While investors would look at it as a period of crackdown on for profit tutoring businesses, since the “Double Reduction” policy (to reduce the pressures of homework and after-school tutoring) in 2021, young students indeed are able to spend more time on extracurricular activities that they enjoy. Given the size of addressable market, there has been a proliferation of various STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) learning, traditional culture and art-jamming activities in China, including many well-equipped new establishments fitted out with the latest digital technologies such as AI, 3D exhibitions and robotic guides, catering to various developmental needs and interests of children who now have more free time at hand they can deploy for more fun activities. Take the Guangdong province for example, there are 150 public libraries, 144 cultural centers, 352 museums, and 141 art museums built as of 2023 – and many of these are free of charge or charge very affordable fees available for both locals and visitors. In this article we share some of the popular ones that you may find of interest for your next trip to the region.

Consumer spending in China continues to grow strongly by international standards, even as the pattern of that spending evolves. The image of weak consumerism in China – as portrayed by the media – is misleading in two ways. For starters, the growth in retail sales in China is only “low” relative to the very high (mostly double digit) rates recorded in the 2010s. However, at 7.2% y/y growth in the full year 2023, China’s retail sales growth compares very well internationally. Beyond that, there are also changing social trends which are driving different forms of consumption in China, which then support investments that are more reflective of the transformation in China. In this article, we discuss more about how young Chinese are the main driving force in China’s consumer market and identify the winners of this quiet but significant sea change in consumer behaviour.

There is a big disconnect between the image of the Chinese economy portrayed by the media and the underlying data. As we start the year, we review key pieces of data from both China and the US. In summary, while the data for China has not been as good as the market may have liked, it was better than what the media would have had us believe. A quick run through the China data for the first nine months of the year, as collated by “China Briefing”: Growth in real GDP 5.2%; industry output 4.0%; services output 6.0%; retail sales 6.8%; fixed asset investment 3.1%. These are very decent growth figures by any international comparison. And China achieved the above figures with a smaller fiscal deficit than the US and while bearing the burden of rebalancing growth away from dependence on the property sector.

Investors should expect a better return in Chinese equities in 2024 after three consecutive negative yearly return. Indeed, it is the first time that China stock market has recorded an annual loss three times in a row. Slowing economy, heighted China-US bilateral relationship, strong dollar and property market slump all contributed to the disappointing performance in the past twelve months. Looking ahead, the market may offer more upside risks because of (1) stronger supportive policies rolling out to help lift economic activities and particularly the property sector, (2) geopolitical tensions tuning down with increasing dialogues between Chinese and US top government officials, (3) domestic long-term investors’ buying and foreign investors’ current significantly underweight position in Chinese equities, and (4) value emerging from the discounted share prices on both absolute and relative basis. Bamboo is a symbol of longevity in China because of its durability, strength, flexibility, and resilience. It survives in the harshest conditions, persevere and still standing tall and staying green year-round. When the storm comes, bamboo bends with the wind. With business and consumer confidence continue to recover amid the much more accommodating, easing environment, Chinese entrepreneurs and the equities market should finally be in for a year of promising growth ahead.

China has emerged as the world’s largest consumer and producer for industrial robots and equipment. In fact, the country recorded US$6.6 billion sales of industrial robotics in 2022, most of which were produced domestically, far more than the second largest country Germany which registered US$2 billion sales during the same year. Propelled by its changing demographics and its evolution from low-cost manufacturing to high-value added processes, China will continue to drive the development of a homegrown robotics sector and pursue manufacturing upgrade, as underscored by China’s 14th Five Year Plan which explicitly laid out the national strategic goal of building a modern high tech society. Sector leaders would be natural beneficiaries of support measures for this broad policy. In this article we discuss more about how along with development of a highly integrated ecosystem of high tech processes and smart manufacturing systems, China is also integrating new materials, new energy, smart grids and energy saving systems, etc. to its technology-enabled ecosystem that sits well with China’s 2060 net zero targets, and its national strategic goal towards a modern, high tech society.

The youth unemployment rate in China has been much talked about, however the phenomenon is often poorly interpreted without addressing the important nuances behind the structural, transformational and societal factors in China. In fact, the elevated unemployment rate is a transitional legacy from COVID and many countries also shared the experience of high youth unemployment. There is a lag in China’s youth unemployment data compared to western countries, given China’s relatively late reopening from the COVID pandemic. In this article, we discuss the structural factors contributing to the youth unemployment rate in China, and explain why the number will likely to decline and why the unemployed youth will be absorbed into workforce as China continues on its path of recovery.

While global equities generally performed well in Q2 amidst a frenzy around A.I., sentiment toward Chinese stocks remained lacklustre as investor enthusiasm waned. That said there remained bright spots in the market that quietly outperformed - including our multi-factor China Bedrock Economy ETF which delivered YTD USD return of ~12.6% as of Aug 2nd 2023. In this article, Dr. Phillip Wool, Global Head of Research of Rayliant Global Advisors, reviewed the performance of various style factors during the quarter, and discusses why we see China as grossly undervalued going into the second half.

Premia CSI Caixin China Bedrock Economy ETF (2803.HK), Premia CSI Caixin China New Economy ETF (3173.HK), Premia China STAR50 ETF (3151.HK), and Premia Asia Innovative Technology and Metaverse Theme ETF (3181.HK) recently completed the annual rebalancing exercise after market close on Jun 9th 2023. In this article we highlight the changes and provide a brief analysis of the post-rebalance profiles of each ETF.

과거 투자자들은 중국 주식 소유시 국영기업(SOE)보단 민영기업(POE)을 더 선호했습니다. 보통 민영기업은 더 효율적으로 운영되며 성장·이익·혁신을 추구하는 경향이 있는 반면, 국영기업은 보통 관료주의, 사회적 책임, 고용·사회적 안정 지원, 그리고 변화·혁신과는 거리가 먼 전통적인 사내문화에 얽매인 채 운영된다는 고정관념이 존재했기 때문이다. 그러나 정부의 강력한 지원 뿐만 아니라, 국영기업 개혁을 촉진하고 국영기업들의 가치 발굴을 강조하는 새 정책들이 속속 등장함에 따라, 이제는 이러한 고정관념을 타파할 때가 된 것 같습니다. 변화를 위해 노력하고, 또 진정한 경제 발전에 기여할 수 있도록 재편성되고 새로운 가치를 발견할 수 있게끔 정책 결정자들의 전폭적인 지지를 받는 국영기업들이 새로이 등장하고 있기 때문입니다. 이 글에서는 최근 인기를 끌고 있는 국영기업 리레이팅/가치 재평가 테마의 배경에 대해 논의해볼 것이며, 중국 국영기업 테마에 적절한 익스포져를 갖기 위한 최적의 방법을 소개합니다.

China’s stock market rode a wave of positive sentiment on a policy shift that brought the world’s second-largest economy out of lockdown, pushing the CSI 300 Index up 4.7% for the quarter and leading to even stronger performance for strategies applying intelligent factor tilts within the bedrock economy and new economy. Even so, macro data throughout the quarter charting China’s recovery from strict zero-COVID containment measures led some investors to question the strength and sustainability of the nation’s economic rebound. In this article, Dr. Phillip Wool, Global Head of Research of Rayliant Global Advisors discusses first-quarter performance and considers what the next phase of China’s reopening could mean for investors.

인터넷 플랫폼 기업들이 지난 10년 간 중국 테크 섹터를 주도해 온 주요 동력이었지만, 최근 실적 발표와 경영 방향성을 살펴보면, 이커머스·게임·승차플랫폼·라스트 마일 배송 등 업종들의 고성장 모멘텀이 대폭 둔화되고 있는 모습인데요. 정부 정책 변동·반독점법·데이터 보안 위반 등에 대한 우려뿐만 아니라 시장이 성숙 단계에 진입하면서 이들 사업 모델의 전망은 불확실해보입니다. 반면, 특히 반도체와 같은 하드코어 테크놀로지 섹터는 미국 바이든 행정부의 적대적인 조치에도 시장에서 떠오르는 업종으로 각광받고 있습니다. 이번 글에서는 왜 반도체 업종이 조만간 중국 주식 시장의 핵심 섹터 중 하나가 될 예정인지, 그리고 투자자들이 중국 테크 산업의 패러다임 변화에 맞춰 포트폴리오를 재구성하고자 할 때 왜 프리미아 차이나 과창판(STAR50) ETF를 활용하면 테크 산업의 성장기회들을 포착하기 좋은지 다뤄보도록 하겠습니다.

중국 시장은 2022년 10월 이후 중국 리오프닝과 코로나 정책 완화에 따른 강한 반등세를 보였는데요. 해외 중국주식에서 장기적인 강세장에 돌입하여 초과수익률을 낼 수 있을 것으로 기대되는 중국A주로 투자 자금 흐름 로테이션이 관찰되기 시작했습니다. 중국은 현재 리오프닝 경기 회복 궤도 속 어느 지점에 있을까요? 초과수익률을 가져다 줄 수 있는 정책 지원 섹터 리딩기업들은 무엇일까요? 이는 저희 클라이언트들에게 자주 받는 질문들입니다. 이번 글에서는 투자자 분들과의 대화 중 최근에 가장 많았던 질문 10가지를 소개해드리려고 합니다. 또, 중국의 리오프닝 그리고 그 다음 챕터인 경제성장 회복 궤도 속에서 발생되는 기회들에 대한 인사이트를 공유합니다.

Chinese stocks took a rollercoaster ride in Q4, as the immediate lacklustre reaction to October’s National Congress gave way to a rally on the back of policy support in November. Investors finally cheered Beijing’s abrupt dismantling of its restrictive zero-COVID policies, as the year came to a close. By the end of December, the CSI 300 Index was up 2% on the quarter. Below in this article, Dr. Philip Wool, Managing Director and Head of Investment Solutions of Rayliant Global Advisors, would explore critical developments in the macro picture at the turn of the year, discuss fourth-quarter performance and factor rotation pattern through the period, and also provide our thoughts as to what reopening has in store for Chinese stocks in 2023.

2023년, 투자자들은 경제침체기를 맞게될 서양과 중국의 회복으로 가파른 성장세에 올라탈 동양 사이에 극명한 경제적 차이를 보게 될 것입니다. 2022년, 재개방 반등세를 이미 자체적으로 경험한 ASEAN-5국가들이 내년에는 중국의 재개방 회복세 순풍에 올라탈 것으로 전망됩니다. 이번 논설에서는 ASEAN-5 국가들이2023년 비교적 완만한 인플레와 세계적으로도 가장 높은 수준의 경제성장률을 시현하며 어떻게 스윗스폿(Sweet Spot)을 계속 선점하게 될 지 다뤄볼 예정입니다.

After lithium, coal and pork, polysilicon appears to be the next in line for potential government price interventions. In fact, polysilicon prices which have been on nine consecutive weeks of spiking spree, have reached 10-year high and the high prices have caused severe supply chain disruptions and suppressed domestic demand for solar panels – and in the process slow down the solar infrastructure build out in China. Such price intervention thus is envisaged to be a positive regulating event, that would shift the industry dynamics from upstream biased to more midstream and downstream actors, to rebalance the supply chain economics for long run sustainable growth of the industry ecosystem. In this article, we shall analyze this in greater details, and explain why despite the headline concerns it would be a positive event for the sector leaders including related constituents in the Premia ETFs, while the polysilicon market is expected to remain tight throughout the year due to persistent strong global demand and supply shortages.

It’s again time for annual rebalance of our Premia Asia Innovative Technology and Metaverse Theme ETF (3181 HK) as well as our China A-shares ETFs - Premia CSI Caixin China New Economy ETF (3173 HK), Premia CSI Caixin China Bedrock Economy ETF (2803 HK), Premia China STAR50 ETF (3151 HK). The rebalances were successfully completed on Jun 10th 2022, and in this article we highlight the changes made and also provide brief analyses comparing the profiles before and after the rebalance exercise.

In the US the “triple peaks” in economic growth, earnings growth and policy stimulus will likely result in much lower returns for US equities in 2022. The persistently high inflation – which will likely run hotter in the US than Europe and Japan – is already causing greater volatility as US equities are put on tenterhooks over the timing and magnitude of rate hikes. Meanwhile US Dollar could weaken on inflation rather than strengthen on higher Treasury yields. On the other hand, Emerging Markets, usually do better during periods of Dollar weakness but this time we could see a new twist - this favours China, supported by easier financial conditions. On top of all these, how is the Omicron Virus going to impact the global markets and what are the implications for global asset allocations in 2022? Why ASEAN would be a good diversification within Emerging Markets? Further to Part 1 of our 2022 outlook piece earlier, in this Part 2 sequel our Senior Advisor Say Boon Lim laid out the scenarios and discussed how we can reposition for the global shifts accordingly to address the transition to tightening and pivot from US equities.

The recent regulatory crackdowns and power suspension in China have unnerved many international investors. How to configure for opportunities under the lens of common prosperity and China’s commitment for carbon neutrality by 2060? In this article, we compare the Premia China STAR50 ETF (3151.HK) and Premia CSI Caixin China New Economy ETF (3173.HK), and discuss why they are useful implementation tools to capture long term opportunities in hardcore technology and strategic new economy sectors under the 14th Five Year Plan.

China market saw a material correction due to the regulatory crackdown in the offshore tech and education space. The panic sentiment led to indiscriminative unwinding of Chinese stocks by foreign investors, pushing the HK-listed tech names and the US-listed China ADRs into a bear market technically. Although the regulatory risks remain high in near-term, investors seem getting a stronger hint about the policy direction. The glory days when China tech can be simplistically covered by just the offshore tech giants is gone, and there is increasing need for more granular understanding of the related policy headwinds and tailwinds. In this article our Partner & Co-CIO David Lai shares the thesis behind our Premia China STAR50 ETF, and how this timely launch adds value through its diversified exposure of the leading innovative and strategically important hi-tech companies focusing on innovation and hardcore technology.