Asia L/S Equity PM/Macro/Thematic Idea Generation

Rikki Malik

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>China’s economic data is continuing to surprise on the upside.</li>
<li>Investors are starting to take notice and good news is not being ignored – a sign of a change in sentiment.</li>
<li>Economically sensitive and commodity-related sectors a good hunting ground for absolute returns</li>
</ul>


China’s economic data is continuing to surprise on the upside.
Investors are starting to take notice and good news is not being ignored – a sign of a change in sentiment.
Economically sensitive and commodity-related sectors a good hunting ground for absolute returns


What's up with Hong Kong? Bull Market Dude!

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Periscope Analytics

Periscope Analytics focuses on event-driven trades across Asia Pacific and provides comprehensive, timely and systematic coverage of index changes to major Asia Pacific indices in a structured manner.

The analysis includes forecasted inclusions and exclusions to all major Asian indices that have significant amount of tracking assets, including estimates of passive buy/sell flow on the stocks. The service also provides commentary and impact of market consultations, ground rule changes, and other events (IPOs, spin-offs, M&A) that could lead to index changes and passive flow.

Periscope Analytics works with multi-strategy hedge funds, proprietary trading firms, stat arb trading groups and long-only investors that invest and trade in the Asia Pacific region with the data being used to trade index rebalances, avoid pre-positioning and passive flow, and to time entry into and exit from stocks.

Event-Driven Trades Across Asia Pacific

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>In a surprise, the Hang Seng index committee has decided not to make any constituent changes to the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hong-kong-hang-seng-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22899:1" rel="noopener">Hang Seng Index (HSI INDEX)</a> at the March rebalance.</li>
<li>We now see the index reaching its 100-member target in 2025 at the earliest, though we would not be surprised to see it spill into 2026 as well.</li>
<li>Free float and capping changes will result in one-way turnover of 1.2% resulting in a round trip trade of HK$4.54bn. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hsbc-holdings-plc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:516:1" rel="noopener">HSBC Holdings (5 HK)</a> is the biggest sell.</li>
</ul>


In a surprise, the Hang Seng index committee has decided not to make any constituent changes to the Hang Seng Index (HSI INDEX) at the March rebalance.
We now see the index reaching its 100-member target in 2025 at the earliest, though we would not be surprised to see it spill into 2026 as well.
Free float and capping changes will result in one-way turnover of 1.2% resulting in a round trip trade of HK$4.54bn. HSBC Holdings (5 HK) is the biggest sell.


Hang Seng Index (HSI) Rebalance: Idling at 82 Members; 100 Members in 2025 at the Earliest

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/budweiser-brewing-co-apac-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28077:1" rel="noopener">Budweiser Brewing APAC (1876 HK)</a> has seen investors run for the hills over the last year. The halving of the stock price could mean deletion from passive portfolios.</li>
<li>Other Hong Kong listed brewers, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-resources-beer-holdings" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:399:1" rel="noopener">China Resources Beer Holdings (291 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tsingtao-brewery-co-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1296:1" rel="noopener">Tsingtao Brewery Co Ltd H (168 HK)</a> have been beaten down too and have underperformed their Asian peers.</li>
<li>The deletion from passive portfolios could provide a buying opportunity in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/budweiser-brewing-co-apac-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28077:1" rel="noopener">Budweiser Brewing APAC (1876 HK)</a> at the end of February (or earlier if the stock drops due to positioning).</li>
</ul>



Budweiser Brewing APAC (1876 HK) has seen investors run for the hills over the last year. The halving of the stock price could mean deletion from passive portfolios.
Other Hong Kong listed brewers, China Resources Beer Holdings (291 HK) and Tsingtao Brewery Co Ltd H (168 HK) have been beaten down too and have underperformed their Asian peers.
The deletion from passive portfolios could provide a buying opportunity in Budweiser Brewing APAC (1876 HK) at the end of February (or earlier if the stock drops due to positioning).


Bud APAC (1876 HK): Nursing a Hangover; Now Comes a Passive Overhang

<ul>
<li>The FRTIB benchmark switch from the EAFE Index to the ACWI IMI ex-USA ex-China ex-Hong Kong Index will result in a round trip trade of around US$56bn.</li>
<li>The changes for the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shanghai-shenzhen-csi-300-inde" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22906:1" rel="noopener">CSI 300</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/csi-smallcap-500-index-shang" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:35347:1" rel="noopener">CSI 500</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sse-science-and-technology-innovation-board-50-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29279:1" rel="noopener">STAR50</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shanghai-stock-exchange-sse-50-a-share-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31073:1" rel="noopener">SSE50</a> and a bunch of other mainland China indices will be announced after market close on Friday.</li>
<li>Relatively quiet week for ETF flows with no major creations or redemptions during the week.</li>
</ul>


The FRTIB benchmark switch from the EAFE Index to the ACWI IMI ex-USA ex-China ex-Hong Kong Index will result in a round trip trade of around US$56bn.
The changes for the CSI 300, CSI 500, STAR50, SSE50 and a bunch of other mainland China indices will be announced after market close on Friday.
Relatively quiet week for ETF flows with no major creations or redemptions during the week.


Index Rebalance & ETF Flow Recap: FRTIB, Japan, CSI300, CSI500, STAR50, WuXi XDC, Asahi

Quantitative Researcher, MRM Research

Nico Rosti

Quantitative Researcher

MRM Research

Quantitative Research

Chicago Board Options Exchange Volatility Index / Event-Driven

Chicago Board Options Exchange Volatility Index

<ul>
<li>The <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/chicago-board-options-exchange-volatility-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31501:1" rel="noopener">VIX INDEX</a> is currently OVERSOLD from a <em>time</em> perspective, but not yet from a <em>price</em> perspective: if it falls &lt;13, there is a high probability it will reverse up.</li>
<li>A spike in the VIX will correspond to a drawdown in equities, globally. The MRM model indicates a 1-2 weeks duration for the event, price targets between 16 and 18.</li>
<li>After the spike, the VIX could start to fall again, so this upcoming volatility spike should be a brief, short-lived event.</li>
</ul>


The VIX INDEX is currently OVERSOLD from a time perspective, but not yet from a price perspective: if it falls &lt;13, there is a high probability it will reverse up.
A spike in the VIX will correspond to a drawdown in equities, globally. The MRM model indicates a 1-2 weeks duration for the event, price targets between 16 and 18.
After the spike, the VIX could start to fall again, so this upcoming volatility spike should be a brief, short-lived event.


EQD | VIX Index WEEKLY Suggests Upcoming Increase in Volatility

Hong Kong

The Hang Seng Index is a free-float capitalization-weighted index of a selection of companies from the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong. The components of the index are divided into four subindices: Commerce and Industry, Finance, Utilities, and Properties. The index was developed with a base level of 100 as of July 31, 1964.

Hang Seng Index (HSI INDEX)

What's up with Hong Kong? Bull Market Dude!

China's stronger economic data is catching investors' attention, signalling a shift in sentiment and highlighting opportunities in economically...

Rikki Malik

Hang Seng Index (HSI) Rebalance: Idling at 82 Members; 100 Members in 2025 at the Earliest

No changes for the HSI in March. There are free float and capping changes though. HSBC is a passive sell due to capping, ICBC and Trip.com are buys...

Brian Freitas

Bud APAC (1876 HK): Nursing a Hangover; Now Comes a Passive Overhang

Bud APAC is up since the Insight was published and is near the upper end of the downward sloping channel. With Hong Kong closed Monday and Tuesday...

Brian Freitas

Index Rebalance & ETF Flow Recap: FRTIB, Japan, CSI300, CSI500, STAR50, WuXi XDC, Asahi

This recap highlights Insights covering Asian index rebalances (announcements/ forecasts/ IPO Fast Entry/ M&A driven changes). We also highlight...

Brian Freitas

EQD | VIX Index WEEKLY Suggests Upcoming Increase in Volatility

Sunday Reading: the VIX Index WEEKLY is becoming OVERSOLD, if it goes near 10 there is a high chance it will spike up, and equity volatility could...

Nico Rosti

What's up with Hong Kong? Bull Market Dude!

​China's stronger economic data is catching investors' attention, signalling a shift in sentiment and highlighting opportunities in economically...

Rikki Malik

Hang Seng Index (HSI) Rebalance: Idling at 82 Members; 100 Members in 2025 at the Earliest

No changes for the HSI in March. There are free float and capping changes though. HSBC is a passive sell due to capping, ICBC and Trip.com are buys...

Brian Freitas

Bud APAC (1876 HK): Nursing a Hangover; Now Comes a Passive Overhang

Bud APAC is up since the Insight was published and is near the upper end of the downward sloping channel. With Hong Kong closed Monday and Tuesday...

Brian Freitas

Index Rebalance & ETF Flow Recap: FRTIB, Japan, CSI300, CSI500, STAR50, WuXi XDC, Asahi

This recap highlights Insights covering Asian index rebalances (announcements/ forecasts/ IPO Fast Entry/ M&A driven changes). We also highlight...

Brian Freitas

EQD | VIX Index WEEKLY Suggests Upcoming Increase in Volatility

Sunday Reading: the VIX Index WEEKLY is becoming OVERSOLD, if it goes near 10 there is a high chance it will spike up, and equity volatility could...

Nico Rosti

China's stronger economic data is catching investors' attention, signalling a shift in sentiment and highlighting opportunities in economically...