Gavekal Research

Long Chen

Aug 15th 2017

China’s first monthly data for the second half of 2017 showed growth momentum softening. While reflation peaked in the first half of 2017, the story is still that the exit from reflation will be very slow and gradual. Economic policy will be largely on hold in this period: tightening has peaked, but the switch to easing is still a long way away.

Gavekal Research

Louis Gave

Aug 09th 2017

I don’t usually quote mass murderers, but when I do, I usually fall back on Lenin’s quip that “there are decades when nothing happens, and weeks when decades happen”. Lenin was referring to the Russian Revolution which took place a hundred years ago and to this day still casts a long shadow. To some extent, the Russian Revolution, itself a bastard child of the first world war, crystallized the end of an era for Europe. Thereafter the world’s...

Gavekal Research

Rosealea Yao

Aug 01st 2017

China’s property market is once again running hotter than expected, pushing prices of iron, steel and coal up by 15%-40% over recent weeks. But the gradual downward trend in property has not changed. And with high prices and government intervention both stimulating more commodity supply, the potential for further price gains is limited.

Gavekal Dragonomics

Andrew Batson

Jul 24th 2017

Investment drives China’s growth, but the state of the investment cycle is now being obscured rather than revealed by the most closely followed indicator of capital spending, fixed-asset investment. In this piece, Andrew updates his model of monthly real growth in gross fixed capital formation, and draws three conclusions from its signals.

Gavekal Dragonomics

Yanmei Xie

Jul 19th 2017

The flow of cross-border M&A from China is reviving as the crackdown on capital flight eases. But as Yanmei argues, the flow of deals is unlikely to repeat the stunning growth surge in 2016, as the government has now reasserted its control over outward direct investment. This environment will likely be friendlier to state firms than private ones.

Gavekal Research

Long Chen

Jul 17th 2017

Official statements following the conclusion of Beijing’s National Financial Work Conference signal that the recent tightening cycle has now peaked and that market interest rates are likely to fall from current levels, argues Chen Long. The story remains that while Chinese reflation has peaked, the ensuing slowdown will be moderate and gradual.

Gavekal Research

Thomas Gatley, Long Chen

Jul 13th 2017

Recent efforts to open up China's stock and bond markets have granted deeper access for foreign investors. In Tuesday's conference call Thomas Gatley outlined what MSCI's decision to include A-shares in its indexes means for investors, while Chen Long argued that the next great bond bull market may happen in China.

Gavekal Dragonomics

Ernan Cui

Jul 11th 2017

When you buy a house, you also buy things to go in it—yet the rebound in housing sales over the past 18 months has not done much for sales of major home appliances. As Ernan explains in this piece, Chinese demand for washing machines, refrigerators and televisions has now more or less peaked. The main exception is the humble air conditioner.

Gavekal Research

Louis Gave

Jul 04th 2017

Aside from health care, the other “Trump trade” that has worked wonders since November 9 has been defense stocks. After all, with the Dow Jones sector index up some 22% in the period, what’s not to like? On taking office, Donald Trump cranked up military spending, and during his state visit to Saudi Arabia in May secured weapon sales worth US$110bn. On Friday—just hours before Xi Jinping took the stage in Hong Kong to celebrate the 20th...

Gavekal Research

Thomas Gatley, Long Chen

Jul 03rd 2017

The doors to China’s capital markets are opening wider, with MSCI adding A-shares to its indexes, and the Bond Connect program launching in Hong Kong. In this Strategy Monthly, Thomas Gatley and Chen Long explain how foreign investors should position themselves in Chinese bonds and equities in light of these new market-opening measures.

Gavekal Research

Louis Gave

Jun 28th 2017

A couple of weeks ago, Louis asked if the downside breakout in bond yields (touching 2.10%) could foster a stable investment environment. At the time he foresaw three possible scenarios. After yesterday's hawkish pronouncements by multiple central banks, he is not so sure and is focusing on a narrower range of possibilities which may herald a new investment environment.

Gavekal Research

Thomas Gatley

Jun 21st 2017

After three years of teasing, MSCI has agreed to include Chinese domestically-listed stocks, or A-shares, in its main equity indexes. Yet, hopes that MSCI inclusion will quickly spur huge capital inflows and a sustained domestic bull market, are almost certainly wide of the mark.

Gavekal Dragonomics

Ernan Cui

Jun 15th 2017

China’s troubled industrial sector shed 2.3mn jobs in 2016—but these losses were swamped by millions more new jobs created in services. The real issue in the labor market today is not how many jobs are being destroyed, but the quality of the jobs being created. Most new jobs are in small businesses that offer lower wages and less security.

Gavekal Dragonomics

Hugh White, Agatha Kratz, Jude Blanchette, Simon Cartledge

Jun 08th 2017

China is attempting to become Asia’s new leader. The high costs of confronting it mean that the US’s regional influence is likely to dwindle. But widespread distrust of China means that many countries will continue to prefer investment from the EU, US and Japan. This issue of China Economic Quarterly investigates China’s role in the Asia-Pacific.

Gavekal Dragonomics

Tom Miller

Jun 08th 2017

China’s Belt and Road Initiative elicits widespread skepticism and concern, while the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership is often seen as a poor cousin of the aborted Trans-Pacific Partnership. But they are currently the only credible plans for greater Asian integration.

Gavekal Dragonomics

Agatha Kratz

Jun 08th 2017

While China’s trade with Southeast Asia flourishes, a lack of experience has left its investment in the region lagging far behind. For now, Southeast Asian countries will continue to work with Japanese, EU and US institutions—regardless of how attractive China’s initial bids are.

Gavekal Dragonomics

Arthur Kroeber, Dan Wang

Jun 08th 2017

Shifting China’s industrial production from low-margin assembly to high-value, technology-intensive goods has long been the Holy Grail for planners. Export data show a lot of progress, but also an enduringly high reliance on foreign components, technology and management.

Gavekal Dragonomics

Tom Miller

Jun 08th 2017

Will the Asia-Pacific region will shape global politics and economics in the 21st Century, as the West’s centuries-long domination of world affairs draws to a close, or will unseen threats in Asia, from economic stagnation to political unrest and growing military tensions, throw a spanner in the works? Tom Miller reviews two books that each present their case.

Gavekal Research

Louis Gave

Jun 06th 2017

Rugby players fall into one of two categories: the forwards, who typically go where the ball is (and in the process put their heads in places most sane people wouldn’t put their feet), and the backs, who try to go where the ball will be, which enables them to look good and keep their kit clean, but earns them the scorn of the forwards. Peter FitzSimons, the first Aussie to play for a French club (Brive), once remarked: “Come the revolution, the...

Gavekal Dragonomics

Yanmei Xie

Jun 02nd 2017

The key event in China’s political calendar is now just a few months away. The 19th Party Congress will reveal who will join top leader Xi Jinping in the ruling Politburo Standing Committee, and in the process provide clues to China’s political future. In this piece, Yanmei outlines different possible scenarios and explains their implications.

Gavekal Dragonomics

Tom Miller

May 24th 2017

China wants to build a new satellite city to take over Beijing’s “non-capital functions,” and their associated workers. In this piece, Tom Miller examines the Xiong’an New Area and the government’s grand plans to cap Beijing’s population and spread wealth to surrounding regions. He finds the economic benefits are unlikely to outweigh the costs.

Gavekal Dragonomics

Thomas Gatley

May 22nd 2017

The recent financial crackdown may give the impression that “China is finally getting serious about corporate deleveraging.” This impression is wrong: while leverage is already declining, this is likely to stop in 2017. Worries about zombie companies have also faded as rising profits and falling rates make it easier to service corporate debt.

Gavekal Dragonomics

Andrew Batson

May 15th 2017

The main source of uncertainty in the Chinese economy right now is the financial crackdown launched in March. In this piece, Andrew looks at the April data and finds that the regulatory campaign’s impact has so far been contained. This supports our call that the regulatory stress is a bigger problem for asset markets than for the real economy.

Gavekal Dragonomics

Long Chen

May 09th 2017

The renminbi has had a surprisingly good year, thanks in large part to the weakness of the US dollar. In this piece, Chen Long argues that dollar weakness will likely continue—and with it a benign environment for capital flows and China’s currency policy. Even a rise in the renminbi is a prospect that can no longer be dismissed out of hand.

Gavekal Dragonomics

Andrew Batson

May 03rd 2017

Optimism about China’s growth is now higher than it has been for years, after the notable recovery in the last couple of quarters. But in this piece, Andrew argues China still can’t escape a further growth slowdown, because its continued reliance on state-driven investment is sapping productivity growth and undermining the private sector.

Gavekal Dragonomics

Long Chen

Apr 26th 2017

Chinese financial officials are stirring up a regulatory storm with their new crackdown on various forms of speculation, arbitrage and risky behavior. Though much is still unclear, the campaign is likely to lead to tighter liquidity and slower credit growth. But the more immediate risk is its impact on the domestic equity and bond markets.

Gavekal Research

Yanmei Xie

Apr 20th 2017

Last weekend's extreme tension on the Korean peninsula is just the latest episode to severely test Beijing’s patience with North Korea. Yet even as elements of the Chinese leadership tire of Kim Jong Un’s grandstanding, China remains unlikely to make a bold move that threatens the regime. Despite acute US pressure, China will seek to preserve the status quo.

Gavekal Research

Arthur Kroeber, Long Chen, Yanmei Xie

Apr 14th 2017

In the aftermath of the first summit meeting between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump, the critical issues remain the same: a prickly trade and investment relationship which American businesses feel is increasingly skewed against them, and rising danger of confrontation over North Korea. In the background lies the question of how long China’s current economic expansion will keep running. Arthur Kroeber and China policy analyst Yanmei Xie discussed...

Gavekal Dragonomics

Thomas Gatley

Apr 12th 2017

China’s producer price index slowed slightly year-on-year in March. However, this does not signal a halt to Chinese growth, nor is it likely to cause equities to roll over argues Thomas. The momentum from last year’s big housing stimulus remains, and the level of commodity prices is high enough to keep profit margins decent, supporting corporate investment and wages.

Gavekal Research

Arthur Kroeber

Apr 10th 2017

Last week’s Citrus Summit between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump came in with a gale of empty punditry and drifted away on a warm breeze of genial platitudes. Arthur argues that the risk of a damaging trade war between the two countries has now evaporated, and that the directionless White House has yet to sort out its economic priorities on China.

Gavekal Research

Will Denyer, Charles Gave, Tom Miller, Anatole Kaletsky

Apr 05th 2017

In Gavekal’s seminar in London last week Will Denyer, Charles Gave, Tom Miller and Anatole Kaletsky presented their macroeconomic outlooks and offered investors asset allocation advice.

Gavekal Research

Louis Gave

Mar 29th 2017

Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss? Last Sunday saw the “election” of Carrie Lam, CY Leung’s former Number 2, to the post of Hong Kong chief executive. The hope now has to be that, just as Robert Wagner in Austin Powers proved altogether more competent than Dr Evil, Hong Kong’s Number 2 will show herself to be more competent than her former boss in handling the territory’s affairs.

Gavekal Dragonomics

Rosealea Yao

Mar 28th 2017

Iron ore prices are still high, but for how much longer? Returning from a field trip, Rosealea is now more convinced prices will fall. A government campaign to close low-end steel producers is aggravating cyclical swings rather than changing the structure of the industry. As supply is now rising to meet demand, prices will come under pressure.

Gavekal Dragonomics

Yanmei Xie, Ernan Cui

Mar 23rd 2017

Since South Korea decided to host a US missile-defense system, China has restricted tourism and closed local operations of Korean firms. The dispute will mean some economic pain for Korea, but no lasting damage. But China is ever more willing to use such “sanctions with Chinese characteristics” to disrupt trade with countries that displease it.

Gavekal Research

Cedric Gemehl, Nick Andrews, Anatole Kaletsky

Mar 17th 2017

Yesterday’s call had Cedric Gemehl and Anatole Kaletsky opine on political risk leading up to French and German national elections later this year. Nick Andrews argued that the eurozone recovery is becoming self-sustaining, and offered views on capturing the upside, while hedging against political risk.

Gavekal Dragonomics

Long Chen

Mar 16th 2017

China’s central bank has raised short-term policy rates for the second time this year—while going to great lengths to avoid signaling an aggressive tightening. The central bank likely still hopes that a coming roll-over in producer price inflation will calm sentiment, and that other, non-monetary measures will help cool down the property market.

Gavekal Dragonomics

Joshua Kurtzig, Nina Wang

Mar 15th 2017

Failings in China’s public health system open up great opportunities for private players. Yet, to be successful, they will have to navigate a changing legal environment, swim with the policy tide, and cope with intense competition.

Gavekal Dragonomics

Tom Miller, Cameron Wilson

Mar 15th 2017

The excessive money spent on China’s domestic football league has raised both eyebrows and fears of yet another Chinese bubble. But the sector has undeniable assets: a large domestic fan-base, strong political backing, and countless big businesses with a taste for the game.

Gavekal Dragonomics

Arthur Kroeber

Mar 15th 2017

The risk of a trade war between China and the US is fading as economic pragmatism gains ground, despite administrative incompetence in Washington. But Trump’s America-alone approach is weakening the US’s hand while China’s economic leverage grows ever stronger.

Gavekal Dragonomics

Thomas Gatley

Mar 13th 2017

China’s listed companies won’t report their final Q4 earnings for another month, but preliminary numbers show it was their best quarter since 2010: profits for the median company jumped 28% in Q4 after a 25% rise in Q3. Strong earnings mean that fundamentals are supporting the slow but steady rally in A-shares that is now about nine months old.

Gavekal Dragonomics

Ernan Cui

Mar 08th 2017

Premier Li Keqiang says pressure on employment is growing, so he has raised the government’s target for urban job creation in 2017. Ernan however disagrees with the premier: the pressure on China’s job market will actually ease somewhat this year, as the cyclical recovery in the economy means that companies have less need to cut jobs.

Gavekal Research

Tom Holland

Mar 06th 2017

Last month, home prices in Hong Kong’s secondary market climbed to a record high, up more than 150% from the depths of the financial crisis. At the same time, Hong Kong’s stock market has been among the world’s strongest major markets so far this year, comfortably outperforming the S&P 500. The buoyancy of Hong Kong assets owes more than a little to investor enthusiasm for the global reflation trade, and to inflows of Chinese money. But more...

Gavekal Research

Arthur Kroeber, Long Chen

Mar 01st 2017

For the last three months, markets have been focused on “Trumpflation”. But the global reflation trade began long before Donald Trump’s November election, with China’s surprisingly strong growth rebound early last year. This suggests that China’s growth performance in 2017 will be a key factor in determining the sustainability of global reflation. In this edition of Gavekal’s Strategy Monthly, Arthur Kroeber and Chen Long argue that China’s...

Gavekal Research

Joyce Poon

Feb 22nd 2017

The Hong Kong-listed H-shares of mainland Chinese financials are the best performing segment of one of the world’s strongest markets year-to-date. So far this year, the H-share index is up 12% in US dollar terms, driven largely by gains in the stocks of China’s big banks and insurers. So it is natural for investors to sit up and take notice on reports that China’s big four financial regulators have drafted a joint proposal to tighten their...

Gavekal Dragonomics

Long Chen

Feb 22nd 2017

China’s central bank is striking a hawkish tone by pledging to curb speculation and leverage, but its actual tightening has been marginal and gradual. What might shift its stance to something tougher? In this piece, Chen Long evaluates three things that could push the PBOC to tighten more: inflation, financial risk, and the politics of growth.

Gavekal Research

Louis Gave, Arthur Kroeber

Feb 20th 2017

In Gavekal Research’s February conference call, Louis-Vincent Gave delves into the unexpected origins of the reflation trade in order to assess its future prospects. And Arthur Kroeber unpicks the combative rhetoric emanating from Washington to gauge the probability of heightened trade friction between the United States and China.

Gavekal Research

Louis Gave

Feb 17th 2017

China’s effort to build a regional sphere of influence is upending Asian geopolitics and through huge infrastructure building, quite literally changing the geography. As such, China’s pursuit of empire is an epochal undertaken which investors need to properly factor into their macro understanding of the region. This is why Gavekal’s Tom Miller wrote a book on the topic and as Louis explains in this piece, it is a tome he really wanted to write...

Gavekal Dragonomics

Arthur Kroeber, Yanmei Xie

Feb 13th 2017

Is Donald Trump backing down from his threat to get tough on China trade? It might seem so: after three weeks of rapid policy moves, his promised anti-China trade action is still missing. But it will not stay missing for long. Some US move against China trade looks inevitable in coming months, though the costs will be high and the benefits unclear.

Gavekal Dragonomics

Rosealea Yao

Feb 03rd 2017

After more than a decade of debate, could China finally be ready to start imposing a property tax? In this piece, Rosealea argues that political will and technical preparations point to progress toward a tax in 2017. While some fear the impact on prices, the gradual rollout of a narrowly focused tax should be mostly a non-event for markets.