For IPOs, a three-legged stool worth touting
What defines today’s IPO market, and what can investors expect for the remainder of 2026? 2026 is set up to be a record-breaking year for three reasons. One, resilience. Two, timing. And three, the pipeline. The pipeline is enormous this year. But in order to get to 2026, we have to see how we got […]
Can Asia’s AI frontrunners stay the course?
Fast reading Companies in the AI space have performed well – but this has driven market concentration. China remains relatively undervalued, creating a more balanced risk‑reward profile. In India, valuations remain elevated. With expectations still high and external risks becoming more visible, the balance of outcomes appears less favourable than elsewhere in the region. South […]
Market Snapshot
Jittery stock market suffers a wobble
As risks rise, short end can offer shelter and yield
Chartology
Are small caps set for a U-turn?
What is your outlook for small-cap equities? Small caps are the cheapest in history versus large caps in the market, and somewhat justified. We’ve seen small cap stocks go through an earnings recession. From 22 to 24, higher interest rates, higher inflation, regulations, small cap stocks had either negative or flat earnings. All that while, […]
Questionable optics for Fed Chair Warsh
New Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh’s ability to guide the US central bank will depend upon the market’s belief he is not beholden to President Donald Trump. Taking the oath in a White House ceremony did him no favours. It was the first time since President Ronald Reagan swore in Alan Greenspan that the ceremony […]
South Korea’s regulators are on a roll – don’t stop now
Fast reading South Korean regulators have already implemented meaningful and impressive measures to address the so-called ‘Korea discount’. But regulatory reform does not automatically mean company management is suddenly “on side”. An ongoing structural issue in South Korea’s public markets remains concentrated family control. It continues to give directors both the ability and the incentive […]
Market Snapshot
Equities rally despite concentration risk fears
Eurozone outlook darkens amid energy crunch
Fast reading The ECB kept its deposit rate at 2% in April, warning that risks to inflation and growth had both intensified. If the Iran conflict persists and energy prices remain high, Europe will be among the hardest-hit regional economies. The uncertain market backdrop has supported demand for euro-denominated money market funds, which offer the […]
Duration offers an opportunity as odds grow for Iran off-ramp
Sovereign developed-country bond yields have surged higher in recent weeks, propelled by oil hovering persistently around US$100 a barrel and the longer-than-once-expected conflict in the Persian Gulf. Recent inflation data in the US and abroad clearly reflects the surge in energy costs and has fueled concern of potentially broader inflation pressures, forcing central banks to […]
