Still, Edwards insists that the current parallels to the late 1990s Nasdaq bubble are clear: extremely rich valuations in tech, with some U.S. companies trading at over 30x forward earnings, justified by compelling growth narratives. Just as the TMT (technology, media, telecom) sector attracted vast, sometimes wasted capital investment in the 1990s, Edwards argued that today’s enthusiasm echoes that earlier era. There are two key differences that could lead to a much worse outcome this time, though.As he hi ...

China's banks are edging towards their "Japanification moment", as years of yielding margins to support the economy have "left the system thin on profitability and more exposed to credit shocks", according to a new report by S&P Global Ratings. Japanification is characterised by a prolonged period of low growth and weak profitability, similar to the state of Japan's economy after the country's asset bubble burst in the early 1990s. While other banking systems had weathered ultra-low rates by diversifying ...