Hang Seng Index has strongly rebounded since September 2024, driven by monetary easing from the PBOC, relaxed property market policies and supportive actions from China’s leadership, all contributing to renewed investor confidence and market momentum in China.

FirstNews marks the release of its 50th edition. This landmark edition of EquitiesFirst’s newsletter comes at an important time as professional investors consider the risks and opportunities posed by geopolitical uncertainty and market volatility around the world. Market insights have never been more valuable than they are today. In previous editions, we covered key market trends, including global reactions to recession concerns, the rise of altcoins, and a mid-year review of 2024 markets. In this edition, we are focusing on the key drivers of Japan’s 2024 Market Performance following a series of key developments in Asia’s second-largest economy.

This report evaluates how global markets are responding to recession fears, highlighting impacts from regional economic policies. It details Japan's Nikkei 225 downturn following a rate hike, labor market slowdown in the US, gold's increased stability value, major fluctuations in crypto and the correction of Chinese stock market amidst current global uncertainty.

The first half of 2024 featured strong economic performances in the US and Japan, contrasted by challenges in China, while the crypto market evolved significantly. The second half focuses on geopolitical impacts, interest rate changes and the crypto landscape's continued development.

This report examines the rapid advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly the emergence of large language models like OpenAI's ChatGPT and their impact on the technology sector. It provides a comprehensive overview of key industry players and analyzes their influence on stock markets in the US and China. Notable AI proxy stocks include NVIDIA, AMD, Microsoft, Meta, Google and TSMC listed in the US, and SenseTime, Baidu and Tencent listed in Hong Kong.

In Volume 43, issued March 14, 2024, we highlighted the Hang Seng Index's attractive valuation at a P/E ratio of 8x, which rose to 9.5x by May 20, 2024, after a 16% rally driven by supportive policies. Volume 45 continues our analysis, focusing on the factors from April and May 2024 that fueled the index’s recovery and examining how regulatory changes, geopolitical tensions, and economic stimuli have influenced the Hong Kong capital market from 2020 through 2024.