The launch of the Hong Kong – Shanghai Stock Connect gives foreign investors unprecedented access to the Chinese stock market by simply opening an account in Hong Kong. While the new scheme provides undoubted opportunity, systemic flaws in China continue to cause concern.
BEIJING | By Sean Miner via Caixin | The United States and China disagree on many issues but especially in the foreign policy sphere, and there are few reasons the two economic heavyweights will become closer in the next few years. Among the few areas that could bring them closer could be increased bilateral investment. With the recent “breakthrough” between China and the United States in the negotiations on the Information Technology Agreement, the prospects for a bilateral investment treaty (BIT) between them have been improved.
ZURICH | By UBS analysts | Global investors have been big sellers of Europe ex-UK equities in September and also the last 12 weeks (Figure 1). And this doesn’t include the heavy sell-off in the last week. US Treasury data shows that US-based investors were net sellers of $14.3bn in June–the biggest month of selling since the collapse of Lehman’s in 2008. How far through the current correction are we? So far the European market is down 8% from its September peak–in-line with the average of 9.5% in Bull market corrections since 1975.
FRANKFURT | By Lidia Conde | Martin Gornig is deputy head of department of Firms and Markets at the prestigious German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) in Berlin. The Institute conducts a working group that advises the Minister of Economy Sigmar Gabriel with the idea of increasing investments in Germany. Gornig and his team released a report last summer on the possibility of stimulating growth in Europe without changing the Stability Pact. The proposal of DIW is to immediately mobilize the necessary investments “to boost growth in countries in crisis and avoid a new recession in the eurozone.” As France and Italy are demanding, the Institute bets on growth but warns that it should not be at the expense of a debt increase
By Jean Pisani Ferry via Caixin | Investment in many advanced and emerging economies is down – except in China – but governments around the world can take steps to improve the situation.
MADRID | Bankinter Analysis | 3Q Perspectives. Economic cycle speeds up and, mostly, gains soundness and reliability. Global growth will consolidate in 2014/2015 by +3%/+4% with positive news for developed countries and less favorable surprises in emerging markets. Japan and India are the exception to this rule. Spain will also amaze and main economic risk will lie in regional regional integrity issues whose aftermath may be undervalued, regardless the final scenario.
MADRID | The Corner | As global confidence revives and money is in the air, more deals are expected. Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows, which grew year-on-year to $1.45tn in 2013, will rise to $1.6tn in 2014, $1.75tn in 2015 and $1.85 tn in 2016, according to the last U.N. economic think tank UNCTAD report. Spain is one of the EU’s most benefitted recipients attracting $39 billion from vulture funds, venture capital, billionaire families, pension plans or even sovereign funds.
MADRID | By J. J. Fernández-Figares | According to Eurostat, the US became by far the largest foreign investor in the European Union (EU-28) during 2013, with a figure that triples 2010 data. For its part, the second largest foreign investor in 2013 was Brazil, with €21bn.
MADRID| By The Corner | Spain is to lead the EU economic recovery until 2018, according to Morgan Stanley. External sector, capital spending and internal demand would be the factors pushing the country’s growth. Regarding capex, Spanish businesses are the most inclined to rise their investment expenditure in manufacturing during year 2014 in order to boost production capacity.
MADRID | The Corner | Head of Economics at the International Energy Agency remarked that “the investment in renewables in Europe has tripled the US’ investment in the entire shale gas production.” Prices are 20% below the right level to recover the cost of new investments due to the existence of overcapacity and subsidised prices in renewables.