Silver Point

Thomas J. Monaco

Silver Point is a boutique research firm that focuses on the broader financial services sector, with a particular focus on troubled institutions globally. 

Asia Ex Japan

Equity Bottom-Up

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing / Equity Bottom-Up

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (388 HK)

<ul>
<li>HKEX reported a weak set of 4Q21 earnings results of HKD 2.7 bn, declining HKD 577 mn (17.7%) linked quarter, driven by the decline in cash ADT and higher costs; </li>
<li>Derivative activity remained flattish linked quarter with contract volume at 507 thousand – despite the successful launch of the MSCI China A50 Connect (HK A50); and </li>
<li>With HIBOR set to increase, HKEx is likely to become more reliant on lower quality investment income. </li>
</ul>


HKEX reported a weak set of 4Q21 earnings results of HKD 2.7 bn, declining HKD 577 mn (17.7%) linked quarter, driven by the decline in cash ADT and higher costs; 
Derivative activity remained flattish linked quarter with contract volume at 507 thousand – despite the successful launch of the MSCI China A50 Connect (HK A50); and 
With HIBOR set to increase, HKEx is likely to become more reliant on lower quality investment income. 


Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing – Negative Jaws

<ul>
<li>The US Trade Representative (“USTR”) office added Tencent and Alibaba Group to the US government's latest "notorious markets" list; </li>
<li>Similar to being implicated in running afoul of regulators in mainland China, Tencent “strongly disagrees” with the USTR label; and</li>
<li>*We look forward to Tencent’s 4Q21 results announcement on March 23, 2021 where management will continue to refuse to discuss anything meaningful.</li>
</ul>


The US Trade Representative (“USTR”) office added Tencent and Alibaba Group to the US government's latest "notorious markets" list; 
Similar to being implicated in running afoul of regulators in mainland China, Tencent “strongly disagrees” with the USTR label; and
*We look forward to Tencent’s 4Q21 results announcement on March 23, 2021 where management will continue to refuse to discuss anything meaningful.


Tencent Holdings – Bad News On The Doorstep

<ul>
<li>Mainland Chinese municipalities and authorities continue to find numerous ways to bone pick the Evergrande carcass without compensation; </li>
<li>Evergrande’s offshore bondholders are now threatening legal enforcement of collateral over the company’s “opaque” debt restructuring process; and </li>
<li>Guangdong province is seeking to segregate Evergrande’s offshore assets in a fire sale to cover what they can of the company’s offshore debt. </li>
</ul>


Mainland Chinese municipalities and authorities continue to find numerous ways to bone pick the Evergrande carcass without compensation; 
Evergrande’s offshore bondholders are now threatening legal enforcement of collateral over the company’s “opaque” debt restructuring process; and 
Guangdong province is seeking to segregate Evergrande’s offshore assets in a fire sale to cover what they can of the company’s offshore debt. 


China Evergrande Group – Vultures Circling

<ul>
<li>Another Troubled Bank Deal In Asia Adds Another Managerial Distraction;   </li>
<li>DBS Agreed to Acquire Citigroup’s Taiwan Consumer Franchise for SGD 2.9 bn After Three Taiwan Banks Couldn’t Make This Deal Work; and </li>
<li>In Addition, DBS’ Fundamentals Continue to Weaken, With Lower Fees, Compressed Margins, and Modestly Weaker Credit. </li>
</ul>


Another Troubled Bank Deal In Asia Adds Another Managerial Distraction;   
DBS Agreed to Acquire Citigroup’s Taiwan Consumer Franchise for SGD 2.9 bn After Three Taiwan Banks Couldn’t Make This Deal Work; and 
In Addition, DBS’ Fundamentals Continue to Weaken, With Lower Fees, Compressed Margins, and Modestly Weaker Credit. 


DBS Group Holdings – And Baby Makes Three

<ul>
<li>
Competitor Call Reveals Numerous Additional Risks Which Will Weigh On Results. </li>
<li>No Clarity On Go Forward Core Bottom-Line, Especially Gains and Loss Provisions. </li>
<li>Reserve to NPLs Looks Overstated, as WMP and Securities Are Included In Loan Reserves. </li>
</ul>



Competitor Call Reveals Numerous Additional Risks Which Will Weigh On Results. 
No Clarity On Go Forward Core Bottom-Line, Especially Gains and Loss Provisions. 
Reserve to NPLs Looks Overstated, as WMP and Securities Are Included In Loan Reserves. 


China Merchants Bank – Accelerating Risk

Hong Kong

iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF is an exchange-traded fund incorporated in the USA. The ETF's objective seeks to provide investment results that correspond to the performance of publicly traded securities in the Hong Kong market, as measured by the MSCI Hong Kong Index. The ETF invests in a representative sample of index stocks using a "portfolio sampling" technique.

iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF (EWH US)

Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing – Negative Jaws

HKEX: HKEX reported a fairly weak set of 4Q21 results, declining 17.7% QOQ, and driven by the overall decline in cash ADT and higher overall costs.

Thomas J. Monaco

Tencent Holdings – Bad News On The Doorstep

TENCENT: The USTR office added Tencent and Alibaba Group to the US government's latest "notorious markets" list. Similar to running afoul of...

Thomas J. Monaco

China Evergrande Group – Vultures Circling

EVERGRANDE: Offshore bondholders are now threatening legal enforcement of collateral over the company’s “opaque” debt restructuring process, with...

Thomas J. Monaco

DBS Group Holdings – And Baby Makes Three

DBS: Another troubled bank deal adds another managerial distraction, as DBS has agreed to acquire Citigroup’s Taiwan consumer franchise. Further,...

Thomas J. Monaco

China Merchants Bank – Accelerating Risk

CHINA MERCHANTS BANK: A discussion over the use of gains and a drop in loss provisions during 3Q21 would have been a better use of time. CMB’s core...

Thomas J. Monaco