Gavekal Dragonomics
November 30, 2021
With a downturn in property intensifying China’s economic slowdown, hopes are rising that a pickup in infrastructure investment will help stabilize growth in 2022. But as Wei argues in this piece, the property downturn is becoming a major drag on local-government finances, which will limit their ability to boost public works spending.
Gavekal Dragonomics
November 29, 2021
The downturn in China’s property sector will be a strain on smaller banks, which are less well-capitalized and often more exposed to the real-estate sector than their larger counterparts. In this piece, Xiaoxi explains why regulators are likely to take a hands-off approach to the problem, tolerating bank closures and encouraging bank mergers.
Gavekal Dragonomics
November 24, 2021
As the sharp downturn in China’s property sector continues to deepen, hopes for the stabilization of economic growth are turning to the prospect of a “green stimulus” via two new lending tools. In this report, Wei explains why the impact of these tools is likely to be negligible, as they are no substitute for an actual relaxation of macro policy.
Gavekal Dragonomics
November 17, 2021
China reported a record surge in its producer price index, prompting fears that the country is both a victim of the same supply-chain shocks facing the US and an exporter of further inflationary pressures. Thomas explains that while these concerns are unfounded, domestic growth momentum is the real problem.
Gavekal Dragonomics
November 15, 2021
The downturn in China’s property sector remains a major headwind for the country’s economic momentum. In this Quick Take, the Dragonomics team explains that although the downturn in China’s property sector will continue to weigh on growth, officials are showing no signs of easing up on restrictions.
Gavekal Dragonomics
November 5, 2021
Even though growth has been very disappointing in China, markets are not pricing in more monetary easing from the central bank. In this piece, Wei reviews the arguments currently being made for keeping interest rates on hold—and finds them all wanting. China’s policymakers are indeed being quite conservative, but will still end up cutting rates.
Gavekal Dragonomics
November 11, 2021
China’s outstanding mortgage loans grew in October, confirming anecdotal reports that banks have been allowed or encouraged to pick up the pace of mortgage lending. Wei and Xiaoxi explain that while more relaxation measures are likely on the way for property developers, it’s too early to say that their financial conditions are improving.
Gavekal Dragonomics
September 28, 2021
How much financial stress can China’s developers take? Thanks to strict financial regulation and slowing sales, every channel of financing for developers is now tightening simultaneously. In this piece, Xiaoxi explains how this puts pressure on policymakers to ease those financing restrictions, and why bank lending is the most likely beneficiary.
Gavekal Dragonomics
September 27, 2021
The southbound channel of the Bond Connect program linking mainland China and Hong Kong debt markets started trading on Friday. In this Quick Take, Wei explains that although outflows are unlikely to be large in the early stages, the program should eventually carry major flows and help grow Hong Kong’s offshore bond market.
Gavekal Dragonomics
November 3, 2021
China’s property market is heading into uncharted territory following a formal authorization for the government to carry out regional pilots of a property tax. The goals of such a tax are clear: reduce speculation and diversify local government revenues. However, Rosealea explains that the transition to this tax will be tricky and not without risk.
Gavekal Dragonomics
October 25, 2021
Troubled developer China Evergrande Group made an interest payment on a US dollar bond just before the 30-day grace period expired on October 23, narrowly avoiding a default. However, this does not mean the wave of developer defaults is over, or that the freeze in demand for developer debt has thawed.
Gavekal Dragonomics
October 19, 2021
To solve China’s power shortages, planners are both liberalizing electricity prices and browbeating mines to produce more coal. In this report, Rosealea explains that while getting through the crisis will require a rebound in coal-fired power, energy price liberalization should support China’s environmental goals in the long run.
Gavekal Dragonomics
October 28, 2021
China’s wave of regulatory actions against internet companies has left venture-capital and private-equity investors feeling on edge. While the new policy environment demands a rethink for investors, many believe they can still find promising investments. Of bigger concern is whether new regulations will make it harder to exit their positions.
Gavekal Dragonomics
October 12, 2021
As the US and Europe pursue more serious green agendas, they are wondering if they can wrest back production of solar power from China. The answer: probably not. China is not just the low-cost producer, but also the technological leader. In this piece, Dan explains why the global deployment of solar energy will depend heavily on China.
Gavekal Dragonomics
October 11, 2021
With the results in for China’s antitrust investigation of food-delivery giant Meituan, Ernan writes that the direction of China’s antitrust policy is now becoming increasingly evident, with clear guidance from regulators reducing uncertainty. However, platform profits should continue dwindling as their business models are chipped at by regulators.
Gavekal Dragonomics
October 21, 2021
For investors trying to buy the dip in Chinese equities, there is one reliable indicator—the government’s macroeconomic policy, as proxied by private-sector credit growth. In this report, Thomas outlines a robust decision rule for asset allocators: when credit growth is accelerating, buy equities; when it’s decelerating, buy government bonds.
Gavekal Research
September 13, 2021
China’s offshore internet platform stocks saw fresh falls in Asia on Monday morning after reports that the Chinese authorities will break up Ant Group’s Alipay business. In recent weeks, some investors have been advocating a rotation to “safer” segments of China’s tech sector, such as hardware companies favored by policymakers.
Gavekal Dragonomics
August 3, 2021
The pace of financial decoupling between the US and China has quickened, with regulators in both countries tightening requirements for Chinese firms seeking to list in US markets. With the SEC likely to push ahead with the delisting of Chinese firms, Thomas writes that Chinese companies will rely on Hong Kong to access global capital.
Gavekal Dragonomics
November 10, 2021
It’s now been a year since top leader Xi Jinping first laid out his new goal of achieving “common prosperity,” but how exactly that new slogan translates into government policy still remains rather unclear. As Andrew explains in this piece, that’s because common prosperity is ultimately more of a political campaign than a coherent policy agenda.
Gavekal Dragonomics
November 9, 2021
A major concern of negotiators and activists at this month’s global climate meetings is the size and credibility of China’s decarbonization commitment. However, as Arthur and Rosealea explain there are good reasons to believe that climate goals will play a large role in China’s policy mix in the coming decade—with large risks to economic growth.
Gavekal Dragonomics
September 9, 2021
Even by China’s high standards, 2021 has seen an extraordinary level of active government intervention in the economy. With foreign investors spooked and growth slowing, how much longer can it go on? In this chartbook, Andrew takes stock of the many aspects of the current policy activism and assesses the prospects for a course correction.
Gavekal Research
October 5, 2021
The Biden administration continues its crabwise efforts to craft a China strategy balancing national security and economic interests. The challenge is that Biden wants to maintain the basic stance established by Donald Trump—“strategic competition”—while satisfying a wider range of interest groups and setting more realistic policy targets.
Gavekal Research
June 17, 2021
US policy on China is now defined by an acute tension between national security and business interests. In this report, Arthur and Dan explain how the Biden administration is navigating this tension, one which will be a permanent feature of the global landscape over the next decade.
Gavekal Dragonomics
June 3, 2021
The US government’s criticism of China’s treatment of the Uyghur minority in Xinjiang, and China’s government’s tough response, is a very public test case for multinationals with China operations. They don’t want to take sides. But as Dan explains in this piece, foreign companies will, if forced to choose, move closer to the US position.
Gavekal Research
November 19, 2021
In our recent Shanghai seminar, Arthur Kroeber addressed China's policy moves this year, the decarbonization drive and the rivalry with the US; Thomas Gatley outlined the status and prospects for China's economy and markets; and Louis Gave presented his latest macroeconomic views as inflationary pressures around the world continue to moun
Gavekal Research
November 12, 2021
As the COP26 climate conference reached its end, our team of analysts convened to discuss what to make of the world’s major economies’ climate pledges. Europe has the most ambitious target, the US has finally outlined its specific goals, and China too has set a date by which to achieve a net-zero emission economy. How rough will the transition be?
Gavekal Research
October 15, 2021
China’s leaders capitalized on the country’s post-Covid boom by pursuing reforms that further Xi Jinping’s political goals. These have resulted in hits to both economic growth and financial markets. In this webinar, Andrew unpicks these developments and explains why he thinks no U-turn in the broad policy approach is likely.
Gavekal Dragonomics
November 22, 2021
China’s strong consumer recovery was waylaid by renewed Covid restrictions in 2021, which has kept services like travel and tourism depressed. The zero-tolerance Covid policy is certain to continue through 2022, shaping the pattern of consumer spending. In her annual consumer review, Ernan explains the cyclical outlook and key structural trends.
Gavekal Dragonomics
October 26, 2021
Supply-side issues are dominating the headlines, but China’s real problem is now on the demand side. Growth momentum stalled in Q3 as a downturn took hold in the property sector, and policymakers are responding only cautiously. In our latest quarterly chartbook, the Dragonomics team explains the changing outlook for the economy and markets.
Gavekal Dragonomics
October 7, 2021
China’s post-Covid property boom has unwound more rapidly than expected this year as the government’s tough policies drive developers into distress. In her annual chartbook, Rosealea explains the outlook for the rest of 2021 and 2022. Further declines in housing sales and construction will come, but policy adjustments can limit their magnitude.
Gavekal Dragonomics
June 30, 2021
The expansion and opening of China’s onshore renminbi bond market is one of the biggest changes to the structure of global financial markets in recent years, one that investors are still grappling with. In this comprehensive 30-page DeepChina report, our analysts present a guide to the nature and functioning of this important market.
Gavekal Dragonomics
April 20, 2021
China is using the best-funded industrial policy in history to engineer greater self-reliance in semiconductors. Ambition and a big checkbook, however, do not guarantee success. In this DeepChina report, Dan argues that Chinese chip firms will increase their market share in some segments, but will not make it to the technological frontier.
Gavekal Dragonomics
Rogier Creemers
December 10, 2020
China’s social credit system is widely misunderstood as a totalitarian tool. The reality is that it is a relatively low-tech part of a sophisticated Communist Party strategy to use digital means to deliver both better governance and social control. In this 22-page DeepChina report, Rogier Creemers explains the truth behind the social credit myths.