In today’s briefing:
- Ohayo Japan | US Stocks Slip as Iran Escalation Revives
- Consumer Staples: Rock Bottom (Again?)
- India Flexible Workspace: Enterprise Demand Compounds as Five Listed Operators Report Q1 FY27
- Terminal Deflation: Evergrande’s Collapse and the Structural Reset of Chinese Real Estate
Ohayo Japan | US Stocks Slip as Iran Escalation Revives
- US stocks ended lower as renewed US-Iran hostilities raised geopolitical and growth risks
- Brent rose about 2.8% to above $90/barrel, supporting Energy stocks
- Japan’s MoD: FY2027 initial budget request of ¥8.9 trillion, reflecting preparations for AI- and drone-enabled warfare
Consumer Staples: Rock Bottom (Again?)
- Consumer Staples allocations among GEM funds have fallen to record lows, extending a decade-long decline in the sector’s importance within active EM portfolios.
- The retreat is broad-based across countries, fund styles and stocks, with 2026 bringing further reductions in ownership, active selling and estimated net outflows.
- Staples remains deep in the bottom-left of our Ownership Cycle, combining historically weak positioning with negative momentum and little evidence yet of a sector-level inflection.
India Flexible Workspace: Enterprise Demand Compounds as Five Listed Operators Report Q1 FY27
- H1 2026 flex leasing rose 32% YOY to 8.6 msf, lifting flex to 24% of total office leasing versus 19% a year earlier.
- All five listed operators reported Q1 FY27. Enterprise clients and GCCs remain the structural demand engine.
- Table Space filed its DRHP in August, signalling a widening listed peer set beyond the current five.
Terminal Deflation: Evergrande’s Collapse and the Structural Reset of Chinese Real Estate
- The Paradigm Shift: Evergrande’s liquidation permanently destroys the debt-fueled development model, initiating a structural transition into a classic balance sheet recession and altering global macroeconomics.
- Sector Bifurcation: The market dictates a terminal divergence, heavily favoring state-owned developers with premium land banks while privately-owned enterprises face irreversible liquidity traps and structural shrinkage.
- Valuation Re-rating: Equity frameworks must permanently abandon net asset value models, transitioning to utility-based pricing that prioritizes operational cash flow, balance sheet solvency, and recurring yields.

