China may still be in trade talks with President Trump, but that’s not keeping money away from the country’s technology sector.
The PowerShares GoldenDragon Halter Index ($HXC) is up more than 3 percent today and on pace for its highest close since early October. The gains follow two weeks of consolidation above the 50-day moving average, a potential sign that momentum has turned.
Never heard of the index? It’s still likely you know some of its important members like Alibaba (BABA), Baidu (BIDU) and JD.com (JD).
There doesn’t seem to be any news to explain their rallies, but a few things seem to be going on. First is the simple return to risk assets after the fourth quarter’s big selloff. As reported recently on Market Insights, safe havens have simply fallen out of favor. Fast-moving Chinese technology stocks are pretty much the opposite of safe havens.
Second, money has shifted to “weak-dollar” assets and emerging markets. Investors began the year focusing on Brazil, but this week’s seeing a shift to Chinese names. Did you know the U.S. dollar is on pace for its lowest close against the yuan since July?
That’s especially impressive when you consider the strength of the U.S. economy. Normally the kind of numbers we saw yesterday should lift the greenback. The fact it’s not happening seems to reflect bullish investor sentiment.
Third, technology stocks are ripping again — especially after semiconductors bounced yesterday.
Finally, 2018 brought a slew of new Chinese technology stocks. Here are some of those IPOs:
- Huya (HUYA): Videogames
- Iqiyi (IQ): Streaming video, the “Netflix of China”
- Pinduoduo (PDD): E-commerce
Some other actively traded names in the Chinese tech space include:
- Vishops (VIPS): E-commerce
- Momo (MOMO): Mobile gaming
- Ctrip.com (CTRP): Online travel agency
Disclosure: This post is intended for educational purposes only and should not be interpreted as a trade recommendation.
