Asia/Pacific

Korea’s governance reforms tackle the 'Korea discount' by enhancing transparency and minority shareholder rights. Measures like mandatory treasury share cancellations and stronger board independence aim to unlock corporate value and drive fairer valuations. A pivotal step toward more equitable markets.

After a week that saw 10-year Japanese government bonds (JGBs) hit yields not seen since the late 1990’s (and record highs for 30-year and 40-year maturities), alongside one of the most interesting Davos conferences in years, which was held in the shadow of the latest push by President Trump to “acquire” Greenland, it is helpful to take stock of where this leaves the global geopolitical landscape and financial markets.

As we turned to the final page of the year, markets experienced a combination of caution and consolidation. What are the factors setting the type for what might await markets in 2026? Find out in the latest Investors’ Outlook.

Investors have faced a period of renewed uncertainty, with swings in market sentiment amid new tariffs, fast-changing economic policies, and geopolitical headlines. The latest Investors’ Outlook decodes the key trends.

“Liberation Day” has landed, and not with a whimper. In extraordinary scenes in the Rose Garden of the White House, President Trump held up a board outlining the level of tariffs the US will impose on countries around the world, and in most cases they were worse than worst-case expectations.

Emerging market (EM) equities are more domestically driven than commonly assumed. Companies in the MSCI EM Index derive over 60% of revenues in their home markets. And they could further reduce their dependence on exports in the future. We illustrate the reasons.

The driving force behind this performance is the Chinese tech sector, fuelled by hopes that a larger adoption of AI could boost earnings. A confirmation of improved earnings, the resurgence of consumption confidence and sequential stabilization of the overall economy will be needed to solidify and extend the recent rally.

Shares in Nvidia and ASML have plummeted due to concerns that Chinese AI startup DeepSeek's new model could disrupt the current AI business model. DeepSeek's R1 model, released on January 20, exhibits performance similar to top US large language models (LLMs), but at a fraction of the cost.

As 2025 approaches, the Multi Asset team examines what may lie ahead. From economic trends to policy changes and an evolving trade environment, how may the contours of the coming year shape up? Read more in the latest Investors’ Outlook.

This publication returns from its summer break, but the Multi Asset team has been busy raking through the changing leaves that have shifted market dynamics. Get wind of their latest insights in the Investors’ Outlook.

Weak US economic data fueled recession fears, triggering a sell-off in the markets. We use the consolidation to buy the dip in equity markets.

Japan’s economic success story after World War II was like a phoenix rising from the ashes. But it didn’t last, resulting in the “Lost Decade” and China subsequently taking its place as the world’s second-largest economy. Comparing the Japan of yesteryear with today’s China raises the question whether China could soon face a similar fate.