Summary of Asia Fund Manager Survey Industry Overview - **Industry**: Asia Pacific Financial Markets - **Survey Period**: December 5 - December 11, 2025 - **Participants**: 238 fund managers with a total of $550 billion in assets under management (AUM) [11] Key Insights Economic Growth Expectations - Global growth expectations reached a four-year high, while Asia Pacific ex-Japan economic prospects are near one-year highs [1][14] - Japan's growth outlook is at a survey peak, indicating strong investor confidence [1] Market Sentiment - Investors maintain a positive market bias but have moderated return expectations due to high valuations [2] - Japan is the most favored market, consistently topping preference rankings since October 2023 [3][50] - China’s growth momentum has stalled, with investors awaiting signs of stimulative policy before increasing exposure [4][28] Sector Preferences - In Japan, banks and semiconductors are favored sectors, driven by rising long-term rates and AI themes [3][48] - In Asia Pacific ex-Japan, tech hardware, semiconductors, and software are the most preferred sectors, while real estate and energy are out of favor [53][54] Investment Themes - Popular investment themes in China include AI, semiconductors, and internet sectors, while green economy and travel have lost favor [55][56] - Korea's 'Corporate Value-Up Program' has garnered positive sentiment post-election [57] Corporate Profit Expectations - A net 41% of fund managers expect stronger corporate profits in the Asia Pacific ex-Japan region, the highest since October 2024 [20][27] - Consensus earnings estimates are not considered high, indicating potential for future upgrades [27] Valuation Concerns - There is a perception that Asia Pacific ex-Japan equities are moderately overvalued due to a significant rally year-to-date [23][25] - Investors are cautious about potential returns given the ~50% rally since April lows [3] China’s Economic Outlook - The outlook for China has stabilized, with a net 3% of investors expecting a stronger economy, a shift from 29% expecting a weaker economy last month [28] - Long-term prospects for China are improving, nearing a three-year high, with 45% of investors believing the equity market is in a structural de-rating process [30][31] Monetary Policy Expectations - There are calls for easing monetary policy in China as consumer and business confidence begins to improve [32][34] - 83% of fund managers expect easier monetary policy in China over the next 12 months [34] Additional Insights - Household risk appetite in China is waning, with a shift towards savings over investments, leading to underweight allocations [4][36] - Japan's economic outlook is overwhelmingly positive, with virtually no investors expecting a weaker economy in the next 12 months [38][39] - Key themes for Japan equities include earnings growth, corporate governance reforms, and Bank of Japan policy normalization [44][45] This summary encapsulates the key findings and insights from the Asia Fund Manager Survey, highlighting the current sentiment and expectations within the Asia Pacific financial markets.

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has warned of AI displacing entry-level workers, and Ford CEO Jim Farley said the tech will wipe out half of white-collar jobs, but Amazon Web Services (AWS) CEO Matt Garman has a wildly different take on young workers’ fate in the age of AI. Earlier this year, Garman said replacing junior software developers with AI was “one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard,” and it’s a point he stands by. In an interview with WIRED published on Tuesday, Garman said displacing junior engin ...

the unemployment rate ticking up for a fourth straight month to 4.6%. Joining me now, Muhammad Alerian, Alian's chief economic advisor. And Muhammad, the listen, I'm having a little bit of trouble with this jobs report.I don't know about you, just in terms of getting that clear picture of what is really going on. >> So, we should really look through this report. >> Okay.>> There are so many distortions and I think Sher Pal was absolutely right when he said we shouldn't take anything out of it. But if you pu ...

Welcome back to Squawkbox. Want to get right to our next guest. Here to talk markets, the economy, the Fed, deal making, uh, M&A, AI, healthcare, and so much more is Peter Rosak.He's the CEO of Lazard, former director, of course, of the Office of Management and Budget under President Obama. And I always think in this role you have, you have a your finger on the pulse of the corner office of businesses around the world, frankly. And I think we're all trying to figure out where things really are.We'll get som ...

Core Insights - NextPlat Corp's subsidiary, Global Telesat Communications Ltd (GTC), has expanded its IoT product portfolio through a partnership with Telit Cinterion, enhancing its offerings in advanced AI-powered 5G and edge computing solutions for the industrial and enterprise IoT markets [1][2] Company Overview - NextPlat is a global consumer products and services company that provides healthcare and technology solutions through e-commerce and retail channels [6] - GTC is one of Europe's largest satellite-enabled connectivity providers, offering voice, data, tracking, and IoT products and services in over 150 countries [2] Industry Context - The global IoT market is currently valued at approximately USD 1.18 trillion and is projected to grow to about USD 2.65 trillion by 2030, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 11.4% [2] - The partnership with Telit Cinterion allows GTC to add advanced 5G connectivity to its existing suite, targeting fast-growing sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, transport and logistics, and energy [2][3] Partnership Benefits - The collaboration with Telit Cinterion aims to provide seamless, prepaid connectivity solutions, addressing challenges like fragmented networks and unpredictable service quality [4] - This partnership is expected to simplify connectivity management for enterprises, reduce operational risks, and accelerate time-to-market for connected solutions across various industries [4]

It's joining us now, Jordan Jackson, JP Morgan Asset Management, global market strategist. Jordan, great to have you with us. How important, if at all, is this jobs report given we've already had a Fed meeting and we're already looking ahead to 2026.>> I think it matters, but it doesn't move the needle all that much. I think the reality is the markets expect these numbers to be uh a little bit um hazy, cloudy, right. Not not not clear uh data.Um and but I think it's going to continue to confirm the story th ...

Group 1 - The U.S. government is using both incentives and tariffs to strengthen domestic semiconductor manufacturing [3][7] - The CHIPS and Science Act has led to significant investments in semiconductor manufacturing, with Texas Instruments planning to invest over $60 billion and Amkor Technology committing $7 billion [4][5] - A KPMG survey indicates that over half of semiconductor executives believe building advanced fabrication facilities domestically is necessary, although many are concerned that government funding may limit innovation [6] Group 2 - Tariffs and trade policy have become the top concern for semiconductor manufacturing leaders, surpassing issues related to talent and labor [8] - Approximately 54% of executives are focused on diversifying their supply chains geographically, while 45% prioritize making supply chains more adaptable to geopolitical risks [8] - Despite supply chain challenges, 93% of leaders expect revenue growth in 2026, driven by increased demand for AI and data centers [8]

These investments combine high yields and low volatility.Volatile market swings can rattle investors who focus on growth stocks, but there's a type of stock whose prices don't tend to swing as widely as shares do in the broader market: real estate investment trusts (REITs).REITs give investors exposure to various types of real estate holdings. Some exclusively invest in data centers, while others focus on multifamily housing or triple-net retail properties. And most offer relatively high yields.Not all REIT ...

Core Viewpoint - The resurgence of stock splits and the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the stock market have created significant investment opportunities, particularly in companies like Broadcom and AppLovin, which have shown remarkable stock performance and growth potential [1][2][3]. Group 1: Stock Market Trends - Stock splits are becoming more common again as a strategy to keep high-value stocks accessible to investors [1] - The bull market driven by AI advancements and strong corporate earnings has led major indices like the Dow Jones, S&P 500, and Nasdaq to reach record highs [2] - Historical data indicates that bull markets lasting over three years tend to continue for an average of eight years, suggesting further growth potential [3] Group 2: Broadcom - Broadcom's stock has increased by 337%, driven by the demand for application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) as alternatives to energy-intensive GPUs [5][6] - The company has secured a multibillion-dollar deal with OpenAI to supply 10 gigawatts of ASICs over the next four years, with expectations of AI-related revenue growth to reach between $60 billion and $90 billion by 2027 [7] - Broadcom's current market cap is $1.6 trillion, with a gross margin of 64.71% and a PEG ratio of 0.43, indicating it may be undervalued despite a high price-to-earnings ratio [9][11] Group 3: AppLovin - AppLovin's stock has surged by 1,780%, attributed to its innovative advertising technology that aids app developers in marketing and monetization [12][13] - The company reported a 68% year-over-year revenue growth of $1.4 billion in the third quarter, with a diluted EPS increase of 96% [15] - AppLovin's market cap stands at $228 billion, with a PEG ratio of 0.63, suggesting it is attractively priced given its rapid growth [15][17]

Group 1 - The core viewpoint of the article highlights that while the market appears stable, AI-native companies are experiencing a threefold increase in growth, which is impacting margins and R&D positions. The traditional SaaS logic is failing, leading to a brutal efficiency war [1][6][7]. Group 2 - The 2025 SaaS Benchmark Report is based on a survey of over 800 B2B SaaS companies, aiming to provide insights into growth rates, personnel size, pricing strategies, and operational efficiency [2][3]. - The report identifies key performance indicators for SaaS companies, including growth rates, net revenue retention (NRR), gross margins, and revenue per full-time employee (FTE) [3][5]. Group 3 - The efficient growth matrix suggests that traditional metrics like LTV:CAC should be reconsidered, emphasizing the importance of combining CAC payback period and NRR for clearer insights into long-term profitability [6][10]. - AI-native startups are growing at a significantly faster rate than traditional B2B SaaS companies, with a notable difference in growth rates across various annual recurring revenue (ARR) brackets [11][19]. Group 4 - AI is reshaping technology roles, particularly in engineering, with significant reductions in workforce due to AI integration. The most affected roles include engineering, customer success, and marketing [17][21]. - The report indicates that companies with higher productivity, measured by revenue per employee, are achieving substantial gains, with top companies exceeding $580,000 in revenue per employee [18]. Group 5 - Pricing sweet spots have been identified, with optimal transaction sizes for growth and retention being between $10,000-$25,000 and $50,000-$100,000. Companies in these ranges tend to experience the best growth rates and retention [22][25][26].