Derivatives and Quantitative Strategist

Gaudenz Schneider

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nikkei-225" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22909:1" rel="noopener">Nikkei 225 (NKY INDEX)</a> volatility is trading at historically high levels, and the skew is steep.</li>
<li>National, regional and global catalysts provide the potential for further near-term market turbulence. Downside risk persists.</li>
<li>The current vol environment lends itself to tactical option trades, such as put spreads or risk reversals.</li>
</ul>



Nikkei 225 (NKY INDEX) volatility is trading at historically high levels, and the skew is steep.
National, regional and global catalysts provide the potential for further near-term market turbulence. Downside risk persists.
The current vol environment lends itself to tactical option trades, such as put spreads or risk reversals.


EQD | Nikkei 225 - Persistent Volatility Amid Election Uncertainty: Tactical Opportunities Explored

Technical Analyst, Vermilion Research

Joe Jasper

Technical Analyst

Technical and Quantitative Research

Vermilion Research

Vermilion’s objective is to deliver timely, actionable, and unique technical research to professional investors through the application of our various technical indicators.

Our research strategists seek to highlight securities which we believe are at major inflection points, based on our various technical and quantitative indicators, and offer asymmetric risk/return profiles. Our unique research methodology, centered on relative strength, enables our strategists to deliver superior investment recommendations.

Our process begins by organizing the universe of actively traded stocks into discrete sectors, then into industry groups. We then apply our technical and quantitative tools to identify developing price trends. Once attractive trends are identified within a selected sector or group, we screen for individual stocks which we believe offer the best risk/reward profile. We provide a historical perspective that often reveals, through our long-term charts, how price patterns often repeat themselves over time.

Technical Analysis

Taiwan Stock Exchange Weighted Index / Technical Analysis

<ul>
<li>Rallies appear to be stalling-out near logical resistances in the largest global equity markets. That includes 5670-5783 on SPX, 2690-2700 on Japan's TOPIX, and 4884 on Europe's EURO STOXX 50.</li>
<li>We continue to believe these indexes will roll over near current or marginally higher levels, fitting with our ongoing belief that MSCI ACWI is going through a 1-to-4-month pullback/consolidation.</li>
<li>Long-Term uptrend violations on global indexes and continued outperformance from defensive Sectors are our top concerns for global equities, though recession indicators and a Fed cutting cycle are also concerns.</li>
</ul>


Rallies appear to be stalling-out near logical resistances in the largest global equity markets. That includes 5670-5783 on SPX, 2690-2700 on Japan's TOPIX, and 4884 on Europe's EURO STOXX 50.
We continue to believe these indexes will roll over near current or marginally higher levels, fitting with our ongoing belief that MSCI ACWI is going through a 1-to-4-month pullback/consolidation.
Long-Term uptrend violations on global indexes and continued outperformance from defensive Sectors are our top concerns for global equities, though recession indicators and a Fed cutting cycle are also concerns.


Expecting Downside Ahead; Stick With Defensives; Downgrading Taiwan to Market Weight; Risk-Off Signs

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

<ul>
<li>Today after the close, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/toyota-motor-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:73:1" rel="noopener">Toyota Motor (7203 JP)</a> reported the results of their ¥800bn Tender Offer Buyback, originally intended to repurchase 290.12mm shares from cross-holders. </li>
<li>In the end, 343.83mm shares were tendered (53.71mm shares more than originally expected, worth about ¥150bn at Tender Price). That creates back-end "issues" which must be considered.</li>
<li>The resulting supply/demand profile is mixed, but on balance, I expect sees positive demand into the H1 earnings announcement. Watch for another buyback possibly announced then.</li>
</ul>


Today after the close, Toyota Motor (7203 JP) reported the results of their ¥800bn Tender Offer Buyback, originally intended to repurchase 290.12mm shares from cross-holders. 
In the end, 343.83mm shares were tendered (53.71mm shares more than originally expected, worth about ¥150bn at Tender Price). That creates back-end "issues" which must be considered.
The resulting supply/demand profile is mixed, but on balance, I expect sees positive demand into the H1 earnings announcement. Watch for another buyback possibly announced then.


Toyota Partial Offer Results - What Next?

IPOs and Catalysts/Events, Global Equity Research Ltd

Arun George

IPOs and Catalysts/Events

Uncompromised, Independent, Conflict-Free Research

Global Equity Research Ltd

Global Equity Research was started in 2017 by a group of experienced research professionals. It was founded on a passionate belief in the importance and the need for uncompromised, independent, conflict-free research. We aim to provide differentiated and actionable primary and bottom up fundamental research.

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/seven-i-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1041:1" rel="noopener">Seven &amp; I Holdings (3382 JP)</a> shares rose 22.7% as it confirmed media reports that it had received a confidential, non-binding preliminary proposal from <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/alimentation-couche-tard-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:25103:1" rel="noopener">Alimentation Couche-Tard (ATD CN)</a>. </li>
<li>The interest is unsurprising due to the weak share price performance. Since ValueAct’s open letter on 25 January 2022, the shares are up 5.2% vs. the Nikkei 225 up 38.0%.</li>
<li>Couche-Tard aims for a friendly offer, which is challenging as it requires support from the founder’s family and the Japanese government. Therefore, the probability of a binding proposal is low.  </li>
</ul>



Seven &amp; I Holdings (3382 JP) shares rose 22.7% as it confirmed media reports that it had received a confidential, non-binding preliminary proposal from Alimentation Couche-Tard (ATD CN). 
The interest is unsurprising due to the weak share price performance. Since ValueAct’s open letter on 25 January 2022, the shares are up 5.2% vs. the Nikkei 225 up 38.0%.
Couche-Tard aims for a friendly offer, which is challenging as it requires support from the founder’s family and the Japanese government. Therefore, the probability of a binding proposal is low.  


Seven & I Holdings (3382 JP): Couche-Tard “friendly” Proposal Likely to Go Nowhere

Expert on Japan Retail and Consumer Markets, JapanConsuming

Michael Causton

Expert on Japan Retail and Consumer Markets

Real Insight on Japanese Consumer Markets

JapanConsuming

JapanConsuming is a specialist research firm producing intelligence on Japanese retail and consumer markets. Founded in 2000, JapanConsuming has become the leading provider of insights on Japanese retailers and consumer trends to retailers, brands, government agencies and investors. As well as a highly regarded monthly report on the market, JapanConsuming produces in-depth reports on retail sectors, seminars on key trends and telephone consulting to investors on trends and retailers.

JapanConsuming was founded by Michael Causton and Roy Larke. 

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Last week in Japan's retail sector: continued weakness in shopping mall development due to both falling demand from tenants and competition from online.</li>
<li>Don Quijote operator, Pan Pacific posted strong results, reflecting high demand from both locals looking for value and tourists browsing for fun.</li>
<li>The retail sector had a record year in FY23, but a big constraint is the labour shortage but, with many fit older Japanese, some employees are now over 80. </li>
</ul>


Last week in Japan's retail sector: continued weakness in shopping mall development due to both falling demand from tenants and competition from online.
Don Quijote operator, Pan Pacific posted strong results, reflecting high demand from both locals looking for value and tourists browsing for fun.
The retail sector had a record year in FY23, but a big constraint is the labour shortage but, with many fit older Japanese, some employees are now over 80. 


Japan's Retail Week: New Malls Slow, Lawson/Muji Get Closer, Donki Booms and Jobs for the over 80s

Japan

KDDI CORPORATION provides mobile communication services and sells mobile devices.  The Company also is a broadband provider.

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KDDI Corp (9433 JP)

EQD | Nikkei 225 - Persistent Volatility Amid Election Uncertainty: Tactical Opportunities Explored

Nikkei 225 volatility is high with steep skew. Potential for more turbulence due to various catalysts. Tactical option trades recommended.

Gaudenz Schneider

Expecting Downside Ahead; Stick With Defensives; Downgrading Taiwan to Market Weight; Risk-Off Signs

Expecting Downside Ahead $ACWI $SPX; Stick With Defensive Sectors; Downgrading Taiwan $EWT $TSM to Market Weight; Global Discretionary vs. Staples...

Vermilion Research

Toyota Partial Offer Results - What Next?

A discussion of the Toyota Tender Offer Results, what they mean for supply/demand dynamics near-term, when the current buyback could be completed,...

Travis Lundy

Seven & I Holdings (3382 JP): Couche-Tard “friendly” Proposal Likely to Go Nowhere

Couche-Tard aims for a friendly offer, which is challenging to achieve. Therefore, the probability of a binding proposal is low. Nevertheless,...

Arun George

Japan's Retail Week: New Malls Slow, Lawson/Muji Get Closer, Donki Booms and Jobs for the over 80s

Japan's retail sector in the last week: Shopping mall development slows, Don Quijote operator Pan Pacific sees strong demand from locals and...

Michael Causton

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

EQD | Nikkei 225 - Persistent Volatility Amid Election Uncertainty: Tactical Opportunities Explored

​Nikkei 225 volatility is high with steep skew. Potential for more turbulence due to various catalysts. Tactical option trades recommended.

Gaudenz Schneider

Expecting Downside Ahead; Stick With Defensives; Downgrading Taiwan to Market Weight; Risk-Off Signs

Expecting Downside Ahead $ACWI $SPX; Stick With Defensive Sectors; Downgrading Taiwan $EWT $TSM to Market Weight; Global Discretionary vs. Staples...

Vermilion Research

Toyota Partial Offer Results - What Next?

A discussion of the Toyota Tender Offer Results, what they mean for supply/demand dynamics near-term, when the current buyback could be completed,...

Travis Lundy

Seven & I Holdings (3382 JP): Couche-Tard “friendly” Proposal Likely to Go Nowhere

Couche-Tard aims for a friendly offer, which is challenging to achieve. Therefore, the probability of a binding proposal is low. Nevertheless,...

Arun George

Japan's Retail Week: New Malls Slow, Lawson/Muji Get Closer, Donki Booms and Jobs for the over 80s

Japan's retail sector in the last week: Shopping mall development slows, Don Quijote operator Pan Pacific sees strong demand from locals and...

Michael Causton

Nikkei 225 volatility is high with steep skew. Potential for more turbulence due to various catalysts. Tactical option trades recommended.