Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial (MUFG) / Event-Driven

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial (MUFG) (8306 JP)

<ul>
<li>Today, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sumitomo-mitsui-financial-group-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:217:1" rel="noopener">Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (8316 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mitsubishi-ufj-financial-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:218:1" rel="noopener">Mitsubishi UFJ Financial (MUFG) (8306 JP)</a> reported H1 earnings. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mizuho-financial-group-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:219:1" rel="noopener">Mizuho Financial Group (8411 JP)</a> reported yesterday.</li>
<li>Mizuho raised full-year NP guidance by ~5%, passing the Street. SMFG raised its FY NP guidance 12.2%, also beating the Street. MUFG didn't raise guidance but H1 saw 71% progress.</li>
<li>Today, SMFG raised its div, and both SMFG (¥150bn) and MUFG (¥400bn) announced buybacks. Cross-holding unwind progress is waaay lower than we'd like, but capital stronger as a result.</li>
</ul>


Today, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (8316 JP) and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial (MUFG) (8306 JP) reported H1 earnings. Mizuho Financial Group (8411 JP) reported yesterday.
Mizuho raised full-year NP guidance by ~5%, passing the Street. SMFG raised its FY NP guidance 12.2%, also beating the Street. MUFG didn't raise guidance but H1 saw 71% progress.
Today, SMFG raised its div, and both SMFG (¥150bn) and MUFG (¥400bn) announced buybacks. Cross-holding unwind progress is waaay lower than we'd like, but capital stronger as a result.


I Like Big Bank Buybacks And I Cannot Lie

Technical Analyst, Vermilion Research

Joe Jasper

Technical Analyst

Technical and Quantitative Research

Vermilion Research

Vermilion’s objective is to deliver timely, actionable, and unique technical research to professional investors through the application of our various technical indicators.

Our research strategists seek to highlight securities which we believe are at major inflection points, based on our various technical and quantitative indicators, and offer asymmetric risk/return profiles. Our unique research methodology, centered on relative strength, enables our strategists to deliver superior investment recommendations.

Our process begins by organizing the universe of actively traded stocks into discrete sectors, then into industry groups. We then apply our technical and quantitative tools to identify developing price trends. Once attractive trends are identified within a selected sector or group, we screen for individual stocks which we believe offer the best risk/reward profile. We provide a historical perspective that often reveals, through our long-term charts, how price patterns often repeat themselves over time.

Technical Analysis

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial (MUFG) / Technical Analysis

<ul>
<li>Our global intermediate-term outlook remains bullish on MSCI ACWI (in place since our 5/14/25 Compass). We also remain near-term bullish on MSCI ACWI (since our April 23, 2026 Int’l Compass).</li>
<li>With that said, the market is going through a short-term consolidation; the first clue was that a bullish gap finally got filled at $156-$157.20 on ACWI-US.</li>
<li>We've maintained that pullbacks to the 50-day MA on ACWI-US would be infrequent (~once every 1-2 months), but that they'd be buying opportunities, and that's what we believe is happening.</li>
</ul>


Our global intermediate-term outlook remains bullish on MSCI ACWI (in place since our 5/14/25 Compass). We also remain near-term bullish on MSCI ACWI (since our April 23, 2026 Int’l Compass).
With that said, the market is going through a short-term consolidation; the first clue was that a bullish gap finally got filled at $156-$157.20 on ACWI-US.
We've maintained that pullbacks to the 50-day MA on ACWI-US would be infrequent (~once every 1-2 months), but that they'd be buying opportunities, and that's what we believe is happening.


Looking Outside of Technology/A.I. Themes; Korea and Taiwan Likely to Consolidate?

Consumer Analyst / Channel Surveillance Specialist, Trudence Capital Advisors

Pranav Bhavsar

Consumer Analyst / Channel Surveillance Specialist

Trudence Capital Advisors

Trudence Capital Advisors Private Limited is a SEBI-registered Research Analyst, holding SEBI registration number INH000015747. Our firm is dedicated to providing independent and unbiased research on Indian mid to large-cap companies. Trudence Capital is known for its counter-consensus views, with a focus on forensic research and on-ground primary investigations. Our research approach is thorough, involving detailed analysis of accounting practices and governance, alongside extensive channel checks.

Independent & Unbiased Research

Equity Bottom-Up

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial (MUFG) / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mitsubishi-ufj-financial-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:218:1" rel="noopener">Mitsubishi UFJ Financial (MUFG) (8306 JP)</a> acquires 20% of Shriram Finance, gaining capital-light exposure to India’s retail and MSME credit via a secured, high-RoA franchise with deep rural distribution.</li>
<li>Primary capital infusion strengthens <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shriram-finance-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:253:1" rel="noopener">Shriram Finance (SHFL IN)</a>’s balance sheet, supports mid-teens AUM growth, margin expansion and a medium-term structural RoE of ~17–18%.</li>
<li>Earnings impact is modest initially under equity accounting, but compounds over time through growth, co-lending optionality and potential funding-cost compression.</li>
</ul>



Mitsubishi UFJ Financial (MUFG) (8306 JP) acquires 20% of Shriram Finance, gaining capital-light exposure to India’s retail and MSME credit via a secured, high-RoA franchise with deep rural distribution.
Primary capital infusion strengthens Shriram Finance (SHFL IN)’s balance sheet, supports mid-teens AUM growth, margin expansion and a medium-term structural RoE of ~17–18%.
Earnings impact is modest initially under equity accounting, but compounds over time through growth, co-lending optionality and potential funding-cost compression.


Mitsubishi UFJ Financial (MUFG) (8306 JP) | Loading up on India

Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group / Technical Analysis

Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (8316 JP)

<ul>
<li>Our global intermediate-term outlook remains bullish on MSCI ACWI (in place since our 5/14/25 Compass). We also remain near-term bullish on MSCI ACWI since our 4/23/26 Int’l Compass.</li>
<li>Support at $152.35-$153.70 on ACWI-US must continue to hold for us to maintain our near-term bullish outlook.</li>
<li>Despite our bullish outlook, we see some concerning developments that lead us to believe this current consolidation is likely to continue for the foreseeable future--as initially outlined on July 14</li>
</ul>


Our global intermediate-term outlook remains bullish on MSCI ACWI (in place since our 5/14/25 Compass). We also remain near-term bullish on MSCI ACWI since our 4/23/26 Int’l Compass.
Support at $152.35-$153.70 on ACWI-US must continue to hold for us to maintain our near-term bullish outlook.
Despite our bullish outlook, we see some concerning developments that lead us to believe this current consolidation is likely to continue for the foreseeable future--as initially outlined on July 14


Focus Remains on Non-A.I. Areas; Europe Remains Attractive; Energy, Gold Miners, Staples, Financials

Japan Economist, Japan Macro Advisors

Takuji Okubo

Japan Economist

Concise and Insightful Analysis on Japan Economy

Japan Macro Advisors

Our mission is to provide a concise and timely analysis on the Japanese economy for the benefit of global audiences. Communication, especially in foreign languages, has always been a weakness for the Japanese, which was fine when Japan's economic might attracted foreign media and various other institutions to study and report on Japan - such days are long gone. In the last two decades, we saw foreign institutions reallocating their resources from Japan to other more exciting parts of the world. As a result, when we read reporting on Japan in foreign media, we sense a subtle but noticeable decline in the depth of understanding what is actually happening in Japan.

Macroeconomics

<ul>
<li>No monetary policy signal. Himino's speech was entirely focused on digital finance and payment system architecture. This reduces the probability of a June rate hike, in my view.</li>
<li>He described Scott Bessent's stablecoin vision as designed to "induce people around the world to finance the US fiscal deficit", taking a mild jab at the credibility of US dollar.  </li>
<li>Japan will not follow the US toward lighter-touch crypto regulation. Himino's explicit reference to anonymity of crypto use as a "problematic motive" signals his weariness about crypto.  </li>
</ul>


No monetary policy signal. Himino's speech was entirely focused on digital finance and payment system architecture. This reduces the probability of a June rate hike, in my view.
He described Scott Bessent's stablecoin vision as designed to "induce people around the world to finance the US fiscal deficit", taking a mild jab at the credibility of US dollar.  
Japan will not follow the US toward lighter-touch crypto regulation. Himino's explicit reference to anonymity of crypto use as a "problematic motive" signals his weariness about crypto.  


BoJ Himino: A Blunt Critique of US Digital Finance Strategy

Japan

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. (MUFG) is a holding company established through the merger of Mitsubishi Tokyo Financial Group and UFJ Holdings. As a financial group, the Company provides a variety of financial and investment services including commercial banking, trust banking, international finance, and assets management services.

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial (MUFG) ADR (MUFG US)

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Mitsubishi UFJ Financial (MUFG) ADR (MUFG US)

I Like Big Bank Buybacks And I Cannot Lie

Japan's Three Megabanks reported earnings on 13-14 November. Two raised FY guidance above the street. MUFG did not raise guidance but H1 saw 71%...

Travis Lundy

Looking Outside of Technology/A.I. Themes; Korea and Taiwan Likely to Consolidate?

Looking Outside of Technology/A.I. Themes; Korea and Taiwan Likely to Consolidate? Normal Pullback to 50-day MA on $ACWI. Bullish Outlook Intact

Vermilion Research

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial (MUFG) (8306 JP) | Loading up on India

MUFG acquires 20% of Shriram Finance, boosting India's retail credit exposure with strong growth potential and improved financials.

Pranav Bhavsar

Focus Remains on Non-A.I. Areas; Europe Remains Attractive; Energy, Gold Miners, Staples, Financials

Focus Remains on Non-A.I. Areas; Europe Remains Attractive; Actionable Themes: Energy, Gold Miners, Consumer Staples, Services, and Financials

Vermilion Research

BoJ Himino: A Blunt Critique of US Digital Finance Strategy

BoJ Himino Speech: No hints for near term policy decision, reducing June hike probability. His speech revealed a rare blunt critique of US policy...

Takuji Okubo

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

I Like Big Bank Buybacks And I Cannot Lie

Japan's Three Megabanks reported earnings on 13-14 November. Two raised FY guidance above the street. MUFG did not raise guidance but H1 saw 71%...

Travis Lundy

Looking Outside of Technology/A.I. Themes; Korea and Taiwan Likely to Consolidate?

Looking Outside of Technology/A.I. Themes; Korea and Taiwan Likely to Consolidate? Normal Pullback to 50-day MA on $ACWI. Bullish Outlook Intact

Vermilion Research

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial (MUFG) (8306 JP) | Loading up on India

​MUFG acquires 20% of Shriram Finance, boosting India's retail credit exposure with strong growth potential and improved financials.

Pranav Bhavsar

Focus Remains on Non-A.I. Areas; Europe Remains Attractive; Energy, Gold Miners, Staples, Financials

Focus Remains on Non-A.I. Areas; Europe Remains Attractive; Actionable Themes: Energy, Gold Miners, Consumer Staples, Services, and Financials

Vermilion Research

BoJ Himino: A Blunt Critique of US Digital Finance Strategy

BoJ Himino Speech: No hints for near term policy decision, reducing June hike probability. His speech revealed a rare blunt critique of US policy...

Takuji Okubo

MUFG acquires 20% of Shriram Finance, boosting India's retail credit exposure with strong growth potential and improved financials.