Summary of Key Points from the Conference Call Industry Overview - The report focuses on the **China FX and rates markets**, analyzing the impact of external demand, domestic economic conditions, and tariff risks on the financial landscape. Core Insights and Arguments 1. **Economic Growth and External Demand** - External demand continues to support economic growth, with robust export growth exceeding expectations in September despite a softening of domestic demand in July and August. A structural tailwind in high-tech manufacturing, particularly in AI-related industries, is expected to sustain export momentum in the coming months [2][2][2] - The "around 5%" growth target for the year remains on track, supported by upcoming policy implementations, including RMB 500 billion in new financing instruments to cushion domestic weaknesses [2][2][2] 2. **Tariff Risks and FX Management** - The latest tariff threats from the US introduce uncertainty, but it is believed that both sides will likely pull back from aggressive policies. The balance of risk is skewed towards a managed decline of USD/CNY, with the PBOC maintaining firm management of daily fixing [2][2][2] - CNY resilience has persisted despite tariff risks, with USD/CNY remaining stable compared to significant depreciation during the 2018-19 tariff hikes. This reflects a preference for FX stability to discourage capital outflows [2][2][2] 3. **CGB Market Dynamics** - CGB yields experienced a bull flattening due to tariff-driven growth concerns, with expectations for 10-year CGB yields to hover around 1.8% over the next 12 months. The urgency for renewed CGB purchases by the PBOC is limited, as over 80% of the government bond issuance quota for the year has been utilized [3][3][3] - A dual cut in Q4 is forecasted, consisting of a 10 basis point policy rate cut and a 50 basis point RRR cut, contingent on economic slowdown or escalated US-China tensions [3][3][3] 4. **Foreign Exchange Valuations and Technicals** - The CNY appreciated against the USD in September before a modest depreciation amid renewed tariff concerns. The countercyclical factor narrowed from August to September, indicating shifts in FX policy response [5][6][6] - The carry-to-volatility ratio for USD/CNH remained elevated, suggesting a strong momentum to buy USD and sell CNH, adjusted for volatility [19][20][20] 5. **Fundamentals and Trade Balance** - China's trade balance fell from July to August due to a lower goods trade surplus, while travel exports edged up in August 2025, reaching approximately 155% of 2019 levels [31][35][35] - The FX conversion ratio has remained consistently below previous years since mid-2022, indicating a potential shift in FX inflows related to goods trade [34][34][34] Additional Important Insights - The PBOC injected additional liquidity into the interbank market in September, with overnight repo rates largely remaining below the OMO target [74][78][78] - The net issuance of central government bonds was around RMB 728 billion in September 2025, with local governments utilizing 78% of their general bond issuance quota as of August 2025 [85][88][88] - Despite high volumes of CGB issuance, there has been continued selling pressure from funds, foreign investors, and securities companies [115][115][115] This summary encapsulates the critical insights and data points from the conference call, providing a comprehensive overview of the current state and outlook of the China FX and rates markets.