• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

The millennial generation has split, new Fed research shows: Those over 35 are edging toward boomer-style wealth, while everyone else falls behind

2

Scott Bessent casually says the U.S. has more than $1 trillion in gold—and that it doesn’t matter for the dollar

3

Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock

1

The millennial generation has split, new Fed research shows: Those over 35 are edging toward boomer-style wealth, while everyone else falls behind

2

Scott Bessent casually says the U.S. has more than $1 trillion in gold—and that it doesn’t matter for the dollar

3

Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock
FinanceChina

China stock skepticism gets louder as world-beating run extends

By
Charlotte Yang
Charlotte Yang
,
Tania Chen
Tania Chen
, and
Bloomberg
Bloomberg
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Charlotte Yang
Charlotte Yang
,
Tania Chen
Tania Chen
, and
Bloomberg
Bloomberg
Down Arrow Button Icon
October 6, 2024, 11:21 AM ET
stock investor on phone
Chinese shares have skyrocketed since late-September as a barrage of economic, financial and market-support measures reinvigorated investor confidence.CFOTO—Future Publishing via Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

The world-beating rally in Chinese stocks is failing to convince many global fund managers and strategists.

Recommended Video

Invesco Ltd., JPMorgan Asset Management, HSBC Global Private Banking and Wealth, and Nomura Holdings Inc. are among those viewing the recent rebound with skepticism and waiting for Beijing to back up its stimulus pledges with real money. Some are also concerned many stocks are already reaching overvalued levels.

Chinese shares have skyrocketed since late-September as a barrage of economic, financial and market-support measures reinvigorated investor confidence. The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index, which comprises Chinese stocks listed in Hong Kong, has jumped more than 30% over the past month, making it the best performer among more than 90 global equity gauges tracked by Bloomberg.

“In the short term, sentiment could overshoot but people will go back to fundamentals,” said Raymond Ma, Invesco’s chief investment officer for Hong Kong and Mainland China. “Because of this rally, some stocks have become really overvalued” and they lack a clear value proposition based on their likely earnings performance, he said.

Read more: China’s Defaulted Developers Soar 200% in Speculative Frenzy

Stimulus announced by Beijing has included interest-rate cuts, freeing-up of cash at banks, billions of dollars of liquidity support for stocks, and a vow to end the long-term slide in property prices. While there’s plenty of optimism that could underpin a sustainable equity rally, there have been a number of false dawns before, most recently a rally in February that completely unwound.

The surge in the past two weeks has seen Chinese equities reassert their influence over broader emerging-market gauges, and dented the performance of fund managers who had been running underweight positions in the biggest developing-nation economy. The durability of the rebound will not only matter for the year-end performance of index-tracking funds, but also have direct implications for nations that have trading and investment links with China.

Ma at Invesco, who was one of relatively few China bulls coming into this year, said he’s in no rush to add to his investments now.

“There are a group of stocks whose share prices are up by 30% to 40% and almost at historical highs,” he said. “Whether in the next 12 months the fundamentals will be as good as before their peak, that’s more uncertain to me. That would be the category we would like to trim.”

Read more: Rajiv Jain Is Unimpressed by China Stock Mania Sweeping Globe

More Needed

JPMorgan Asset Management is just as cautious.

“Additional policy steps would be needed to boost economic activity and confidence,” said Tai Hui, Asia Pacific chief market strategist in Hong Kong. “The policies announced so far can help to smoothen out the de-leveraging process, but the balance-sheet repairing would still need to take place.”

Hui also pointed to global uncertainties that may crimp the nascent stock rally.

“With the U.S. elections only a month away, many investors would argue that the U.S. view of China as an economic and geopolitical rival is a bipartisan consensus,” he said. Moreover, “foreign investors may choose to wait for economic data to bottom out and for this new policy direct to solidify,’ he said.

Slowing Growth

HSBC Global Private Banking remains concerned the steps China has taken aren’t enough to reverse the nation’s slowing long-term growth outlook.

“More significant fiscal easing is still needed to sustain the recovery momentum and shore up growth to achieve the 5% 2024 GDP growth target,” said Cheuk Wan Fan, chief investment officer for Asia at the private bank in Hong Kong. “For now, we stay neutral on mainland China and Hong Kong equities based on our expectation of China’s GDP growth decelerating from 4.9% in 2024 to 4.5% in 2025.”

‘Go Further’

Still, some remain bullish, saying valuations are cheap due to the three-year selloff.

“The rally can run, there’s a lot of money that still needs to rebalance. especially from global investors,” Matthew Quaife, global head of multi-asset investment management at Fidelity International in Hong Kong, said on Bloomberg Television.

“We know valuations are still below mean and could run further from a technical view. This could have more legs and how much it goes into earnings is a bigger question,” he said.

Potential Bust

Nomura Holdings Inc. is among the most pessimistic, warning the rally may quickly turn from boom to bust.

In the most gloomy scenario, “a stock market mania would be followed by a crash, similar to what happened in 2015,” Nomura economists led by Ting Lu in Hong Kong wrote in a note to clients. That outcome may have a “much higher probability” than more optimistic scenarios, they said.

Bond ‘Challenges’

Some investors and strategists are also wary about what the stimulus blitz means for the nation’s bonds and currency.

China’s bonds have dropped since the stock rally started, ending at least temporarily a period in which yields set successive record lows as investors bought haven assets.

“There are still major challenges to be resolved, and it’s not an easy road,” said Lynn Song, chief economist for Greater China at ING Bank in Hong Kong. “We need to ensure that this policy blitz is effective in stabilizing the downward trajectory of the housing market and not just result in a rush of hot money to equities.”

Bonds may become a beneficiary if the stock market cools, Song said. “There’s certainly a risk we could revert back to the previous months’ environment if anything goes wrong in the next steps ahead.”

Yuan traders will be watching out on Tuesday for the central bank’s daily reference rate, the level around which the currency is allowed to trade. The onshore yuan has strengthened more than 1% in the past month to approach the key level of 7 per dollar. A break of that barrier may trigger a further rally.

About the Authors
By Charlotte Yang
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Tania Chen
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Bloomberg
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in Finance

Alphabet Inc. and Google CEO Sundar Pichai speaks during the inauguration of a Google Artificial Intelligence (AI) hub in Paris on February 15, 2024. (
Big TechWall Street
AI is forcing Big Tech to do something it’s never done: Spend more than it earns, and Wall Street hates it
By Eva RoytburgJuly 23, 2026
3 hours ago
Saudi Arabia takes center stage as oil hits $100 and the Iran war escalates amid Houthi attacks and nuclear expansion
EnergyDonald Trump
Saudi Arabia takes center stage as oil hits $100 and the Iran war escalates amid Houthi attacks and nuclear expansion
By Jordan BlumJuly 23, 2026
5 hours ago
California Republican’s awkward pitch: vote for me even if you hate Trump
BankingElections
California Republican’s awkward pitch: vote for me even if you hate Trump
By MIchael R. Blood and The Associated PressJuly 23, 2026
8 hours ago
z
EconomyElections
Democrats decide 2026 midterm elections are the perfect time for a civil war pitting socialists against moderates
By Jill Colvin and The Associated PressJuly 23, 2026
9 hours ago
police tape
North AmericaCrime
American homicides on track for lowest level in more than a century: ‘one of the most significant public safety developments in decades’
By Safiyah Riddle and The Associated PressJuly 23, 2026
9 hours ago
Photo of Speaker of the House Mike Johnson.
PoliticsCongress
The Republican-controlled House just passed a stock trading bill — that exempts Trump’s 3,600 Q1 trades
By Joey Cappelletti and The Associated PressJuly 23, 2026
9 hours ago

Most Popular

The millennial generation has split, new Fed research shows: Those over 35 are edging toward boomer-style wealth, while everyone else falls behind
Real Estate
The millennial generation has split, new Fed research shows: Those over 35 are edging toward boomer-style wealth, while everyone else falls behind
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 22, 2026
1 day ago
Scott Bessent casually says the U.S. has more than $1 trillion in gold—and that it doesn’t matter for the dollar
Economy
Scott Bessent casually says the U.S. has more than $1 trillion in gold—and that it doesn’t matter for the dollar
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 22, 2026
1 day ago
Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock
Success
Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 20, 2026
3 days ago
Spain lifted the World Cup, but the IRS still gets a cut of its $50 million pay day as players, coaches and refs all face complex U.S. “jock taxes”
Personal Finance
Spain lifted the World Cup, but the IRS still gets a cut of its $50 million pay day as players, coaches and refs all face complex U.S. “jock taxes”
By Joshua HongJuly 23, 2026
18 hours ago
'The man who dies rich dies disgraced': The last time America had such wealth inequality, Andrew Carnegie knew he had to give it all away
Success
'The man who dies rich dies disgraced': The last time America had such wealth inequality, Andrew Carnegie knew he had to give it all away
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 22, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of July 23, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 23, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 23, 2026
15 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.