Asia Centric by Bloomberg Intelligence

The rush to board the AI bandwagon has powered America’s Magnificent Seven stocks to a level of investor excitement not seen since the 1990s dot-com bubble. Is artificial intelligence for real? How does the Magnificent Seven rank in terms of AI monetization? Can Asia tech stocks keep pace with their American counterparts?

Mandeep Singh, Global Head of Technology Research at Bloomberg Intelligence and Robert Lea, Senior Asia Technology Analyst join co-hosts John Lee and Tom Corbett for an insightful glimpse at what the future holds for AI, and how investors might profit from its progress.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A sea change is afoot in South Korea, where a new corporate governance code promises to overhaul the country’s business dynamics. Some believe that could help its stocks shake off the so-called “Korea Discount” as it tears a page from Japan’s playbook in a bid to mimic the Nikkei 225’s rejuvenation. 

Investors have taken notice and have channelled more than $8 billion into Korean stocks during January and February 2024 as they seek to cash in. 

Can South Korea’s new boldness shake up its rigid corporate culture and reinvigorate its equity markets? Are companies even ready for American style shareholder activism? 

Activist investor Changhwan Lee, Founder & CEO of Align Partners, discusses his proxy fight over SM Entertainment and Korea’s changing investment landscape with co-hosts John Lee and Tom Corbett.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China's challenges are snowballing. From its slumping stock market to its property crisis, to a generation lying flat, the outlook is daunting, and easy fixes are unlikely.

The world's second largest economy also faces structural problems, including a shrinking population, high household debt and low consumer confidence.

How will China's tough choices shape the road ahead, and what are the implications for the rest of the global economy? Hao Hong, Chief Economist at Grow Investment Group joins co-hosts John Lee and Tom Corbett on Asia Centric from Bloomberg Intelligence.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Evergrande has become the mother of all casualties in China’s real estate crisis, crumbling under the weight of its own debt, and leaving homebuyers and investors reeling.

The latest twist in the Evergrande saga came this week when a Hong Kong judge ordered the property giant liquidated. The ruling comes more than two years after the developer first defaulted on a bond payment.

Can Evergrande’s bondholders ever be made whole? What will it take to restore confidence in China’s property market? And why might the worst not yet be over? Bloomberg Intelligence senior analysts Kristy Hung and Daniel Fan join hosts John Lee and Tom Corbett to assess the ruling's impact and what lies ahead.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The attacks on cargo vessels plying the Red Sea have delivered the biggest blow to global trade since the Covid-19 pandemic. Drones, missiles, and gunfire from Houthi rebels are sending ships on costly and time consuming detours around Africa.

Container ships are bearing the brunt of the impact, and the ensuing delays and soaring costs threaten to upend supply chains and rekindle the fires of inflation. China might also have the most at stake. 

How bad could the crisis get? How are global shipping companies benefiting? Bloomberg Intelligence’s transportation & logistics analysts Lee Klaskow and Kenneth Loh join co-hosts John Lee and Tom Corbett to reveal how they see the shipping industry.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Taiwan’s hotly contested presidential election was cast as a stark choice between two different destinies, but for the island’s voters, relations with mainland China are just part of the picture.

Economic growth, jobs, and a path to prosperity are big issues for Taiwan’s more than 23 million people, especially its young adults, who’ve come of age facing the risk of conflict, a changing identity, and an uncertain future.

How likely is Taiwan to find itself at the center of a wider conflict? How much damage would an invasion inflict? How would the US respond? Can such a scenario be prevented? And what will the next four years look like?

Jennifer Welch, Chief Geo-Economics Analyst at Bloomberg Economics and Maeva Cousin, Senior Global Economist for Bloomberg Economics join co-hosts John Lee and Tom Corbett for a look at the precarious road ahead for Taiwan and the world.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Asia’s investors are staring at a potential watershed year in 2024, which promises turning points, stumbling blocks, opportunities, and more than a few surprises.

Falling rates appear likely, but when, how fast and how far the U.S. central bank will cut has investors guessing, with implications for Asian currencies, bonds and equities.

Can China recapture the animal spirits that once made it the darling of western investors? Or will Japan and Southeast Asia continue to steal the spotlight? And what could go wrong?

Bloomberg Intelligence’s Senior Asia Equity Strategist Marvin Chen, Chief Asia FX and Rates Strategist Stephen Chiu, and Senior Asia Credit Strategist Timothy Tan join Asia Centric’s co-costs John Lee and Tom Corbett for a look at what 2024 might bring.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Family offices -- they’re the secretive, go-anywhere asset managers that quietly steward fortunes for the ultra-rich. In Asia, Singapore has emerged as the new family office hot spot, wooing captains of industry, crypto whales, and Chinese billionaires with low taxes, favorable regulations, a business-friendly environment, and safety and security. The island has become home to more than 1,100 family offices, which manage more than $4 trillion in assets.

Why is Singapore such a draw for the world’s billionaires? Is the growth sustainable? And what are the risks? Venture capitalist and family office CEO Sharon Sim joins co-hosts John Lee and Tom Corbett for a look under the hood at this insular but fast-growing corner of the high net-worth world.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

India has emerged as the hot, new growth opportunity for global investors.

It's the world’s most populous country, and largest democracy. It’s home to a demographic swath of 600 million people younger than 30, and a booming economy growing by 7-8% a year.

India’s energy and opportunity have made it a magnet for foreign capital, leaving many convinced that the highest-quality growth is yet to come.

But is India's growth story the real deal? Is it at a tipping point too promising to ignore? Or is it just a diversification play for investors seeking to hedge their stakes in China?

Veteran emerging markets investor Mark Mobius, founder of Mobius Capital Partners, talks to Asia Centric’s John Lee and Tom Corbett from Chennai, and he reveals why he’s excited enough about India to make a big bet on its economic future.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Global real estate investors have been navigating a treacherous path, with many wondering where the markets will go next. In Hong Kong, interest rates have crushed home prices, sending some mortgages under water while its once jam-packed commercial real estate market struggles to fill space.

When might the real estate winds shift? Will rates carry property values higher or lower? Where are the risks and opportunities? And is it really different this time?

Veteran Hong Kong property consultant Peter Churchouse of Portwood Capital and senior property analyst Patrick Wong share their insights with co-hosts John Lee and Tom Corbett on Asia Centric from Bloomberg Intelligence.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.