Daily Investment Strategy

2023.02.22 09:00

HSI fell 357 points on Tuesday

Hang Seng Index closed at 20,529, down 357 points or 1.7%. HSTECH closed at 4,158, down 153 points or 3.6%. HSCEI down 138 points, or 2.0%, to 6,925. Market turnover was HK$111.1bn.

 

U.S. stocks tumbles Tuesday due to disappointing U.S. retailers

Interest rates continued to rise, while a drop in retailers' shares triggered by Home Depot also dragged stocks lower on Tuesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 697.10 points, or 2.06%, to 33,129.59. The S&P 500 fell 2.00% to close at 3,997.34 and the Nasdaq Composite lost 2.5%. All sectors closed lower. Meanwhile, the consumer discretionary sector slumped after Home Depot and Walmart posted quarterly results. Shares of Home Depot fell more than 7% after reporting weaker-than-expected fourth-quarter profit and a bleak outlook for fiscal 2023, with sales growth expected to be largely flat as "demand for home improvement will moderate." Although Wal-Mart's performance guidance was lower than expected, the revenue and profit of the quarterly results were higher than expected, closed 0.6% higher. Meanwhile, surging interest rates continued to weigh on growth stocks including technology, with Apple, Alphabet and Microsoft closing more than 2% lower. Chip stocks fell after reports that Intel delayed ordering semiconductors from TSMC until next year, reflecting weak demand.

 

Treasury yield continue to climb

The benchmark 10-year Treasury yield climbed to 3.9%, while the yield on the 2-year U.S. Treasury note rose to 4.7%. Both rates also hit their highest levels since November. Markets worry that stubborn inflation will lead the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates high for longer, which could tip the economy into recession. With a March and May hike nearly priced in, the odds of a June hike is becoming more likely. Investors will look to the Fed’s minutes due Wednesday for further insight into the central bank's thinking on monetary policy measures.

Hong Kong Stock Connect had a net inflow of HK$0.47bn on Tuesday, of which Tracker Fund (2800) had the largest net inflow, reaching HK$0.40bn; followed by China Mobile (941). Tencent (700) recorded the largest net outflow at HK$1.1bn, followed by CCB (939).

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Hang Seng Bank announced its FY22 result. Net operating income before change in expected credit losses and other credit impairment charges up 2% to HKD33.9bn, driven by growth in net interest income, partly offset by the reduction in non-interest income. Net interest income up 21.6% to HKD28.9bn with NIM widening by 28bps to 1.77% (2021: 1.49%). Net interest income was HKD16.6bn for 2H22, up 35% when compared with 1H22.  At present, the aggregate balance of Hong Kong's banking system has dropped to HKD77bn, the lowest level since 2021, and the overnight Hong Kong Interbank Offered Rate (HIBOR) has also risen sharply. As HIBOR rises, it is expected that the NIM of Hong Kong Bank may potentially expand. Target price: $155; Stop- Loss price: $123.

Wen Kit Kenny is a SFC licensed person accredited to KGI Group to carry on regulated activities (for details, please refer to:https://apps.sfc.hk/publicregWeb/indi/AJF244/details). He and/or his associate do not have any financial interest in the recommended issuer or new listing applicant.

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