Global Asset Allocation, Politics & Governance, Ecstrat

John-Paul Smith

Global Asset Allocation, Politics & Governance

Ecstrat

Ecstrat is a consultancy advising on asset allocation between global equity markets, with a focus on the intersection of governments, geopolitics, governance and markets.
 
Over the past few years and more especially since the Great Financial Crisis (GFC), investors have become more focused on short-term market movements and real-time returns and have consequently neglected the analysis of the underlying structural themes that underpin longer term performance.
​
More specifically we believe that the evolution of governance-based relationships between investors, controlling shareholders, labour and the state is one of the primary determinants of both relative and absolute performance between individual equity markets.
 
We will endeavour to provide investors with some of the context surrounding governance-related issues which encompass many different disciplines including history, economics and political science, as well as the financial metrics which are the most obvious manifestation of the structural characteristics of each market.
 
We will pay particular attention to the shifts and potential inflection points for governance in individual markets as these are often the best lead indicators for both economic and market performance.

Cross Asset Strategy

<div><div><div>Let me begin by revisiting the road map for the bear market in EM equities which I first outlined in my role as EM equity strategist for Deutsche Bank towards the end of 2010 and the start of 2011, at a time when the consensus outlook for EM economies and equities was almost unanimously bullish.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>I made a number of tentative predictions and recommendations, which were generally greeted with a combination of indifference and skepticism and on occasion outright hostility among most, though not quite all of the bank&rsquo;s clients.</div><div>&nbsp;</div></div></div><div><div><strong>It seems that we may now be entering the final stage of EM relative underperformance, in line with our expectations in our initiation last year where we posited the relative trade was 2/3rds through.</strong></div></div>

Let me begin by revisiting the road map for the bear market in EM equities which I first outlined in my role as EM equity strategist for Deutsche Bank towards the end of 2010 and the start of 2011, at a time when the consensus outlook for EM economies and equities was almost unanimously bullish.&nbsp;I made a number of tentative predictions and recommendations, which were generally greeted with a combination of indifference and skepticism and on occasion outright hostility among most, though not quite all of the bank&rsquo;s clients.&nbsp;It seems that we may now be entering the final stage of EM relative underperformance, in line with our expectations in our initiation last year where we posited the relative trade was 2/3rds through.

A Roadmap of the EM Bear Market and Three Myths about the China Bull Market

Head of Research, Krungthai XSpring

Waraporn Wiboonkanarak

Head of Research

A full service Thai brokerage

Krungthai XSpring

Krungthai XSpring is a full service broker. The company provides a wide range of investment services such as Securities Brokerage, Derivative Agent Business, Securities Borrowing and Lending, Securities Trading, Underwriting, Financial Advisory, Wealth Advisory, Private Fund Management and International Markets Securities Trading. 

In terms of credibility, Fitch Ratings has assigned Krunghtai XSpring a long-term rating of AA- and a national short-term rating of F1+ with stable outlook.

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul><li>An explosion occurred at a Valero Energy refinery in Port Arthur on the evening of Monday, March 23 (local time).</li><li>The Valero refinery is a large, complex facility located on the US Gulf Coast and is a net diesel exporter to Europe and Latin America.</li><li>We are positive in the short term on diesel and jet crack spreads, as global supply is expected to tighten.</li></ul>

An explosion occurred at a Valero Energy refinery in Port Arthur on the evening of Monday, March 23 (local time).The Valero refinery is a large, complex facility located on the US Gulf Coast and is a net diesel exporter to Europe and Latin America.We are positive in the short term on diesel and jet crack spreads, as global supply is expected to tighten.

Energy (Refinery): An Explosion Occurred At A Valero Refinery (400kbd Capacity) In Texas

HK/China Equity Long-Short

Osbert Tang, CFA

Equity Capital Markets

CNGR Advanced Material / Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cngr-advanced-material-co-ltd-47ff2856-4dc1-492a-8394-03d69de02ce4" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:45994:1" rel="noopener">CNGR Advanced Material (2579 HK)</a>'s IPO price was fixed at the low end at HK$34.00. However, valuation is inexpensive, and initial price weakness is a long-term opportunity.</li>
<li>Three groups of close peers, including nickel-related companies, mining companies, and lithium/battery companies, trade on average FY26F PER of 21x, vs. CNGR's 12.5x.</li>
<li>By parking it with the steepest HA discount of its peers (26.2%), CNGR will be valued at HK$40.07, as its IPO price implies a massive 37.4% discount.</li>
</ul>



CNGR Advanced Material (2579 HK)'s IPO price was fixed at the low end at HK$34.00. However, valuation is inexpensive, and initial price weakness is a long-term opportunity.
Three groups of close peers, including nickel-related companies, mining companies, and lithium/battery companies, trade on average FY26F PER of 21x, vs. CNGR's 12.5x.
By parking it with the steepest HA discount of its peers (26.2%), CNGR will be valued at HK$40.07, as its IPO price implies a massive 37.4% discount.


CNGR Advanced Material (2579 HK): Opportunity Is Out There

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Periscope Analytics

Periscope Analytics focuses on event-driven trades across Asia Pacific and provides comprehensive, timely and systematic coverage of index changes to major Asia Pacific indices in a structured manner.

The analysis includes forecasted inclusions and exclusions to all major Asian indices that have significant amount of tracking assets, including estimates of passive buy/sell flow on the stocks. The service also provides commentary and impact of market consultations, ground rule changes, and other events (IPOs, spin-offs, M&A) that could lead to index changes and passive flow.

Periscope Analytics works with multi-strategy hedge funds, proprietary trading firms, stat arb trading groups and long-only investors that invest and trade in the Asia Pacific region with the data being used to trade index rebalances, avoid pre-positioning and passive flow, and to time entry into and exit from stocks.

Event-Driven Trades Across Asia Pacific

Index Rebalance

<ul>
<li>The WisdomTree Emerging Markets High Dividend Index is a fundamentally weighted index that measures the performance of high dividend yield stocks within emerging markets.</li>
<li>The changes at the October rebalance were announced after market close on 6 October with implementation scheduled at the close on 15 October.</li>
<li>There are 217 adds and 224 deletes for the index with an estimated round-trip trade of US$2.3bn. There are many stocks with over 2x ADV to trade.</li>
</ul>


The WisdomTree Emerging Markets High Dividend Index is a fundamentally weighted index that measures the performance of high dividend yield stocks within emerging markets.
The changes at the October rebalance were announced after market close on 6 October with implementation scheduled at the close on 15 October.
There are 217 adds and 224 deletes for the index with an estimated round-trip trade of US$2.3bn. There are many stocks with over 2x ADV to trade.


WisdomTree Emerging Markets High Dividend Index Rebalance: US$2.3bn Round-Trip Trade

Derivatives and Quantitative Strategist

Gaudenz Schneider

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>
<strong>Timing:</strong><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/fortescue-metals-group-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:41:1" rel="noopener">Fortescue (FMG AU)</a> is scheduled to report its FY2025 full-year results on Tuesday, 26 August 2025.</li>
<li>
<strong>Highlight:</strong> The options market provides estimates for the anticipated price move and the upcoming dividend. Implied volatility is projected to decline post-event; this Insight maps the resulting term structure.</li>
<li>
<strong>Why Read:</strong> Get the expected move, the dividend outlook, and a clear view of the post-event volatility term structure to be ready for results day.</li>
</ul>



Timing:Fortescue (FMG AU) is scheduled to report its FY2025 full-year results on Tuesday, 26 August 2025.

Highlight: The options market provides estimates for the anticipated price move and the upcoming dividend. Implied volatility is projected to decline post-event; this Insight maps the resulting term structure.

Why Read: Get the expected move, the dividend outlook, and a clear view of the post-event volatility term structure to be ready for results day.


Fortescue (FMG AU) Results on 26 Aug: Expected Price Swings and Volatility Outlook

Brazil

Vale S.A. is a Brazilian multinational corporation primarily engaged in metals and mining, and one of the largest logistics operators in Brazil. It is a leading global producer of iron ore and nickel, also producing copper, manganese, ferroalloys, and other base metals. The company operates integrated logistics systems including railways, maritime terminals, and ports. Headquartered in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the company was founded in 1942.

Price Gauge
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Vale (VALE3 BR)

A Roadmap of the EM Bear Market and Three Myths about the China Bull Market

Let me begin by revisiting the road map for the bear market in EM equities which I first outlined in my role as EM equity strategist for Deutsche...

John-Paul Smith

Energy (Refinery): An Explosion Occurred At A Valero Refinery (400kbd Capacity) In Texas

The Valero refinery is a large, complex facility located on the US Gulf Coast and is a net diesel exporter to Europe and Latin America.

Krungthai XSpring

CNGR Advanced Material (2579 HK): Opportunity Is Out There

CNGR Advanced Material's IPO price fixed at low end due to lukewarm response, but valuation seen as inexpensive compared to close peers in nickel,...

Osbert Tang, CFA

WisdomTree Emerging Markets High Dividend Index Rebalance: US$2.3bn Round-Trip Trade

There are 217 adds/224 deletes for the WisdomTree Emerging Markets High Dividend Index. The round-trip trade is around US$2.3bn and there are a...

Brian Freitas

Fortescue (FMG AU) Results on 26 Aug: Expected Price Swings and Volatility Outlook

Fortescue (FMG AU) to report FY2025 results on 26 August 2025. Options market anticipates price move, dividend outlook, and post-event volatility....

Gaudenz Schneider

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

A Roadmap of the EM Bear Market and Three Myths about the China Bull Market

Let me begin by revisiting the road map for the bear market in EM equities which I first outlined in my role as EM equity strategist for Deutsche...

John-Paul Smith

Energy (Refinery): An Explosion Occurred At A Valero Refinery (400kbd Capacity) In Texas

The Valero refinery is a large, complex facility located on the US Gulf Coast and is a net diesel exporter to Europe and Latin America.

Krungthai XSpring

CNGR Advanced Material (2579 HK): Opportunity Is Out There

​CNGR Advanced Material's IPO price fixed at low end due to lukewarm response, but valuation seen as inexpensive compared to close peers in nickel,...

Osbert Tang, CFA

WisdomTree Emerging Markets High Dividend Index Rebalance: US$2.3bn Round-Trip Trade

There are 217 adds/224 deletes for the WisdomTree Emerging Markets High Dividend Index. The round-trip trade is around US$2.3bn and there are a...

Brian Freitas

Fortescue (FMG AU) Results on 26 Aug: Expected Price Swings and Volatility Outlook

​Fortescue (FMG AU) to report FY2025 results on 26 August 2025. Options market anticipates price move, dividend outlook, and post-event volatility....

Gaudenz Schneider

CNGR Advanced Material's IPO price fixed at low end due to lukewarm response, but valuation seen as inexpensive compared to close peers in nickel,...

Fortescue (FMG AU) to report FY2025 results on 26 August 2025. Options market anticipates price move, dividend outlook, and post-event volatility....