Asset Allocation & Fund Positioning, Copley Fund Research

Steven Holden

Asset Allocation & Fund Positioning

Copley Fund Research

Copley Fund Research provide research and data on asset allocation among Global and Emerging Market equity funds.  The analysis details absolute and relative positioning across countries, sectors and industries together with highly granular data on single stock and single fund allocations.  The data is updated monthly with time series going back to January 2011.

Global Research - Analysis of 165 prominent Global equity funds, combined AUM $335bn
GEM Research - Analysis of 127 prominent global EM equity funds, combined AUM $250bn

Asset Allocation - Global and GEM Equity

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Consistent declines in fund ownership in ICBC finally hit a floor.</li>
<li>Over the past six-months, 8 new positions — led by Goldman Sachs and Heptagon — have outpaced 3 closures, with 29 buyers versus 18 sellers.</li>
<li>ICBC is the 6th most widely owned stock in the China &amp; HK Financials sector, ahead of Bank Of China Ltd but behind China Merchants and China Construction Bank.</li>
</ul>


Consistent declines in fund ownership in ICBC finally hit a floor.
Over the past six-months, 8 new positions — led by Goldman Sachs and Heptagon — have outpaced 3 closures, with 29 buyers versus 18 sellers.
ICBC is the 6th most widely owned stock in the China &amp; HK Financials sector, ahead of Bank Of China Ltd but behind China Merchants and China Construction Bank.


ICBC:  Signs of a Turnaround in Fund Positioning

Equity Derivatives and Volatility Specialist, Clifton Derivatives

John Ley

Equity Derivatives and Volatility Specialist

Clifton Derivatives

Independent derivative and volatility research firm focusing on events/catalysts, earnings, relative value and cross asset volatility strategies.

Equity Derivatives

<ul>
<li>An in-depth look at price patterns, implied vol, and the earnings implied jump compared to historical outcomes.</li>
<li>Based on ICBC’s historical post-earnings behavior and current implied vol levels, we recommend a hedge into the event.</li>
<li>We explore post-earnings moves that show a potentially exploitable pattern.</li>
</ul>


An in-depth look at price patterns, implied vol, and the earnings implied jump compared to historical outcomes.
Based on ICBC’s historical post-earnings behavior and current implied vol levels, we recommend a hedge into the event.
We explore post-earnings moves that show a potentially exploitable pattern.


ICBC (1398.HK) Earnings: Volatility Pricing, Post-Release Trade Setup & Tactical Hedge

Derivatives and Quantitative Strategist

Gaudenz Schneider

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/industrial-and-commercial-bank-of-china-limited" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1119:1" rel="noopener">ICBC (H) (1398 HK)</a> / <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ind-comm-bk-of-china-a" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:494:1" rel="noopener">ICBC (A) (601398 CH)</a> is scheduled to report its annual 2024 financial results on 28 March 2025, 17:30-18:30, Beijing time. 
</li>
<li>
Expected Price Movement: Option implied movement and historically recorded movement both indicate price action comparable to that of a typical trading day. </li>
<li>
Dividend Outlook: ICBC has switched to semi-annual dividends, with current yields at 6.0% for H shares and 4.5% for A shares. The bank has a history of dividend increases.</li>
</ul>



ICBC (H) (1398 HK) / ICBC (A) (601398 CH) is scheduled to report its annual 2024 financial results on 28 March 2025, 17:30-18:30, Beijing time. 


Expected Price Movement: Option implied movement and historically recorded movement both indicate price action comparable to that of a typical trading day. 

Dividend Outlook: ICBC has switched to semi-annual dividends, with current yields at 6.0% for H shares and 4.5% for A shares. The bank has a history of dividend increases.


ICBC (1398 HK) Earnings on 28 Mar: Anticipated Price Move and Strategy

<ul>
<li>Call volumes dominate tradng across single stocks with the Put/Call ratio hitting its 3rd lowest level since the beginning of November. Volumes continue trend lower in place since early November.</li>
<li>Auto companies seeing big increases in option volumes with Li Auto and Great Wall Motor moving in opposite directions since the middle of the month.  </li>
<li>We add 2 new tables showing the largest volume increases across Puts and Calls – a conveient way to view unusual changes in trading activity.</li>
</ul>


Call volumes dominate tradng across single stocks with the Put/Call ratio hitting its 3rd lowest level since the beginning of November. Volumes continue trend lower in place since early November.
Auto companies seeing big increases in option volumes with Li Auto and Great Wall Motor moving in opposite directions since the middle of the month.  
We add 2 new tables showing the largest volume increases across Puts and Calls – a conveient way to view unusual changes in trading activity.


EQD | Hong Kong Single Stock Options Weekly December 23 – 27

Research and consultancy, Tabbush Report

Daniel Tabbush

Research and consultancy

Tabbush Report

We provide research and consultancy on Asian banks. Our focus is on what we call “Asian bank research, without the noise.” We are interested in the most critical swing-factors for banks, the NPL and credit cycle, and where we believe there is a gap between perception and reality. We often focus on the less studied components of bank financial statements.  Our research is highly thematic, sometimes examining unlisted banks and companies as a window on mainstream banks. 

Being independent allows us to look at smaller banks, often overlooked by others. Analysis of BIS bank guidelines in the context of Asia, is also a focal point, while we also analyze global banks operating in the region. We use what we believe is the most comprehensive, reliable financials database, SNL Financial. S&P Capital IQ augments our database, with corporate data and CEIC, with economics. 

Asian bank research, without the noise.

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/standard-chartered-plc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:193:1" rel="noopener">Standard Chartered (STAN LN)</a> results are most interesting, like with <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> , for what they show on specific regions</li>
<li>STAN reports in its HK region credit costs rising to USD89m in 1Q25 fromUSD39m YoY. This is now 41% of group credit costs from 22% YoY</li>
<li>Grade 12 loans are of low quality, not yet NPL. These are up 78% YoY and similar rise QoQ. There is no clear geo detail on this high delta</li>
</ul>



Standard Chartered (STAN LN) results are most interesting, like with HSBC Holdings (5 HK) , for what they show on specific regions
STAN reports in its HK region credit costs rising to USD89m in 1Q25 fromUSD39m YoY. This is now 41% of group credit costs from 22% YoY
Grade 12 loans are of low quality, not yet NPL. These are up 78% YoY and similar rise QoQ. There is no clear geo detail on this high delta


STAN - Window on HK Worsening, but Also Group Grade 12 Loans up 78% YoY

China

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd provides a broad range of personal and corporate commercial banking services all over China.  The Bank's businesses include deposit, loan, credit card, fund underwriting and trust, and foreign currency settlement and trading.

Price Gauge
52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
Market Cap (USDm)	0.00
P/E	0.00
Dividend (Yield)	0.00

Ind & Comm Bk Of China (A) (601398 CH)

ICBC: Signs of a Turnaround in Fund Positioning

Fund ownership in ICBC stabilizes after consistent declines, with 8 new positions outpacing 3 closures in the past six months.

Steven Holden

ICBC (1398.HK) Earnings: Volatility Pricing, Post-Release Trade Setup & Tactical Hedge

Analysis of price patterns, implied volatility, and earnings implied jump suggest hedging into ICBC's upcoming earnings event based on historical...

John Ley

ICBC (1398 HK) Earnings on 28 Mar: Anticipated Price Move and Strategy

ICBC to report 2024 financial results on 28 March 2025, with expected price movement similar to a typical trading day. Investment decisions might...

Gaudenz Schneider

EQD | Hong Kong Single Stock Options Weekly December 23 – 27

Trading volumes in single stocks were dominated by call volumes, with the Put/Call ratio at its 3rd lowest level since early November. We...

John Ley

STAN - Window on HK Worsening, but Also Group Grade 12 Loans up 78% YoY

Standard Chartered shows significant deterioration in quarterly credit costs, worsening in Hong Kong region credit costs, and in Grade 12 loans

Daniel Tabbush

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

ICBC: Signs of a Turnaround in Fund Positioning

​Fund ownership in ICBC stabilizes after consistent declines, with 8 new positions outpacing 3 closures in the past six months.

Steven Holden

ICBC (1398.HK) Earnings: Volatility Pricing, Post-Release Trade Setup & Tactical Hedge

​Analysis of price patterns, implied volatility, and earnings implied jump suggest hedging into ICBC's upcoming earnings event based on historical...

John Ley

ICBC (1398 HK) Earnings on 28 Mar: Anticipated Price Move and Strategy

​ICBC to report 2024 financial results on 28 March 2025, with expected price movement similar to a typical trading day. Investment decisions might...

Gaudenz Schneider

EQD | Hong Kong Single Stock Options Weekly December 23 – 27

​Trading volumes in single stocks were dominated by call volumes, with the Put/Call ratio at its 3rd lowest level since early November. We...

John Ley

STAN - Window on HK Worsening, but Also Group Grade 12 Loans up 78% YoY

Standard Chartered shows significant deterioration in quarterly credit costs, worsening in Hong Kong region credit costs, and in Grade 12 loans

Daniel Tabbush

Fund ownership in ICBC stabilizes after consistent declines, with 8 new positions outpacing 3 closures in the past six months.

Analysis of price patterns, implied volatility, and earnings implied jump suggest hedging into ICBC's upcoming earnings event based on historical...

ICBC to report 2024 financial results on 28 March 2025, with expected price movement similar to a typical trading day. Investment decisions might...

Trading volumes in single stocks were dominated by call volumes, with the Put/Call ratio at its 3rd lowest level since early November. We...