Thursday, May 7, 2015

When kings got dethroned.....

First, it was Bill Gross got dethroned as king of bonds and now we have Mark Mobious dethroned as king of emerging markets. Those basically believe in valuation practically got hammered and driven to the ground.


The End of Mark Mobius’s Reign as King of Emerging-Market Stocks

For a quarter of a century the name Mark Mobius has been synonymous with investing in developing markets. A bald, energetic, New York native who often dresses in white suits, Mobius is constantly tweeting and appearing on television from St. Petersburg to São Paulo encouraging investors to put money into fast-growing developing economies. A Mark Mobius comic book published in Asia in 2007 chronicled his globe-trotting exploits. (Really.) In the U.S. he was voted by his peers onto a list of the top 10 investors of the 20th century, putting him alongside Warren Buffett, Julian Robertson, and George Soros. What Bill Gross was to bonds, Mobius was to emerging markets: the King.
His reign may be coming to an end. Like Gross, Mobius, 78, has posted mediocre numbers in recent years and seen investors depart. While they still make money, 11 of the 13 largest funds that Mobius oversees at Franklin Templeton Investments have underperformed their benchmarks over the past five years. At his zenith in 2011, Mobius oversaw $39 billion. Today that figure is down to $26 billion. And in December, his flagship Asian Growth Fund lost its long-held position as the region’s largest to First State Investments’ Asia Pacific Leaders Fund. “He’s one of the few well-known managers in emerging markets,” says Todd Rosenbluth, director of mutual fund and ETF research at S&P Capital IQ. “Unfortunately, the track record is below average. Investors are more frustrated.”

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-05-06/mark-mobius-s-reign-as-king-of-emerging-market-stocks-nears-end-

There is only one kind of people that I know is making money now: traders and momentum traders.....If you don't belong to this special breed, be very careful. You can loose your shirt minus your pants....yes....pants(plural).

Sunday, May 3, 2015

Random thoughts on the markets

Waiting for major market corrections requires a lot of stamina. But I know if I give in now, I would really an idiot. Why?

Look at this chart.


S & P 500 is valued @ 21x PE ratio. Except the extreme bubble or of the chart during 2009 crisis, it is certainly at top of the valuation range. The median is 15 x. I always believe in reversion to mean.


KLCI is selling for 17 PE ratio. Again it is above the long term valuation and also at the top of trading range. Corporate earnings have been dissapointing. 



My only market that I used to be bullish while the rest of the world keep saying China was about to implode due to property bubble, crashing economy and shadow banking. As time goes by, my convictions were proven right. China is heading towards managed landing. China stock market is getting very pricey, close to 20x PE.


What is really worrisome the stock market is fuel by high school drop out and "da ma".

I don't think I am looking for the end of the world scenario but we certainly need a deep 20-30% corrections before the bull run can continue.

Please note that the cheap money is here to stay forever, is an illusion. Look the US unemployment is approaching full employment. It's close to 2006/2007 level.



Yet the interest rate stays ZERO?

No, it will not stay for long, at least not what 10 year treasury traders think. It starts to trend up.

To those who still swimming out there, just be careful. Just like Warren Buffett said: "A bull market is like sex. It feels best just before it ends."