中金：指数的“上限”在哪？

Core Viewpoint - The Hong Kong stock market has been active this year but has recently lagged behind the A-share market, particularly since July, where the Hang Seng Index has struggled to break through the 25,000-point mark, showing only a 3% increase compared to A-shares' significant gains of 9.2% and 20% for the ChiNext Index [2][6]. Group 1: Market Performance - The Hang Seng Index has been stagnant since mid-July, contrasting sharply with the A-share market's performance, which has reached a ten-year high [2]. - Despite a recovery since April, the Hong Kong market has underperformed compared to global peers, with the Hang Seng Tech Index failing to recover losses from March [5][6]. Group 2: Reasons for Underperformance - The underperformance of the Hong Kong market is attributed to three main factors: liquidity tightening (Hibor rising), downward revisions in earnings, and low valuation (AH premium below 125%) [8][19]. - Hibor rates have surged from near zero to close to 3% within a week, indicating a tightening of liquidity in the Hong Kong banking sector [8][9]. - In contrast, the A-share market has enjoyed ample liquidity, with daily trading volumes exceeding 3 trillion yuan and financing balances surpassing 2 trillion yuan [11][12]. Group 3: Earnings and Valuation - Earnings for the Hang Seng Index have been continuously revised downwards, with consensus estimates for 2025 showing a negative growth of -1.4% compared to a positive growth forecast of 10% for the MSCI China A-share Index [19][22]. - The AH premium has dropped below 125%, reducing the attractiveness of dividends for many investors, which has contributed to the market's struggles [26][27]. Group 4: Future Outlook - The expectation of a potential interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve may provide some liquidity support for the Hong Kong market, but it is not seen as a definitive driver [14][17]. - The long-term structural advantages of the Hong Kong market remain, particularly in sectors like AI, new consumption, and innovative pharmaceuticals, which could attract investment despite short-term challenges [44][45]. Group 5: Investment Strategy - The current strategy suggests that while the Hong Kong market may lag in the short term due to liquidity issues and earnings downgrades, it holds long-term structural advantages that could yield better returns [44][45]. - Investors are advised to focus on structural opportunities rather than merely index performance, as the market has shown significant potential for alpha generation through sector rotation [45][46].