Portfolio Manager Andrew Mattock, CFA, assesses the key components of the growth measures announced by the central bank and financial regulators in terms of their potential impact on the economy and the Chinese equity market.
Evergrande’s default and the delisting of Didi Chuxing should be viewed as being part and parcel of the challenges of investing in China.
As the global economy slows, we remain optimistic about the long-term growth potential of Chinese equities. From a public health perspective, China has flattened its curve of new cases COVID-19. Fiscal and monetary stimulus, while incremental, remains supportive. Interest rates remain positive, giving China's central bank room to maneuver.
Amid macro concerns including trade conflicts and fears of slowing growth, Chinese equities were highly volatile in 2018. The declines in equity prices seem to have been driven largely by sentiment. Two decades of investing in China has taught me to look past sentiment and take a closer look at what's happening on the ground.
Following a substantial run-up in 2017, China's stock markets experienced notable volatility in recent quarters. The MSCI China Index was down roughly -9% year to date measured in U.S. dollars as of September 30, 2018, while China's mainland, domestic A-shares were down nearly -20% measured in U.S. dollars for the same period.