Greater China Economics | Economic Activity China’s 1Q26 GDP growth came in at 5.0% yoy (+0.5ppt qoq, -0.4ppt yoy), indicating stabilisation from the 2H25 trough. March data was mixed - industrial production rose 6.1% yoy (-0.2ppt mom), beating expectations, while retail sales slowed to 1.7% yoy and FAI ytd edged down to 1.7% yoy (-0.1ppt mom), both missing consensus estimates. Property FAI ytd remained weak at -11.2% yoy. The surveyed unemployment rate rose to 5.4% (+0.1ppt mom). Overall, d...
Greater China Sector Update | Automobile In 4Q25, the upstream segments (battery and battery materials) outperformed the mid-stream (auto parts) and downstream (auto OEMs) segments. China’s auto sector profits should have bottomed in 1Q26 and will likely recover along with PV sales from 2Q26 as: a) the front-loading effect is fading, b) local subsidies are coming through; c) OEMs are launching new techs; and d) overseas sales remain buoyant. Maintain MARKET WEIGHT. Top BUYs: CATL, Geely, Min...
Singapore equities fell 2.2% in March to 4,885.45 amid escalating Middle East tensions and rising oil prices. Volatility increased as retail investors stayed active, favouring industrial and tech stocks. Corporate catalysts included Oiltek’s major contract win, CLAR’s capital raising and UI Boustead REIT’s SGX debut. Markets remained cautious, with heightened geopolitical risks amplifying concerns over supply disruptions and oil-price pressures.
Today, we are publishing the Auto section of our 30th Tech Infrastructure Quarterly Bible. The Tech Bible is a must-read for any tech investor, as it summarizes the quarterly earnings reports from the over 140 companies we track, providing an update on our key perspectives and convictions. In the coming weeks we will publish sections on Hyperscale & Cloud, Telecom Equipment, PCs, Enterprise IT, and Foundry. Auto demand came in above expectations. Semiconductor revenue growth remains muted as cu...
Top Stories Strategy | Singapore Stock Picks In A Turbulent Market With war clouds, an oil shock, and market volatility, we focus on Singapore’s defensive sectors and quality blue-chip names. Deployment of funds from MAS’ Equity Market Development Programme could provide some respite in March and April. Key stock picks are CLAR, CLI, CIT, DBS, DFI, KEP, SE, ST, YZJSGD, ASL, CAREIT, CSE, DELFI, FEH, IFAST, UGAI and VALUE. Market Spotlight US stocks were higher on Monday, with all indexes risi...
Analyst Lindsay Whipp thinks Visional has the potential to beat its FY26 Q2 forecast. With a strong track record of meeting and/or beating guidance, along with contributions from recent acquisiton, Thinkings, the firm is confident about the job market outlook and how it is positioned. With the recent selloff in SaaS stocks, Visional’s valuations are now very attractive.
Singapore equities extended gains in February, with the STI rising 1.8% to near the 5,000 level after reaching a record high above 5,040. Market sentiment was supported by steady manufacturing expansion and selective corporate strength, including Yangzijiang Shipbuilding’s strong earnings. Global markets remained cautious amid AI-related concerns, while geopolitical tensions in the Middle East raised risks of higher oil prices.
Greater China Sector Update | Automobile As of mid-Feb 26, over 20 Chinese provinces and cities have announced 2026 vehicle purchase subsidy schemes, aligning with the national policy that shifted to percentage-based subsidies (favouring mid-range to high-end vehicles) from 2025’s fixed amounts. This supports premium segments and market stability but may not fully counter the new 5% EV tax. 2026 PV sales forecast: 30.4m units (+3% yoy); PEV sales: 18.2m units (+19% yoy). Maintain MARKET WEIG...
Analyst Lindsay Whipp takes us through JMDC’s results and full-year guidance. She also flags an interesting tie-up with Fujitsu which emphasises the value that JMDC offers through its core business of healthcare big data, and the added value services that can be provided through its collection, anonymisation, standardisation and analysis.
Greater China Sector Update | Automobile CPCA estimates January China passenger NEV wholesale sales at 900,000 units (+1% yoy/-42% mom), with front-loaded purchases ahead of the reduced purchase tax and delayed local subsidies weighing on volumes. Automakers with ICE-car exposure, such as Geely Auto and Great Wall Motor, saw relatively resilient January sales. We expect China’s auto sales to recover after Chinese New Year, with the local subsidies in place. Maintain MARKET WEIGHT. Top BUYs: ...
Greater China Strategy | Alpha Picks: February Conviction Calls Chinese equities recovered in January, with the HSI and MSCI China rising 6.9% and 5.0% mom, respectively. Given the supportive macro policy environment, we maintain a constructive view on the markets despite risk of further volatility in February. Accordingly, we are adding Alibaba, Ganfeng Lithium, and Minth to our BUY list, while adding Meituan to our SELL list. Indonesia Company Results | Bank Negara Indonesia (BBNI IJ/B...
Singapore equities delivered a strong January performance, with the STI rising 5.6% to fresh record highs amid heightened geopolitical tensions that drove flight-to-safety flows. Manufacturing activity remained in mild expansion, led by electronics and AI-related demand. Market/corporate catalysts during the month include REIT earnings, IPO interest in Catalist and continued strength in gold-linked counters.
Greater China Economics | Money Supply December’s monetary data was mixed. M1 growth slowed further to 3.8% yoy, slightly below expectations, while M2 growth improved to 8.5% yoy on stronger time deposits growth. On a positive note, new bank loans rebounded to Rmb0.91t, mainly driven by corporate and government borrowing, and new TSF also beat forecasts. However, outstanding bank loan growth stayed at a year-low of 6.4% yoy and TSF growth eased to 8.3% yoy, underscoring still-fragile credit ...
Indonesia Company Update | Darma Henwa (DEWA IJ/BUY/Rp800/Target: Rp1,500) DEWA is entering a structural earnings upcycle driven by full in-house fleet utilisation, sharply higher operating capacity, and tighter cost control. Funding is secured to support expansion, while balance sheet optimisation could unlock dividends. With execution risk materially reduced and copper upside unpriced, we see scope for a valuation re-rating and maintain BUY with a DCF-based target price of Rp1,500. Malay...
Pelham Smithers notes that the machinery order data for October is something of a curate’s egg. The numbers are strong but the pressure on capacity remains strained. As a result, companies may start to focus on making savings in non-production areas, such as G&A.
Analyst Lindsay Whipp is encouraged by the Q1 performance and even though investment is weighted to H2, that was also the case in FY25, when it significantly outperformed. There is a strong change it could do it again this year.
Today, we are publishing the Automotive section of our 29th Tech Infrastructure Quarterly Bible. The Tech Bible is a must-read for any tech investor, as it summarizes the quarterly earnings reports from the over 140 companies we track, providing an update on our key perspectives and convictions. We will publish sections on Hyperscale & Cloud, Telecom Equipment, Industrials, PCs, Enterprise IT, and Foundry later this week. Auto demand came in above expectations, with limited signs of an air-pock...
Greater China Sector Update | Automobile We expect China’s vehicle wholesale shipment to grow 4.9% to 35.7m units in 2026, with EV shipments surging 22.9% and exports rising 20.8%. The anti-involution policy and subsidy rollback will curb overall sales growth but improve OEM margins by banning price wars, while auto parts suppliers regain bargaining power. Key 2026 investment themes include ADAS, humanoid robotics, eVTOL and recovery of lithium carbonate prices. Maintain MARKET WEIGH...
Visional has consistently beaten quarterly consensus OP estimates in all but three quarters since FY22 (Jul yr-end) Q2 and it has come in ahead of its own annual OP forecasts every year since FY22 as well. The recruitment platform operator will announce its FY26 Q1 results on 11 Dec. Although we think that it is more likely to meet than beat on OP due to investments for growth, we are optimistic that it will outperform later in the year and surpass its full-year forecasts once more. Trading on a...
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