The end of China’s migrant miracle could see global asset prices plunge July 22, 2015 China’s meteoric economic transformation has brought billions of workers out of poverty and into the global labour market. But recent discussion has raised the possibility that China’s “migrant miracle” (fuelled by the influx of people from the countryside to work in the cities) could now be over as the so-called “Lewis point” is reached – [...]
China’s unravelling: Will it devalue the yuan next? July 16, 2015 China could be gearing up to join the global currency wars by devaluing the renminbi. So far this year more than 30 central banks from all over the world, including South Korea and Australia, Canada and Hungary have cut interest rates – which works to weaken their currency. Since the global financial crisis, central [...]
China’s stock market crash: Liberalisation cannot be fully controlled July 12, 2015 Visiting China last week to discuss finance with regulators, officials and industry people in Beijing and Shanghai was a timely reminder of the country’s economic vitality. All the facts confirm this – China is the world’s second largest economy (probably the largest on a purchasing power parity basis), and it is growing at twice the [...]
China introduces new rules for brokerages to combat stock market rout July 12, 2015 China's regulator for securities has issued new rules for brokerage firms as part of its attempt to stabilise markets following a spate of sell-offs that wiped trillions of dollars worth of value from Chinese equities. Read more: How China has tried to calm stock market chaos The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) has instructed brokerages to [...]
China tries to calm stock market chaos: As panic grips markets, authorities have unleashed a range of weapons July 9, 2015 China's stock markets are in the midst of a crash, and with panic spreading, authorities have stepped in with drastic measures to prevent a looming disaster. Over the last 12 months the Shanghai Composite soared 180 per cent in a spectacular bull run which came to an abrupt end mid June. Since then, the [...]
China is, isn’t and may not be the world’s number one July 9, 2015 Until the late nineteenth century, China was the world’s largest economy. It lost that status roughly 150 years after the industrial revolution began in the West. After the Chinese economic revolution of recent decades, it is taken as axiomatic that the crown and mantle of the world’s largest economy will return to Beijing – as [...]
China freezes IPOs as stock markets nose-dive July 5, 2015 China has reportedly stepped up efforts to stabilise its tumultuous stock market by suspending initial public offerings and creating a market stabilisation fund. The world's second-largest economy halted new share offerings yesterday according to the Wall Street Journal. This could improve liquidity because large amounts of money are frozen when subscriptions are taken, diverting it away from current [...]
China in the throes of investment fever: Ordinary Chinese gripped by buzz of stock market speculation July 2, 2015 Three years ago China was in the grip of a walnut investing bubble. In an episode akin to 17th century tulip mania, wealthy Chinese paid up to £3,000 (¥30,000) for a pair of walnuts which cost £36 (¥350) several years prior. In the belief that rolling a nut in the palm of the hand [...]
China’s equity markets have rocketed: Bubble waiting to burst or the market unleashing its true potential? June 18, 2015 China's equity markets have rocketed – is this a bubble waiting to burst or the market unleashing its true potential? China is a world of contradiction for investors. With its billion-strong population and the second-largest economy in the world, it should have been a marvellous place for investment. Not so. The giant economy [...]
China’s crunch point is approaching fast – CNBC Comment June 15, 2015 China will grow this year at a rate that will put the developed world to shame. It will probably grow next year and the year after that too. But the country’s 7 per cent gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate is not what the market cares about. It cares about momentum and performance relative to [...]