Founder of Antler Capital

Stanley Tsai, CFA

Macroeconomics

<ul>
<li>The slightly weaker-than-expected inflation numbers for Jan represent a delay and not a detour from the broader reopening story. Investors will likely benefit from improved visibility in the months ahead. </li>
<li>The recovery in the PPI has been dragged by upward sticky factory gate prices for smaller producers downstream. This is consistent with our analysis of the Jan PMI.</li>
<li>A sustained improvement in consumer activity will likely drive PPI up to 0% and CPI to 2.5% by March.</li>
</ul>


The slightly weaker-than-expected inflation numbers for Jan represent a delay and not a detour from the broader reopening story. Investors will likely benefit from improved visibility in the months ahead. 
The recovery in the PPI has been dragged by upward sticky factory gate prices for smaller producers downstream. This is consistent with our analysis of the Jan PMI.
A sustained improvement in consumer activity will likely drive PPI up to 0% and CPI to 2.5% by March.


China Macro: Jan CPI / PPI | Much Better Visibility Ahead

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>The Jan. PMI readings corroborate what investors had already known over the break. But it is noteworthy that SMEs appear much less upbeat than large corporations.  </li>
<li>SMEs account for 60% of GDP and an even higher proportion of job creation. Policy support has been keeping many of them afloat throughout the pandemic. </li>
<li>As the deadline on the PBOC's SME support program is fast approaching, small regional banks may bear the brunt of the impact on the financial system.</li>
</ul>


The Jan. PMI readings corroborate what investors had already known over the break. But it is noteworthy that SMEs appear much less upbeat than large corporations.  
SMEs account for 60% of GDP and an even higher proportion of job creation. Policy support has been keeping many of them afloat throughout the pandemic. 
As the deadline on the PBOC's SME support program is fast approaching, small regional banks may bear the brunt of the impact on the financial system.


China's Micro Loan Market: Key Takeaways from the Jan PMI

<ul>
<li>The PBOC has extended the use of its policy tools to support the green loan industry as part of the country's' drive towards carbon neutrality.</li>
<li>China's green loan market is already the largest in the world, if you agree with its definitions and can look past its limitations.</li>
<li>The state of green finance matters to investors, and not just those with explicit ESG mandates. We look at the potential pitfalls in the China.</li>
</ul>


The PBOC has extended the use of its policy tools to support the green loan industry as part of the country's' drive towards carbon neutrality.
China's green loan market is already the largest in the world, if you agree with its definitions and can look past its limitations.
The state of green finance matters to investors, and not just those with explicit ESG mandates. We look at the potential pitfalls in the China.


China's Green Loan Market: Fifty Shades of Green

<ul>
<li>We expect to see a strong start to the week for China financials names, with sentiments buoyed by upbeat consumer spending data over the new year holiday.</li>
<li>Early signs point to relatively loose conditions in the interbank market as trading resumes across the board on Monday. The central bank's easing bias will likely continue.</li>
<li>We see more momentum for the sector ahead of Q4 earnings (brokers &gt; insurers &gt; banks). Stock selection will become more important thereafter.</li>
</ul>


We expect to see a strong start to the week for China financials names, with sentiments buoyed by upbeat consumer spending data over the new year holiday.
Early signs point to relatively loose conditions in the interbank market as trading resumes across the board on Monday. The central bank's easing bias will likely continue.
We see more momentum for the sector ahead of Q4 earnings (brokers &gt; insurers &gt; banks). Stock selection will become more important thereafter.


China Financials Weekly: Jan 30 | A Bubbly Opening

<ul>
<li>Laos' public debt has likely exceeded USD20 billion, or 120% of its GDP. China's share could be as high as USD12.3 billion, making it the largest creditor nation.</li>
<li>If the debt concession Beijing offered to Sri Lanka this week is any guide, Laos could still avert a full-blown sovereign default.</li>
<li>In return, Vientiane may have to grant its northern neighbor additional tax exemptions and greater access to strategic industries. This may all be part of the BRI playbook.</li>
</ul>


Laos' public debt has likely exceeded USD20 billion, or 120% of its GDP. China's share could be as high as USD12.3 billion, making it the largest creditor nation.
If the debt concession Beijing offered to Sri Lanka this week is any guide, Laos could still avert a full-blown sovereign default.
In return, Vientiane may have to grant its northern neighbor additional tax exemptions and greater access to strategic industries. This may all be part of the BRI playbook.


China's BRI Ambition: Could Laos Be the Next One to Fall?

China

Shenzhen Composite Index is an actual market-cap weighted index (no free float factor) that tracks the stock performance of all the A-share and B-share lists on Shenzhen Stock Exchange. The index was developed on April 3, 1991 with a base price of 100. 

Shenzhen Stock Exchange Composite Index (SZCOMP INDEX)

Shenzhen Stock Exchange Composite Index (SZCOMP INDEX)

China Macro: Jan CPI / PPI | Much Better Visibility Ahead

Inflation data for Jan, while slightly softer than expected, should be encouraging in that we've not had such high visibility for a long time in...

Stanley Tsai, CFA

China's Micro Loan Market: Key Takeaways from the Jan PMI

For the most part, the Jan PMI gauges were in line with investor expectations, although the more pessimistic SME sector may be a cause for concern...

Stanley Tsai, CFA

China's Green Loan Market: Fifty Shades of Green

The PBOC is stepping up its efforts to channel financing to "green" industries. But how green is green? The answer may have implications for...

Stanley Tsai, CFA

China Financials Weekly: Jan 30 | A Bubbly Opening

We expect a strong start to the week for the China financials space, after a new year holiday that confirms investors' hopes for a speedy recovery...

Stanley Tsai, CFA

China's BRI Ambition: Could Laos Be the Next One to Fall?

Laos' spiraling debt crisis has once again put China's BRI program under public scrutiny. The outlook for the landlocked nation is looking grimmer...

Stanley Tsai, CFA