HK01, a popular Hong Kong-based online media network, recently reported that finance company MSCI removed 66 Chinese stocks from its benchmark China Index and its All Country World Index during the latest MSCI quarterly review. The move by MSCI comes as Mainland China and Hong Kong stock markets plummeted, losing trillions of dollars in market value from their peak in 2021.
Most of the removed companies are in the real estate, pharmaceuticals, internet, and aviation sector. Specific names removed including famous companies such as Weibo, China Southern Airlines, Ping An Healthcare and Technology, as well as real estate developers Gemdale Group and Greentown China. The number of Chinese companies removed was the greatest seen in at least two years. The removals will be effective from the close of trading on February 29, 2024.
China’s weight in global investment portfolios has fallen significantly as China’s real estate industry sinks further into crisis, Chinese consumer spending continues to weaken, and alternative emerging markets such as India continue to perform well. Some experts expressed that MSCI’s stock removals highlight how money is moving out of Chinese equities as investors reduce their exposure. Such investor behavior is largely due to recent weakness in Chinese market fundamentals, ongoing financial instability, regulatory uncertainty, and concern over national-level risks.
Source: HK01, February 14, 2024
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