CapitaMalls Asia: Bought at $1.37.

Similar to Capitaland, I am still waiting for a technical rebound in the share price of CapitaMalls Asia before reducing exposure. The counter is dreadfully oversold and a technical rebound is probably overdue. However, in extremely bearish circumstances, a counter could stay oversold for a very long time. As always, a huge dose of luck is required.

Today, I bought more shares of CapitaMalls Asia at $1.37 per share. Why? Is there a positive divergence? Nope. So, why am I buying when there is no reversal signal? The same reason why I bought more shares in Capitaland and if you remember, price went lower the next day. So, will price move lower tomorrow for CapitaMalls Asia? Your guess is as good as mine.

From the ADX, it is obvious that CapitaMalls Asia is in a downtrend and the trend is strengthening too. If we look at the MACD, it is set to form a lower low. However, if we connect the two earlier lows, the MACD could have hit support. As if to support this thesis, price action almost formed a white hammer today. On the back of high volume, price formed a doji as it closed at the day's opening price of $1.40 after hitting a low of $1.36.

After such a rapid and steep decline in price, the rebound could be equally forceful. We could perhaps see gap cover at $1.55 in such an instance. This would also approximate the position of the declining 20dMA. Wish me luck.


Daryl Guppy: A different reality in China. Despite the much-anticipated hard landing, bubble bursting and general collapse in China, the reality is a little different. The China market fills the growth gaps left by the US market for those companies smart enough to work in the Chinese environment, and meet the growing demands of Chinese consumers. This demand is fuelled by mandated wage increases and the structural shift towards a domestic consumer economy.
The EDGE, 20 June 2011.




Related post:
CapitaMalls Asia: Daily versus Weekly.

Golden Agriculture: A steeper trendline resistance.

Has Golden Agriculture's share price turned bearish? I would not say bearish exactly since the uptrend that started on 23 Feb 2011 is still intact. However, the inability to form a higher high is worrisome. Having said this, price could go as low as 66c in the next couple of sessions and the uptrend would still be intact.

Looking at the chart, the trendline resistance that started on 30 May 2011 has immediacy compared to the one which started on 11 Apr 2011. It is currently at 68c. There is more downward pressure in the current timeframe.

Is there no chance of a rebound? Well, although the Stochastics has just risen out of the oversold territory, we could be walking on thin ice here. If we believe in chart patterns, it seems that a symmetrical triangle is forming. If this triangle is valid, we should see a sharp movement in price in either direction two thirds of the distance to the apex. It could happen soon.

If price could find strong support at 66c and in the process forming a white candle which ultimately breaks resistance, there is a chance of further upside in price. If price should break support at 66c on the back of higher volume, we will probably see the start of a new downtrend.




Related post:
Golden Agriculture: Contra at 68.5c.

Staying positive on S-REITs.

In the recent weeks, shares of property developers, telecoms companies, commodities companies, shipping companies, gaming companies etc have mostly declined in price.

So, in a sea of red, is staying uninvested the way to go? Very probably, many are doing just that. Personally, I am staying invested and mostly in selected S-REITs. In an environment of greater volatility, S-REITs' unit prices have demonstrated resilience and my portfolio of S-REITs has remained relatively unscathed in the recent market weakness.

Some asked me if it is safe to invest in S-REITs now or add to their long positions. Truthfully, I cannot give any answer in the affirmative. I will ask you to instead consider the more discussed circumstances in which S-REITs could fail.

1. Interest rates suddenly shoot through the roof when the time comes for S-REITs to refinance.

2. Credit drying up, leading to S-REITs being unable to refinance at any price.

3. Tenants defaulting en-masse leading to S-REITs being unable to meet their financial obligations.

4. Value of properties declining to the point where gearing exceeds 40%.

Then, ask ourselves how likely are these events to take place in the next two years. I have given some thought to these points and I remain sanguine about the situation.

1. It is unlikely that interest rates would shoot through the roof overnight or over the next two years. We must see some pretty strong inflationary pressure before interest rates would go higher. U.S. interest rates being revised upwards by 0.25% every few months is hardly catastrophic. Unless funds are able to get higher returns with similar or lower risks elsewhere, I do not see S-REITs turning unattractive, all else remaining equal.

2. The Great Depression delivered a lesson which has not been forgotten if the actions by central banks around the world were anything to go by. Any businessman would know that credit is the lifeblood of the economy. Credit dries up, businesses come to a halt and great hardship would follow. Central banks will ensure that this never happens again. We came pretty close in the last great recession and already got a fleeting glimpse of what could happen if credit dried up completely.

3. The supply of industrial space is likely to remain tight in Singapore in the near future and I have blogged about this. If the economy takes a sudden turn for the worse, we could see some tenants defaulting but it is unlikely that tenants would default en-masse. Even in the last recession which was one of the worst I have seen, nothing that serious took place. With interest cover ratios of 5.7x or more, industrial S-REITs are not about to make me lose sleep at night.

4. Most S-REITs are conservatively geared. Even with a gearing level of 32%, we have to see property valuations dropping by some 20% before gearing would hit 40%. A 20% decline is pretty severe and I do not think it likely unless the current valuations are frothy. If we look at the current valuations of industrial properties S-REITs, they are still very much below the peak before the last recession.

Although I remain sanguine about the fundamentals of the S-REITs I am vested in, I do recognise that prices are driven by sentiments. If Mr. Market should go barking mad and is willing to sell to me at prices which would give me distribution yields in excess of 10% like it did in the last recession, I would gladly increase my long positions. Yes, that is my plan. Keep a warchest ready and seize the opportunity if it should present itself.

Related post:
Investing in REITs: A flawed strategy?

Capitaland: More downside?

My purchase of more shares in Capitaland yesterday at $2.81 per share, unfortunately, did not turn out well. Today, its share price closed at $2.75, the day's low. There are some very determined shortists. The bears have won for now. Well, this is the risk one has to accept if one were to go long in a downtrend when there are no clear reversal signals. Too bad for me.

I am going to employ Fibo lines which have worked so well for me on other occasions to help determine where would we find the next support. Taking the high of $4.23 as 0% and $3.08, a natural support as 100%, we see a clearer picture.

$2.81 is where we find the 123.6% Fibo line, not a golden ratio and, as it turned out, it was a weak support which held up for a while in the morning. The next support is at $2.64. This is provided by the 138.2% Fibo line, a golden ratio and likely to be stronger. In the absence of a rebound, I would keep an eye on this price if it should be tested.

Fundamentally, Capitaland is now trading at a 21.4% discount to its NAV of $3.50 per share. I still get a feeling that it is very oversold and that a technical rebound is overdue. Of course, Mr. Market does not care two hoots what I feel.

For investors still keen on property stocks, the key is to be extra selective. Daiwa Securities recommends CapitaLand, which it notes has underperformed the local market “significantly” over the last 12 months. “We believe the market has sold down CapitaLand shares to a level where nearly all of the future policy risk (in China and Singapore) has been priced in.”

Daiwa adds what while home prices in Singapore and China may stagnate or even decline, CapitaLand’s combined residential property exposure in the two countries accounts for less than 20% of its overall assets. Daiwa has an “outperform” rating and $3.50 price target on CapitaLand. The stock closed at $2.75 on June 17.
(Source: The EDGE Weekend Comment Jun 17)

Related post:
Capitaland: Average buy price of $2.81.