Director, Head of Research, Smartkarma

Pranav Rao

Director, Head of Research

Smartkarma

Smartkarma unites the fragmented investment industry, connecting institutional investors, independent research providers, and corporates within a single network.

Research Reinvented

Equity Bottom-Up

Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Welcome to Curator’s Cut - a fortnightly roundup of standout themes from the 1,200+ insights shared on Smartkarma.</li>
<li>In this cut, we survey the consumer staples sector at historic positioning lows, follow the rotation into (Asian) financials, and assess the sometimes mixed track record of spin-offs. </li>
<li>Want to dig deeper? Comment or message with the themes you'd like to see highlighted next.</li>
</ul>


Welcome to Curator’s Cut - a fortnightly roundup of standout themes from the 1,200+ insights shared on Smartkarma.
In this cut, we survey the consumer staples sector at historic positioning lows, follow the rotation into (Asian) financials, and assess the sometimes mixed track record of spin-offs. 
Want to dig deeper? Comment or message with the themes you'd like to see highlighted next.


Curator's Cut: Few Want Consumer Staples, Many Want Financials, & Spin-Off Lessons

Global Equities, Multi-Asset PM, Dantes Outlook

Damanick Dantes, CMT

Global Equities, Multi-Asset PM

Dantes Outlook

We invest over a full market cycle, using multi-asset portfolios tailored to each global client, from individuals to family offices.

Built to Endure

Cross Asset Strategy

<ul>
<li>CTAs are positioned in Asia uptrends, but the stocks that support it are losing momentum.</li>
<li>We uncovered stocks that sit outside the CTA trade that may be less vulnerable to outflows.</li>
<li>Tech uptrends remain intact, just lower their weight and make room for less volatile trends in financials.</li>
</ul>


CTAs are positioned in Asia uptrends, but the stocks that support it are losing momentum.
We uncovered stocks that sit outside the CTA trade that may be less vulnerable to outflows.
Tech uptrends remain intact, just lower their weight and make room for less volatile trends in financials.


CTA Trend Picks in Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan

<ul>
<li>
Return dispersion among banks is wide enough to select on. Individual outcomes range from <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/fukui-bank-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:9011:1" rel="noopener">Fukui Bank (8362 JP)</a> at +264% to <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/rakuten-bank-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:35638:1" rel="noopener">Rakuten Bank (5838 JP)</a> at -23%.</li>
<li>
Leadership is rotating. Money is moving from small cheap regionals back toward larger names.</li>
<li>
We constructed a barbel portfolio. Leg A holds six trend-confirmed momentum leaders. Leg B holds six accelerating laggards.</li>
</ul>



Return dispersion among banks is wide enough to select on. Individual outcomes range from Fukui Bank (8362 JP) at +264% to Rakuten Bank (5838 JP) at -23%.

Leadership is rotating. Money is moving from small cheap regionals back toward larger names.

We constructed a barbel portfolio. Leg A holds six trend-confirmed momentum leaders. Leg B holds six accelerating laggards.


Japanese Banks: Rotating Beneath the Surface

Singapore Market Roundup, Singapore Market Roundup

Singapore Market Roundup

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>CGS International reduces Venture's target price to $18.94 from $21.78.</li>
<li>Goldman Sachs starts ST Engineering with a 'buy' rating and $13.20 target.</li>
<li>SAC Capital lifts Lincotrade's target price to 52.9 cents, boosting order book.</li>
</ul>


CGS International reduces Venture's target price to $18.94 from $21.78.
Goldman Sachs starts ST Engineering with a 'buy' rating and $13.20 target.
SAC Capital lifts Lincotrade's target price to 52.9 cents, boosting order book.


Singapore Market Roundup (18-Sep-2026): CGS cuts Venture's target price to $18.94 from $21.78.

<ul><li>UOBKH starts 'buy' rating for EGP Energy at 92 cents.</li><li>UOBKH's Chen downgrades SIA to 'sell' due to rising fuel costs; keeps Air India 'neutral'.</li><li>Evolve Capital keeps ‘buy’ rating with lowered target of 38 cents for ASL Marine.</li></ul>

UOBKH starts 'buy' rating for EGP Energy at 92 cents.UOBKH's Chen downgrades SIA to 'sell' due to rising fuel costs; keeps Air India 'neutral'.Evolve Capital keeps ‘buy’ rating with lowered target of 38 cents for ASL Marine.

Singapore Market Roundup (17-Sep-2026): UOBKH rates EGP Energy as 'buy' at 92 cents.

Japan

Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings, Inc. is a holding company established jointly by Chuo Mitsui Trust Holdings and Sumitomo Trust and Banking. As a financial group, the Bank provides trust banking business, as well as securities brokerage, assets management, and related financial services.

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Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings (8309 JP)

Curator's Cut: Few Want Consumer Staples, Many Want Financials, & Spin-Off Lessons

In this Curator's Cut, we examine poor positioning in Consumer Staples, the (continued) rotation into (Asian) Financials and mixed views on spin...

Pranav Rao

CTA Trend Picks in Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan

Trend followers are long Asian equities, but the mega-cap leaders are decelerating. If CTAs unwind, what survives? Hold strength at lower weights...

Damanick Dantes, CMT

Japanese Banks: Rotating Beneath the Surface

Japanese banks are outperforming, although dispersion is wide. There's a rotation between small/large and cheap/expensive, so we built a barbel...

Damanick Dantes, CMT

Singapore Market Roundup (18-Sep-2026): CGS cuts Venture's target price to $18.94 from $21.78.

CGS International cuts Venture's target price to $18.94. Goldman Sachs initiates ST Engineering with a 'buy' and $13.20 target.

Singapore Market Roundup

Singapore Market Roundup (17-Sep-2026): UOBKH rates EGP Energy as 'buy' at 92 cents.

UOBKH initiates 'buy' on EGP Energy at 92 cents, downgrades SIA to 'sell' amid rising fuel costs, and Evolve Capital maintains 'buy' on ASL Marine...

Singapore Market Roundup

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