Beware the Hidden Dollar Bet in Asian Equities

Beware the Hidden Dollar Bet in Asian Equities

You think you’re running an equity book. You may also be running an FX trade.

BOTTOM LINE

Asian equities need a weak US Dollar. Right now, that exposure is at multi-year extremes, and most books aren’t sizing for it.

THE SETUP

March’s sharp drawdown in MSCI Asia Pacific coincided almost exactly with a resurgent USD. The relationship is not new. But the market is currently ignoring the latest dollar move - creating a potential gap between what investors think they own and what they actually own.

THE KOSPI CASE STUDY

Using KOSPI as a lens, Qi’s MFERM shows dollar exposure has increased sharply. Both DM FX (USD Trade Weighted) and EM FX (USDCNH) sit among the top factor exposures - and both have risen significantly in recent weeks.


Zoom out and the picture sharpens further. KOSPI’s sensitivity to a weak Dollar is at its highest point in the past year.


Continue reading our analysis by downloading the PDF above

Author
Huw Roberts

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