Quote from drsteph:
Chinese ETF market has been interesting since that last post I made of 7-13-05.
Current closing prices as of Friday 5/19/06: FXI USD 78.15 and PGJ USD 16.94. Year period highs for FXI: USD 83.90 and PGJ USD 18.07.
When compared to closing prices of 7-13-05, FXI is up 35.4%, and PGJ up 24.4%. FXI also gives an annualized dividend yield of 1.6% and PGJ an annualized dividend yield of 0.5%. ]All this is within the context of the largely cosmetic movements in the value of the Chinese currency which has barely revalued in the interim (3.24% since 5/19/03).
SSE composite has gone parabolic recently with annualized return in the 45-50% range.
There is really very little question in my mind that the developed world (G7, IMF, and most of all the US) is very unhappy with the Chinese failure to revalue the renminbi as they had suggested (after the cosmetic 2% revaluation last year) with Chinese GDP growth at 9-10% annually; the recent frosty US-China meetings between Bush and Hu included. There is no doubt that the US views China not only as a trading partner and competitor, but as the next potential superpower/enemy. The rest of the world knows this as well. Recent market action following the G7 meeting resulted in a continuation of dollar weakening through some important technical levels versus the EUR and JPY (confirmation of the reverse head and shoulders through the neckline on weekly EUR/USD and exiting the symmetric triangle on the downside in USD/JPY). This was associated with a rather impressive bull run in commodities extending, which some were whispering was the Chinese (i.e. weâll convert our dollar assets into hards if you try to devalue your dollar since we wonât devalue our renminbi). The correction over the last two weeks was equally impressive, and you have to wonder what the cause of it was initially, although later waves were due to stop loss and panic selling. The US equity market selling then spread to Europe, and ultimately to the emerging markets, which have sold off strongly in an equity contagion. SSE has remained bid, but that market is not as easily enterable/tradable as others.
Chart-wise, FXI has been in a channel uptrend since November 2005, with a recent false breakout and subsequent re-entry into the channel with testing of an inside trendline at 76.15 and support at 72.50-74.0 from the lower channel line. Under 74.0, there is not really much support until the 55-60 range presently. There is a broadening formation suggested at present with lower range of 75.20 and upper range somewhere toward 86.
So, if we avoid a global equity market meltdown (a âUS contagionâ), and China decides to play reasonably by global rules (avoiding tariffs and other 1st world interventions), you might want to either try to buy at current levels and stop out below 72-74 depending on your risk tolerance, or wait for an uptrend breakout above 82-82.50 for a momentum play. FXI is believed to allow for participation in currency revaluation, although after the initial revaluation, Iâm not entirely sure what would happen to the index.
Disclosure: I currently hold no shares of FXI, but have in the past. This post is for entertainment only â if you are seeking investment advice, you are directed to consult an appropriate financial, legal, or tax advisor about your particular situation. DYODD.