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SGX reports market statistics for May 2020
June 8, 2020--SDAV rises as reopening of economies lifts sentiment in equity markets
Derivatives gain amid increased portfolio demand in FX, commodities
Singapore Exchange (SGX) today released its market statistics for May 2020. The reopening of economies around the world lifted sentiment in equity markets, even as the COVID-19 pandemic continue to cloud the outlook for global growth.
The exchange's derivatives franchise gained amid increased portfolio demand in foreign exchange (FX) and commodities.
Securities daily average value (SDAV) on SGX rose 37% year-on-year (y-o-y) in May to S$1.51 billion, while total securities market turnover value climbed 17% y-o-y to S$27.2 billion. The market turnover value of exchange-traded funds (ETF) jumped 73% y-o-y to S$302 million, as the SPDR(R) Straits Times Index ETF traded nearly three times higher y-o-y at S$88 million on the back of S$57 million in net inflows during the month. The increases in market turnover, as well as reduced volatility, were driven in part by optimism from economic stimulus as more countries emerge from lockdown.
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Source: Singapore Exchange (SGX)
Greater disclosure to open doors for China green investors
June 5, 2020--Chinese stock exchanges set to bolster ESG reporting guidelines to attract foreign interest
When East Capital invests in a Chinese company, the asset manager runs through a checklist of 60 questions designed to gauge the target's environmental, social and governance (ESG) credentials.
But for Karine Hirn, co-founder and chief sustainability officer of the emerging markets-focused group, the ability to compare companies is still limited by a familiar issue in China: data.
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Source: FT.com
Currency war: Chinese government ramps up trials for digital currency to rival the dollar
June 3, 2020--The Chinese government is running trials for a new official digital currency which analysts say could challenge Bitcoin and the dollar.
This digital currency is being referred to as the "digital Yuan", but it's also known as the Digital Currency Electronic Payment (DCEP) system.
The new system will be different from using an online bank or debit card in that it does not necessarily require any link to paper money to work, and would be operated from one central bank rather than multiple.
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Source: express.co.uk
Reading tea leaves from China's two sessions: Large monetary and fiscal stimulus and still no growth guarantee
May 25, 2020--The announcement of a large stimulus without a growth target indicates that China's recovery is far from complete.
It was hard to think of a more important gathering than last week's 'Two Sessions', during which Chinese political leaders were to guide all of us as to the way ahead for the Chinese economy. While this yearly event is always important, this year's was crucial.
2020 marks the end of two key cycles of economic planning: the current Five-Year Plan, and the end of the 10-year period during which the country aimed at doubling its income, which is the operational target to measure President's Xi Great Rejuvenation plan. Expectations were running all the higher that the Chinese economy is reeling from unprecedented levels of uncertainties due to coronavirus epidemic-including delaying the event itself-compounded by the fact that China had shown a rather hesitant approach to stimulus since January.
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Source: bruegel.org
Fidelity International applies to set up China mutual fund unit
May 19, 2020--Fidelity International, the U.S. asset management giant, said on Tuesday it has applied to set up a wholly owned mutual fund unit in China, taking a major step toward tapping the country's retail fund market.
Fidelity submitted the application to China's securities regulator after Beijing scrapped foreign ownership caps in the mutual fund sector on April 1.
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Source: Reuters
Australian companies head to stock market in biggest rush .
May 3, 2020--Australian companies head to stock market in biggest rush since '09.
Companies lean heavily on equity in effort to dent blow from coronavirus.
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Source: FT.com
BetaShares-Look out below: U.S. and Australian earnings update
April 29, 2020--Along with global markets, Australian equities have enjoyed a rebound in recent weeks even as the earnings outlook has deteriorated. This note provides an outlook on both U.S. and local earnings and market valuations, and attempts to gauge the extent to which the 'bad news' is already priced in.
A mighty market rebound
As seen in the table below, equity markets have enjoyed a solid rebound following the heavy decline over February to late March. After a peak-to-trough decline of 34%, the S&P 500 has since rebounded by almost 30%-leaving a net decline since the peak of around 15%. In this time, however, forward earnings estimates have declined by almost 20%, meaning the market's price-to-forward earnings ratio (PE ratio) has in fact edged higher to around 20. At the recent market low, the S&P was trading at a PE ratio of 13.8.
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Source: BetsShares
Franklin Templeton winds up $3bn of India funds after market turmoil
April 24, 2020--Franklin Templeton winds up $3bn of India funds after market turmoil.
US investment group halts withdrawals in move that could rock asset..view more
Source: FT.com
A Post-Coronavirus Recovery in Asia—Extending a "Whatever it Takes" Lifeline to Small Businesses
April 23, 2020--Asia was hit hard by the first wave of the coronavirus, as the sudden stop in activity struck households and firms simultaneously-first in China, then elsewhere in Asia, and now globally. Policymakers responded swiftly with aggressive spending to support the medical response and vulnerable households and firms. And central banks took swift actions to expand liquidity.
While this helped support financial markets and sentiment, we may be on the cusp of a new, more dangerous phase of "economic deleveraging" as firms struggle to repay loans and pay workers in the face of a sudden collapse in cashflow and tighter credit.
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Source: IMF
China suffers historic economic slump with hard recovery ahead
April 17, 2020--The coronavirus pushed China's economy into its first contraction in decades in the first quarter, with the spread of the disease around the world now leaving the nation reliant on fragile domestic demand to spur a recovery.
Gross domestic product shrank 6.8% from a year ago, the worst performance since at least 1992 when official releases of quarterly GDP started and missing the median forecast of a 6% drop. China’s economy hasn’t contracted on a full-year basis since the end of the Mao era in the 1970s.
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Source: bangkokpost.com