies.</li>
<li>Open interest extends to March 2026, with balanced call and put interest across all expiries.</li>
</ul>



Alibaba Group Holding (9988 HK) one-month implied volatility has decreased from recent peaks but remains above the 70th percentile, while realized volatility exceeds 80% (96th percentile).
A relatively flat term structure and skew render Calendar and Diagonal Spreads interesting strategies.
Open interest extends to March 2026, with balanced call and put interest across all expiries.


Alibaba (9988 HK): Volatility Surface Favoring Diagonal and Calendar Spreads

Hong Kong

The Hang Seng Index is a free-float capitalization-weighted index of a selection of companies from the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong. The components of the index are divided into four subindices: Commerce and Industry, Finance, Utilities, and Properties. The index was developed with a base level of 100 as of July 31, 1964.

Hang Seng Index (HSI INDEX)

HK Strategy: Sell in May, Go Away? The History Says Yes!

Statistics show "Sell in May, go away" holds true for HSI with negative returns in May since 2013, making it the worst one, even surpassing Oct....

Osbert Tang, CFA

Tencent (700 HK): Top Trades and Strategic Insights from HKEX Options Trading

Tencent's multi-leg option strategies show a bullish bias, with Call/Put Spreads dominating and Lottery Trades making an appearance.

Gaudenz Schneider

Tencent (700 HK): Volatility Smile Signals Strategic Opportunities in Options Trading

Implied volatility for Tencent stabilizes, term structure flat with upcoming earnings, call open interest slightly outweighs puts.

Gaudenz Schneider

Alibaba (9988 HK): Top Trades and Strategic Insights from HKEX Options Trading

Alibaba's recent live option strategies feature Diagonal Spreads and protection against low probability tail events, with one strategy trading 100...

Gaudenz Schneider

Alibaba (9988 HK): Volatility Surface Favoring Diagonal and Calendar Spreads

Alibaba's volatility remains high, making Calendar and Diagonal Spreads attractive strategies. Open interest extends to 2026 with balanced call...

Gaudenz Schneider

HK Strategy: Sell in May, Go Away? The History Says Yes!

​Statistics show "Sell in May, go away" holds true for HSI with negative returns in May since 2013, making it the worst one, even surpassing Oct....

Osbert Tang, CFA

Tencent (700 HK): Top Trades and Strategic Insights from HKEX Options Trading

​Tencent's multi-leg option strategies show a bullish bias, with Call/Put Spreads dominating and Lottery Trades making an appearance.

Gaudenz Schneider

Tencent (700 HK): Volatility Smile Signals Strategic Opportunities in Options Trading

​Implied volatility for Tencent stabilizes, term structure flat with upcoming earnings, call open interest slightly outweighs puts.

Gaudenz Schneider

Alibaba (9988 HK): Top Trades and Strategic Insights from HKEX Options Trading

​Alibaba's recent live option strategies feature Diagonal Spreads and protection against low probability tail events, with one strategy trading 100...

Gaudenz Schneider

Alibaba (9988 HK): Volatility Surface Favoring Diagonal and Calendar Spreads

​Alibaba's volatility remains high, making Calendar and Diagonal Spreads attractive strategies. Open interest extends to 2026 with balanced call...

Gaudenz Schneider

Statistics show "Sell in May, go away" holds true for HSI with negative returns in May since 2013, making it the worst one, even surpassing Oct....

Tencent's multi-leg option strategies show a bullish bias, with Call/Put Spreads dominating and Lottery Trades making an appearance.

Implied volatility for Tencent stabilizes, term structure flat with upcoming earnings, call open interest slightly outweighs puts.

Alibaba's recent live option strategies feature Diagonal Spreads and protection against low probability tail events, with one strategy trading 100...

Alibaba's volatility remains high, making Calendar and Diagonal Spreads attractive strategies. Open interest extends to 2026 with balanced call...