HK/China Equity Long-Short

Osbert Tang, CFA

Quantitative Analysis

<ul>
<li>2023 is the worst year for our "Buy the Worst" strategy as it returned -34.5% YTD, underperforming the HSI by 20.7pp. The two property names are the key drags.</li>
<li>Despite a poor 2023, the strategy has still outperformed the HSI by 17.9pp for 2018-2023. It remains significantly better than buying the winners in the current year.</li>
<li>For 2024, our strategy is to switch to <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/li-ning-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6047:1" rel="noopener">Li Ning (2331 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/country-garden-services-holdin" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27343:1" rel="noopener">Country Garden Services (6098 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/meituan" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26970:1" rel="noopener">Meituan (3690 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/wuxi-apptec" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:23679:1" rel="noopener">Wuxi Biologics (2269 HK)</a>, and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/zhongsheng-group-holdings" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10573:1" rel="noopener">Zhongsheng Group (881 HK)</a>. </li>
</ul>


2023 is the worst year for our "Buy the Worst" strategy as it returned -34.5% YTD, underperforming the HSI by 20.7pp. The two property names are the key drags.
Despite a poor 2023, the strategy has still outperformed the HSI by 17.9pp for 2018-2023. It remains significantly better than buying the winners in the current year.
For 2024, our strategy is to switch to Li Ning (2331 HK), Country Garden Services (6098 HK), Meituan (3690 HK), Wuxi Biologics (2269 HK), and Zhongsheng Group (881 HK). 


"Buy the Worst" HSI Strategy: A Tragic 2023 and What About 2024?

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

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Improved sentiment in Asia Ex-Japan Autos sector as sustained increases in positioning continue through 2023.</li>
<li>BYD Company most widely held but stabilizing; Li Auto sees increased buying. Sector 7th most owned, underweight by -0.85%.</li>
<li>Rising Allocations, Low Historical Positioning and Net Underweight Suggest Potential Continued Demand for Auto Stocks</li>
</ul>


Improved sentiment in Asia Ex-Japan Autos sector as sustained increases in positioning continue through 2023.
BYD Company most widely held but stabilizing; Li Auto sees increased buying. Sector 7th most owned, underweight by -0.85%.
Rising Allocations, Low Historical Positioning and Net Underweight Suggest Potential Continued Demand for Auto Stocks


Asian Autos: Increasing Exposure Reflects Rising Market Confidence

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>SOUTHBOUND flows showing reversion tendencies continues for a fourth week. Hs rebound vs their As on the week - especially the liquid ones.</li>
<li>SOUTHBOUND saw HK$9.9bn of OUTflows on the week to 15 Dec, ALL of which was net sales of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tracker-fund-of-hong-kong-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29257:1" rel="noopener">Tracker Fund of Hong Kong (2800 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tencent-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26:1" rel="noopener">Tencent (700 HK)</a>. </li>
<li>High-Div SOEs again saw action. This time with both CNOOC Ltd (883 HK) <em>and</em> China Telecom (728 HK) seeing net buying as a percentage of volume. </li>
</ul>


SOUTHBOUND flows showing reversion tendencies continues for a fourth week. Hs rebound vs their As on the week - especially the liquid ones.
SOUTHBOUND saw HK$9.9bn of OUTflows on the week to 15 Dec, ALL of which was net sales of Tracker Fund of Hong Kong (2800 HK) and Tencent (700 HK). 
High-Div SOEs again saw action. This time with both CNOOC Ltd (883 HK) and China Telecom (728 HK) seeing net buying as a percentage of volume. 


HK Connect SOUTHBOUND Flows (To 15Dec23); CNOOC/Telecom/Mobile All Now To The Buy Side, Tencent NOT

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

Tongcheng Travel Holdings  / Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>It was a busy week with rebalance implementations at the close of trading on Thursday in Korea and then across the region on Friday.</li>
<li>The <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/stock-exchange-of-thailand-set-50-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31493:1" rel="noopener">SET 50 Index</a> changes should be announced this week and the Yuanta TW Div+ ETF will continue to implement the changes till Thursday.</li>
<li>There were inflows to China ETFs during the week while there were big outflows from <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/korea-stock-exchange-kospi-200" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26021:1" rel="noopener">Korea Stock Exchange KOSPI 200 (KOSPI2 INDEX)</a> ETFs.</li>
</ul>


It was a busy week with rebalance implementations at the close of trading on Thursday in Korea and then across the region on Friday.
The SET 50 Index changes should be announced this week and the Yuanta TW Div+ ETF will continue to implement the changes till Thursday.
There were inflows to China ETFs during the week while there were big outflows from Korea Stock Exchange KOSPI 200 (KOSPI2 INDEX) ETFs.


Index Rebalance & ETF Flow Recap: HSTECH, SIG/CWG, KQ150, REPT BATTERO

<ul>
<li>SOUTHBOUND flows showing reversion tendencies continues for a second or third week after weeks of momentum. </li>
<li>SOUTHBOUND saw HK$11.2bn of INFLOWS on the week, a chunk of which was net buys on HK-listed ETFs, but Hs underperformed their A counterparts in the H/A pairs once again. </li>
<li>High-Div SOEs again saw action. This time with both <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cnooc-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:175:1" rel="noopener">CNOOC Ltd (883 HK)</a><em>and</em><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-mobile-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27:1" rel="noopener">China Mobile (941 HK)</a> seeing strong net buying as a percentage of volume. Tech was sold.  </li>
</ul>


SOUTHBOUND flows showing reversion tendencies continues for a second or third week after weeks of momentum. 
SOUTHBOUND saw HK$11.2bn of INFLOWS on the week, a chunk of which was net buys on HK-listed ETFs, but Hs underperformed their A counterparts in the H/A pairs once again. 
High-Div SOEs again saw action. This time with both CNOOC Ltd (883 HK)andChina Mobile (941 HK) seeing strong net buying as a percentage of volume. Tech was sold.  


HK Connect SOUTHBOUND Flows (To 8Dec23); CNOOC & China Mobile Both Now To The Buy Side, Tencent Not

China

Li Auto Inc. manufactures automobiles. The Company designs, develops, and sells smart new energy electric sport utility vehicles. Li Auto conducts businesses in China.

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

Li Auto (2015 HK)

"Buy the Worst" HSI Strategy: A Tragic 2023 and What About 2024?

2023 was bad for the "Buy the Worst" strategy, but it still outperformed the HSI for 2018-2023. In 2024, we will switch to Li Ning, Country Garden...

Osbert Tang, CFA

Asian Autos: Increasing Exposure Reflects Rising Market Confidence

Improved sentiment in Asia Ex-Japan Autos sector as sustained increases in positioning from active funds continue through 2023.

Steven Holden

HK Connect SOUTHBOUND Flows (To 15Dec23); CNOOC/Telecom/Mobile All Now To The Buy Side, Tencent NOT

SOUTHBOUND HK Connect Flows were lower than previous weeks in stock-picking but flows on ETFs were significant. NET flows were HK$9.9bn to the sell...

Travis Lundy

Index Rebalance & ETF Flow Recap: HSTECH, SIG/CWG, KQ150, REPT BATTERO

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

Brian Freitas

HK Connect SOUTHBOUND Flows (To 8Dec23); CNOOC & China Mobile Both Now To The Buy Side, Tencent Not

SOUTHBOUND flows were a strong HK$11.2bn net inflow, with both ETFs and high-div SOEs seeing big net inflows. Despite that, Hs underperformed their...

Travis Lundy

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

"Buy the Worst" HSI Strategy: A Tragic 2023 and What About 2024?

​2023 was bad for the "Buy the Worst" strategy, but it still outperformed the HSI for 2018-2023. In 2024, we will switch to Li Ning, Country Garden...

Osbert Tang, CFA

Asian Autos: Increasing Exposure Reflects Rising Market Confidence

Improved sentiment in Asia Ex-Japan Autos sector as sustained increases in positioning from active funds continue through 2023.

Steven Holden

HK Connect SOUTHBOUND Flows (To 15Dec23); CNOOC/Telecom/Mobile All Now To The Buy Side, Tencent NOT

SOUTHBOUND HK Connect Flows were lower than previous weeks in stock-picking but flows on ETFs were significant. NET flows were HK$9.9bn to the sell...

Travis Lundy

Index Rebalance & ETF Flow Recap: HSTECH, SIG/CWG, KQ150, REPT BATTERO

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

Brian Freitas

HK Connect SOUTHBOUND Flows (To 8Dec23); CNOOC & China Mobile Both Now To The Buy Side, Tencent Not

SOUTHBOUND flows were a strong HK$11.2bn net inflow, with both ETFs and high-div SOEs seeing big net inflows. Despite that, Hs underperformed their...

Travis Lundy

2023 was bad for the "Buy the Worst" strategy, but it still outperformed the HSI for 2018-2023. In 2024, we will switch to Li Ning, Country Garden...