All this talk about a bubble in the Chinese stock market isn’t scaring away investors from flooding the largest exchange-traded funds that track Chinese stocks with bucket loads of cash.
April saw HK$20.5 billion ($2.6 billion) flow into the Hang Seng H-Share Index Fund (SEHK STOCK CODE 2828). It was the largest monthly inflow since 2010 and the third-most among equity ETFs globally, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
The Hang Seng H-share ETF holds the stocks of 40 of China’s biggest state-owned companies. Financials make up 67% of the portfolio. The fund is valued at about 10 times forward earnings, compared with the 17 multiple on the Shanghai Composite Index, according to Bloomberg.
The ETF’s shares rose 17% last month to HK$145.20, its third consecutive month of gains. Over the past four months, the ETF has received a total of HK$29 billion, its longest stretch since 2013. Total assets grew to HK$57.1 billion.
The U.S.-listed iShares China Large-Cap ETF (FXI) received $385 million last month, the biggest inflow in eight months. It jumped 16% in April, for a 51% return over the past 12-months.
One big reason for the rally is that Chinese companies trading in Hong Kong are priced at a significant discount to their dual-listed counterparts on the mainland. UBS said even though the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index leapt 17% in April, its largest jump since October 2011, Chinese A shares still trade at a 31% premium to Hong Kong stocks.
Investors are betting on more monetary easing in the world’s largest economy. Since the November Shanghai-Hong Kong exchange link opened mainland stocks to foreign investors, mainland stocks have seen a flood of inflows. In addition, the People’s Bank of China has cut interest rates and reduced banks’ reserve requirement ratios twice in the past six months, sending more liquidity into the markets. Another rate cut is expected soon.
Over the past year, the Hang Seng China Enterprises benchmark soared 48% vs. the 119% surge of the Shanghai Composite Index’s A shares.