Articles & Commentaries

Market sentiment improved last week after the de-escalation of political tension between the US and Iran, and the signing of its phase 1 trade deal between US and China. The semblance of clarity nudged investors to move back into riskier assets, pushing global equities to hit new highs.

China's economy is shifting from being primarily focused on investment and manufacturing to a consumption- and services-driven market. In this paper (as prepared by S&P Dow Jones Indices), we use the S&P New China Sectors Index to analyse China's growing economic sectors and examine their equity, fundamental, and price performance characteristics.

After an intense week, the geopolitical tension that was stoked by the drone attack on Iran de-escalated, and left room for global equity markets to continue to climb. Investors' sentiment toward risk assets also improved on optimism on the US-China trade deal. However, weaker than expected US job data caused a bump in the road, putting some pressure on equity ...

Starting the year with a bang took a whole new meaning when news that the US had carried out an air strike in Baghdad on Friday, killing Iran's top general. The calm equity markets which had ended the year with strong returns were abruptly disrupted after the drone attack caused an escalation to the already fragile geopolitical situation between the ...

Having a smartphone in hand, or being connected to the internet has never been more relevant than in the era we live in today. The release of the latest smartphone, or the unveiling of the newest online retail platform has taken over the lustre of opening ceremonies of brick and mortar stores. Tech advancement have led to the mushrooming ...

We started the year with confidence that global financial markets were set for an upward trajectory this year after signs that key markets were going to lead the pack. Going into the final weeks of the year, markets seem as uncertain as it did this time last year.

Two new Exchange-Traded Fund ("ETF") strategies will soon be introduced on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia; the leveraged, and inverse strategies. These strategies will provide an avenue for investors to either double their investment exposure into an index through a (2x) Leveraged ETF, or gain the reverse (inverse) performance of the index through a (-1x) Inverse ETF.

Investing in Chinese companies have not been easy over the past 3 months amidst the unresolved trade tension and the on-going protest in Hong Kong. The New China Economy which are made up of sectors such as technology, consumer discretionary, healthcare, are outperforming China of old (sectors such as financials, utilities, manufacturing).

There has been no clear sight of the dust settling from uncertainties that global financial markets continue to grapple with. Trade talks between the US and China are still on-going, although the latest round of additional tariffs that President Trump tweeted about has been delayed.

As anticipated, the US Fed slashed its rates by 0.25% in July, marking its 1st rate cut since the financial crisis in 2008. Despite encouraging economic data flowing out of the US, the Feds Chairman, Jerome Powell cited the move as an "insurance against downside risk". The move was seen as a defensive one, given the current sluggish ...

China released its 2nd quarter GDP results at 6.2%. The 6.2% was its weakest in almost 30-years, but given the current landscape, it was within estimates. Markets recovered the same day the data was released as underlying data points showed signs of improvement.

Sell in May and go away has never been more relevant as of late. Global financial markets took a hit after President Trump raised the stakes and announced more tariffs to be imposed on China imports, citing trade talks to be moving along too slowly for his liking.

There has been much talk about China government's shift of focus away from its manufacturing-centric economy towards one that is consumption-centric. Concentration is now turned towards its massive population, as well as its rising middle-class. Having built its reputation as the go-to country for manufacturing during its developing stage, we are now witnessing a transition towards the service and ...

Consumption remains a key performance driver for the Chinese market, where tech and consumer-related stocks have continued to trend higher over the quarter. Here's a snapshot of how the New China Economy faired in 1Q2019.

In line with a more sustainable growth pace, China had recently guided a lower GDP range for 2019

Updates on TradePlus S&P New China Tracker

After a slow start for Gold in 2018, tensions and uncertainties drove prices higher in the 2nd half to eke out a 1.2% gain (in MYR terms) for the year. We started the year on a high note, with strong investors' confidence leading investors to stay focused on riskier assets.

The meteoric rise of China as an economic powerhouse over the past half century is nothing short of a remarkable story. Through the gradual liberalisation of its economy since the 1970s, China has successfully steered itself from being one of the world's poorest nations to its second-largest economy today.

Short-term global headwinds present long-term investment opportunities in Gold

Global financial markets kick-started 2018 with much enthusiasm - where the synchronised and broad-based expansion seen from the year before seemingly showed further room to run...

Against a benign economic backdrop of moderate inflation, but also dramatic headlines stemming from escalating tensions in North Korea, more missteps in Trump's administration and terror attacks in Europe - we've seen a collective flight to safety by investors amidst rising geopolitical risks which has chilled stock markets.

Exchange traded funds (ETF) are unit trust funds that are listed & traded on a stock exchange. They are open-ended, index tracking funds which invest in a basket of securities (eg. stocks, bonds, commodities, etc.) to mirror the performance of the index that it tracks.

Decided to add some gold exposure into your portfolio but not sure where to begin? Let us explore some of the common ways where one can gain a piece of royalty!

From its usage as a medium to facilitate commerce in ancient times to being keepsake jewelleries for royalties and the affluent - gold has undoubtedly played a pivotal role in economies throughout the millenniums. Widely dubbed as a unique asset of wealth and value, its applications today are just as relevant for investors as it is for the man on ...

With the exception of death and taxes, it is often mentioned that nothing else in this world offers permanency - and the same can be said for the investment realm. The rise and fall of markets have been very much evident throughout the decades, and we've seen bulls turn into bears without the slightest hint. Hence the reason why market ...

Having stood against the test of time, gold has been interwoven into society as a unique asset of wealth and value. Today, it has become an essential piece of a diversified investment portfolio and is widely considered as an elective wealth preservation tool especially during adverse and uncertain market conditions.

The active versus passive debate has played out across numerous investment circuits globally, and whilst proponents for each strategy have strong arguments for either approach - the debate still rages on.

To hedge or not to hedge? That's probably the question on the minds of most investors, as they look outwards for their investments and seek to add to their allocation overseas.

Having too much choice can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, it presents more options for consumers, but the downside is that it can also be overwhelming for some, with a whole plethora of options to choose from - and this often leads to the consumer then making no choice at all.

"Never place all your eggs in a single basket" is probably one of the most commonly used and thrown-about phrases in various financial commentaries and articles. Nonetheless, although the investment realm has vastly expanded over the years, the advice still holds true and is applicable even till today.