Insurer AIA Group said new business value, an underlying gauge of future profitability, rose 27 per cent in the first quarter and boosted its buy-back plan by US$2 billion
Chengdu city will no longer review homebuyers’ qualification for real estate purchases starting Monday and pledged to meet developers’ reasonable funding demands
Hong Kong stocks rose for a sixth day, heading for the longest winning streak in six months, amid optimism around corporate earnings as the results season unfolded in the world’s second largest economy.
The Hang Seng Index rose almost 2% on Monday, taking its advance from a January 22 low to more than 20%. A close at these levels will see the gauge meet the definition of a bull market, joining a cohort of other indexes in China and Hong Kong that have reached such a milestone in recent weeks.
The Hang Seng Tech Index also advanced 2.23 per cent and the Shanghai Composite Index retreated 0.1 per cent.
Insurer AIA Group rallied 6.7 per cent to HK$57.60 after saying that new business value, an underlying gauge of future profitability, increased 27 per cent in the first quarter and boosted its buy-back plan by US$2 billion. China Life Insurance added 1.3 per cent to HK$10.46 after its first-quarter result exceeded the consensus estimate.
“Value of new business grew at a double-digit rate across all reportable segments and margin expansion was driven by favourable shifts in product mix,” said Jefferies analysts in a post-earnings report. “AIA has surprised us by adding another US$2 billion to the existing US$10 billion buy-back. This uplift is even more material when set against the [around] US$3.3 billion (of the US$10 billion) which was due to be returned in 2024.”
In the latest sign of officials seeking to resurrect the property market, the southwest city of Chengdu will no longer review homebuyers’ qualification for real estate purchases starting Monday and pledged to meet developers’ reasonable funding demands.
The Hang Seng Index has risen more than 7 per cent this month, making it the best performer among the key equity gauges globally in the span. Stretched valuations of the US and Indian stocks have prompted global fund managers to recalibrate their portfolios to relatively cheap Hong Kong stocks, while mainland traders have also ramped up buying.
Investors will also track official comments following the US Federal Reserve’s policy meeting on Wednesday. The world’s biggest central bank is expected to leave the interest rates unchanged after its preferred gauge of inflation largely came in line with projections in April.
Other major Asian markets were mixed. South Korea’s Kospi rose 0.8 per cent and Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 added 0.5 per cent, while Taiwan’s Taiex index advanced 1.2 per cent. Japan’s market is closed for a holiday.
