30 percent
growth in e-commerce sales in Nov may help consumer stocks
The “modest shift” in key US interest rate could also mean better prospects for emerging markets like China, according to a research note from asset management firm Legg Mason.
Analysts expect companies in these sectors will continue to see revenue growth as the Christmas, New Year, and Chinese New Year holidays are approaching.
“Consumption-driven sectors, despite all the uncertainties about the macroeconomic situation and short-term policy changes, are likely to stand out at the year-end, when companies see significant income through sales revenue,” said a research note from Chang jiang Securities.
Railways, airlines, liquor makers, jewelry retailers and restaurant operators are particularly likely to see share price growth in the next couple of weeks, said the research note.
The expectation that pension funds will start investing in the A-share market in the next couple of weeks, may support recovery in benchmark indexes after a weeks-long correction, said analysts.
Although the exact date for pension funds’ entry into the A-share market has not yet been announced, it is expected to be near the end of this month or at the beginning of 2017, according to a CITIC Securities’ research note.
Dai Kang, analyst with Huatai Securities, said pension funds will have lower tolerance to risks, and may favor “defensive” sectors like pharmaceuticals, foods and beverages, and high-tech manufacturing.
“In the longer-term, the move will also help make the A-share market more stable, with more institutional investors and value-oriented investors participating,” said Dai.
Last week, the insurance regulator said it will seek to reduce the proportion of total equity assets held by insurer funds to 30 percent from the current 40 percent, to curb speculative and overleveraged investments in stocks. This could improve investor sentiment, said researchers.
“It is good for both the stock market and the insurance sector to see clear boundaries between the lawful use of insurance funds to grow value and serve the goal of protection versus misuse of insurance funds for short-term, leveraged, and speculative stock trading,” said a research note from Haitong Securities.