Asian Hedge Fund Manager, Long Short Equity, Macro

David Mudd

Macroeconomics

<ul>
<li>The US has entered the first leg of its bear market.  Administration officials have taken a "no pain, no gain" stance, with policy priorities taking precedence over market moves.</li>
<li>Sequencing problems start as tariffs and DOGE policies are enacted first, which negatively affect inflation and economic growth.  Atlanta Fed GDPNow forecasts a recession within a year.</li>
<li>Asian markets will be pulled down as part of the US risk-off trade.  Regarding relative performance, HK/China will benefit from the underweight exposure of foreign funds and better valuations.</li>
</ul>


The US has entered the first leg of its bear market.  Administration officials have taken a "no pain, no gain" stance, with policy priorities taking precedence over market moves.
Sequencing problems start as tariffs and DOGE policies are enacted first, which negatively affect inflation and economic growth.  Atlanta Fed GDPNow forecasts a recession within a year.
Asian markets will be pulled down as part of the US risk-off trade.  Regarding relative performance, HK/China will benefit from the underweight exposure of foreign funds and better valuations.


ASIA: Portfolio Positioning During US Bear Market

HK/China Equity Long-Short

Osbert Tang, CFA

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Our "Buy the Worst" strategy has outperformed the HSI by 1.7pp in the first two months. Meanwhile, the basket of best-performing constituents have underperformed 1.9pp. </li>
<li>More news on stimulating consumptions should be positive to <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/budweiser-brewing-co-apac-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28077:1" rel="noopener">Budweiser Brewing APAC (1876 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/chow-tai-fook-jewellery-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:549:1" rel="noopener">Chow Tai Fook Jewellery (1929 HK)</a>, and even <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hang-lung-properties-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:49:1" rel="noopener">Hang Lung Properties (101 HK)</a>. </li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/trip-com-group-ltd-23a341d0-4f63-4175-a8c5-ee990906cacd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:36424:1" rel="noopener">Trip.com Group (9961 HK)</a> has been weighed down by weaker profitability on higher costs. Earnings risks may negatively affect <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/meituan" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26970:1" rel="noopener">Meituan (3690 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-hongqiao-group-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1909:1" rel="noopener">China Hongqiao (1378 HK)</a>. </li>
</ul>


Our "Buy the Worst" strategy has outperformed the HSI by 1.7pp in the first two months. Meanwhile, the basket of best-performing constituents have underperformed 1.9pp. 
More news on stimulating consumptions should be positive to Budweiser Brewing APAC (1876 HK), Chow Tai Fook Jewellery (1929 HK), and even Hang Lung Properties (101 HK). 

Trip.com Group (9961 HK) has been weighed down by weaker profitability on higher costs. Earnings risks may negatively affect Meituan (3690 HK) and China Hongqiao (1378 HK). 


"Buy the Worst" HSI Strategy: Initial Win Against HSI This Year

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

<ul>
<li>Our outlook remains bullish on global equities (MSCI ACWI). We've been bullish since early-November 2023, save for a two month period from late-July to late-September 2024 when we were neutral.</li>
<li>We also believe the U.S. dollar (DXY) and Treasury yields have put in major tops, which is a crucial risk-on signal for global equities.</li>
<li>With more and more countries breaking out, we remain bullish as long as ACWI-US is above $116, S&amp;P 500 is above 5770-5850, and EURO STOXX 50 is above 5030.</li>
</ul>


Our outlook remains bullish on global equities (MSCI ACWI). We've been bullish since early-November 2023, save for a two month period from late-July to late-September 2024 when we were neutral.
We also believe the U.S. dollar (DXY) and Treasury yields have put in major tops, which is a crucial risk-on signal for global equities.
With more and more countries breaking out, we remain bullish as long as ACWI-US is above $116, S&amp;P 500 is above 5770-5850, and EURO STOXX 50 is above 5030.


Major Top for the U.S. Dollar (DXY) = Risk-On; Bullish Outlook Despite Near-Term Downside Risk

Articles from Caixin Global, Caixin Global

Caixin Global

Articles from Caixin Global

Caixin is a media group dedicated to providing financial and business news through periodicals, online content, mobile apps, conferences, books and TV/video programs. Caixin aims to blaze a trail that helps traditional media prosper in the new media age through integrated multimedia platforms.

News from Caixin

Cross Asset Strategy

<ul>
<li>Insurers / In Depth: Falling yields pile pressure on China’s insurers</li>
<li>Malaysia /Interview: Malaysia ideally placed for high-tech development, economy minister says</li>
<li>AI /: Boost inference to follow in DeepSeek’s footsteps, AI veteran tells Chinese firms</li>
</ul>


Insurers / In Depth: Falling yields pile pressure on China’s insurers
Malaysia /Interview: Malaysia ideally placed for high-tech development, economy minister says
AI /: Boost inference to follow in DeepSeek’s footsteps, AI veteran tells Chinese firms


CX Daily: Falling Yields Pile Pressure on China’s Insurers 

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

Rikki Malik

<ul>
<li>Continuing review of the sectors we like for the next phase of the HK/China bull market</li>
<li>In financials, insurers are a lower volatility way of playing the equity market revival</li>
<li>Watch for a reversal of bond yields as a signal to buy</li>
</ul>


Continuing review of the sectors we like for the next phase of the HK/China bull market
In financials, insurers are a lower volatility way of playing the equity market revival
Watch for a reversal of bond yields as a signal to buy


Timing the Entry into the Insurance Sector for the Next Phase of the HK/China Bull Market

China

Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation operates as a semiconductor foundry. The Company provides integrated circuit foundry and technology services including the testing, development, design, manufacturing, packaging, and sale of integrated circuits. Semiconductor Manufacturing International offers its products and services around the world.

SMIC (Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp) (981 HK)

SMIC (Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp)

Price Gauge
52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
Market Cap (USDm)	0.00
P/E	0.00
Dividend (Yield)	0.00

SMIC (Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp) (981 HK)

ASIA: Portfolio Positioning During US Bear Market

The first leg of the US bear market will pull global markets down as part of a risk-off trade. Asian markets will need to navigate a minefield of...

David Mudd

"Buy the Worst" HSI Strategy: Initial Win Against HSI This Year

"Buy the worst" strategy outperforms HSI by 1.7pp, while best-performing stocks lag by 1.9pp. Stimulating consumption news could benefit...

Osbert Tang, CFA

Major Top for the U.S. Dollar (DXY) = Risk-On; Bullish Outlook Despite Near-Term Downside Risk

Major Top for the U.S. Dollar $DXY = Risk-On; Bullish Outlook Intact on $ACWI despite near-term downside risk. We remain bullish if $ACWI > $116,...

Vermilion Research

CX Daily: Falling Yields Pile Pressure on China’s Insurers

Insurers / In Depth: Falling yields pile pressure on China’s insurers China’s insurance companies reported higher investment returns in 2024...

Caixin Global

Timing the Entry into the Insurance Sector for the Next Phase of the HK/China Bull Market

Analysis of sectors favored for the upcoming phase of the HK/China bull market, with a focus on insurers as a lower volatility option and a tip to...

Rikki Malik

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

ASIA: Portfolio Positioning During US Bear Market

The first leg of the US bear market will pull global markets down as part of a risk-off trade. Asian markets will need to navigate a minefield of...

David Mudd

"Buy the Worst" HSI Strategy: Initial Win Against HSI This Year

​"Buy the worst" strategy outperforms HSI by 1.7pp, while best-performing stocks lag by 1.9pp. Stimulating consumption news could benefit...

Osbert Tang, CFA

Major Top for the U.S. Dollar (DXY) = Risk-On; Bullish Outlook Despite Near-Term Downside Risk

Major Top for the U.S. Dollar $DXY = Risk-On; Bullish Outlook Intact on $ACWI despite near-term downside risk. We remain bullish if $ACWI > $116,...

Vermilion Research

CX Daily: Falling Yields Pile Pressure on China’s Insurers

Insurers / In Depth: Falling yields pile pressure on China’s insurers China’s insurance companies reported higher investment returns in 2024...

Caixin Global

Timing the Entry into the Insurance Sector for the Next Phase of the HK/China Bull Market

​Analysis of sectors favored for the upcoming phase of the HK/China bull market, with a focus on insurers as a lower volatility option and a tip to...

Rikki Malik

"Buy the worst" strategy outperforms HSI by 1.7pp, while best-performing stocks lag by 1.9pp. Stimulating consumption news could benefit...

Analysis of sectors favored for the upcoming phase of the HK/China bull market, with a focus on insurers as a lower volatility option and a tip to...