Independent Asian Credit Research, Bondcritic

Warut Promboon

Independent Asian Credit Research

Asian Fixed Income/Frontier Market Research

Bondcritic

Bondcritic, established in 2009, is designed to be an independent credit research voice that helps investors gain insights and unbiased analyses on Asian fixed income market. Our mission is to discover deep-value Asian high-yield and distressed bonds with a bottom-up approach, together with the help of our proprietary ESG (Environmental, Social Development, and Governance) model. At the same time, we focus on bringing investment cases of unrated and unloved issuers to the general public.

Debt Capital Markets

Asia High Yield Bond Index / Debt Capital Markets

iShares Barclays USD Asia High Yield Bond Index ETF is an exchange-traded fund incorporated in Singapore. The Fund seeks to track the performance of the Bloomberg Barclays Capital USD Asia High Yield Bond Index.

<ul>
<li>As we are entering the second half of 2024, inflation has remained sticky as expected.</li>
<li>The lingering fear of a global recession has been mitigating rising shipping and production costs and, as a result, kept inflation in check.</li>
<li>We see more opportunities in selected Chinese bonds in industries away from property and local government financing vehicle (LGFV) sectors and believe non-Asia emerging bonds offer better value.</li>
</ul>


As we are entering the second half of 2024, inflation has remained sticky as expected.
The lingering fear of a global recession has been mitigating rising shipping and production costs and, as a result, kept inflation in check.
We see more opportunities in selected Chinese bonds in industries away from property and local government financing vehicle (LGFV) sectors and believe non-Asia emerging bonds offer better value.


Macroeconomics

<ul>
<li>Nothing has changed since our last BMM and the SET has underperformed as expected, declining further to 1,364.5 on 24-May versus 1,398.1 on 28-February.</li>
<li>Here we suggest on what the SET should do to move forward, now that the SET is seeking a new President. </li>
<li>Here are the five to-do list for SET. Read or Not...</li>
</ul>


Nothing has changed since our last BMM and the SET has underperformed as expected, declining further to 1,364.5 on 24-May versus 1,398.1 on 28-February.
Here we suggest on what the SET should do to move forward, now that the SET is seeking a new President. 
Here are the five to-do list for SET. Read or Not...


<ul>
<li>We have been of the opinion that tokenized real world assets (RWAs), especially tokenized debt will represent a more understandable underlying value of tokens or cryptocurrencies than Bitcoin.</li>
<li>We are positive on tokens backed by risk-free assets such as US Treasuries or even investment-grade bonds as rates products for crypto funds and fractional investments for retail investors.</li>
<li>Private debt could be the next in line to enjoy mass adoption if the legal elements and credit protection have been put in place to gain trust of institutional investors.</li>
</ul>


We have been of the opinion that tokenized real world assets (RWAs), especially tokenized debt will represent a more understandable underlying value of tokens or cryptocurrencies than Bitcoin.
We are positive on tokens backed by risk-free assets such as US Treasuries or even investment-grade bonds as rates products for crypto funds and fractional investments for retail investors.
Private debt could be the next in line to enjoy mass adoption if the legal elements and credit protection have been put in place to gain trust of institutional investors.


Security Token Journal: Private Debt Tokens

<ul>
<li>The security token market, though, has slowly developed mainly due to declining risk appetites sparked by COVID-19 in 2020 and the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24-February 2022.</li>
<li>What has changed that led us to update readers on tokenization is the approval of Bitcoin ETFs</li>
<li>The Bitcoin ETFs will be the first step to allow institutional investors to invest in cryptocurrencies. Next, we expect more ETFs of other well-known cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum (ETH).</li>
</ul>


The security token market, though, has slowly developed mainly due to declining risk appetites sparked by COVID-19 in 2020 and the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24-February 2022.
What has changed that led us to update readers on tokenization is the approval of Bitcoin ETFs
The Bitcoin ETFs will be the first step to allow institutional investors to invest in cryptocurrencies. Next, we expect more ETFs of other well-known cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum (ETH).


Security Token Journal: Bitcoins to the Mass

<ul>
<li>Thai equities lack growth and innovation. Big corporations continue to have unfair advantages in terms of access to bank financing and business opportunities.</li>
<li>Thailand is an aging society with rising income disparity and a stalling education system. Hence, we have questioned how Thailand will escape the middle income trap in the near term.</li>
<li>We expect more disruptions and policy blunders which could impair Thai stock performance. We do not believe Thailand can correct its cause in the near term.</li>
</ul>


Thai equities lack growth and innovation. Big corporations continue to have unfair advantages in terms of access to bank financing and business opportunities.
Thailand is an aging society with rising income disparity and a stalling education system. Hence, we have questioned how Thailand will escape the middle income trap in the near term.
We expect more disruptions and policy blunders which could impair Thai stock performance. We do not believe Thailand can correct its cause in the near term.


* Fixed income research professional with 20+ years of experience covering financial institutions, corporates, and sovereigns with a global client network.
* Supervisory experience since 2002
* FINRA's supervisory analyst from 2006-2008
* Responsible officer and an SFC-licensed analyst since 2011
* Regular speaker at fixed income events in Asia
* Ranked Asian 4th Best Fixed Income Analyst (FinanceAsia, Nov’08)
* Ranked Asian 2nd Best Corporate Credit Analyst (FMAP, June’07)

Warut Promboon
Independent Asian Credit Research
• Bondcritic

Bond Market Monitor: No Rate Hikes

Inflation remains stable in 2024 due to fears of global recession and opportunities seen in Chinese bonds outside of property and LGFV sectors.

Bondcritic

Thailand: Ready (Re)SET Go!

Thailand's SET has underperformed as expected, declining further to 1,364.5 on 24-May versus 1,398.1 on 28-February. Here we suggest on what the...

Bondcritic

Security Token Journal: Private Debt Tokens

Here we examine private debt as underlying assets to be tokenized for the masses. This is the first small step in a very widening road ahead and...

Bondcritic

Security Token Journal: Bitcoins to the Mass

The Bitcoin ETFs will be the first step to allow institutional investors to invest in cryptocurrencies. Next, we expect more ETFs of other well...

Bondcritic

Thailand: Aging Poor

The political uncertainty in the past 2 decades has not subsided, in our judgment. We then expect more unpredictable disruptions and policy...

Bondcritic

Bond Market Monitor: No Rate Hikes

​Inflation remains stable in 2024 due to fears of global recession and opportunities seen in Chinese bonds outside of property and LGFV sectors.

Bondcritic

Thailand: Ready (Re)SET Go!

Thailand's SET has underperformed as expected, declining further to 1,364.5 on 24-May versus 1,398.1 on 28-February. Here we suggest on what the...

Bondcritic

Security Token Journal: Private Debt Tokens

Here we examine private debt as underlying assets to be tokenized for the masses. This is the first small step in a very widening road ahead and...

Bondcritic

Security Token Journal: Bitcoins to the Mass

The Bitcoin ETFs will be the first step to allow institutional investors to invest in cryptocurrencies. Next, we expect more ETFs of other well...

Bondcritic

Thailand: Aging Poor

The political uncertainty in the past 2 decades has not subsided, in our judgment. We then expect more unpredictable disruptions and policy...

Bondcritic

Inflation remains stable in 2024 due to fears of global recession and opportunities seen in Chinese bonds outside of property and LGFV sectors.