Expert views

Societe Generale hosted its first Global Markets Conference in Hong Kong on 23 October 2024, building on the success of the series in the UK and the US.

Since the boom in 2020, global Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) investments that embed ESG criteria have gone through some bumpy years – particularly in 2023. Macroeconomic events such as the energy price shock in Europe, interest rate hikes, and even political elections, have had a profound impact on ESG investing.

Global markets are moving into a new phase, one that will require investors to manage their portfolios more actively as the easy returns of the past couple of years fade while volatility increases. However, this is also a market where intelligent asset allocation and a thoughtfully structured portfolio will be able to generate alpha – a chance for active...

As we enter the second half of 2024, investors focus on the path of disinflation causing divergence in central banks’ policy easing. How will these factors play out and what are the implications on Asian markets?

In the energy transition, the commodities sector is where the pedal really hits the metal. Rising prices are just a taste of things to come.

International connectivity and a nimble approach to debt financing helps issuers and investors access the right opportunities at the right time.

From gigafactories to green ammonia, bankable new business models are key to accelerating the energy transition.

Societe Generale Global Markets experts share their views on the drivers and strategies shaping the green transition in Asia – and what it all means for investors.

In a little over two years, Japan appears to have put three decades of deflation decisively behind it. Accelerating from near zero at the start of 2022 to a peak of over 4% early last year, consumer prices are currently just shy of 3%.

The global push for sustainable supply chains is strengthening the link between digitalisation and decarbonisation.

Following a correction in valuations during 2023, investors are turning cautiously optimistic about Australian real estate again and refocusing on the sector’s structural growth, which is being underpinned by heavy investment into higher environmental standards.

Every country is striving to reach net zero carbon emissions in the coming decades. But not all of them face India’s additional challenges of trying to decarbonise a rapidly growing economy, while also extending electricity coverage to a still largely rural population of 1.4 billion.

As stakeholders push companies to become more sustainable, technology, regulation and national support measures are all evolving rapidly to make this possible, allowing investors to deploy more capital with greater certainty.

Property market stabilization requires faster restructuring of developers' debts

A dazzling economic and exporting success story, Korea can maintain its momentum if its companies adopt greener practices.

Despite the deepening troubles in China’s property sector, a financial crisis that could spill over into global markets looks unlikely.

Australia’s rollout of smart metering solutions is a template for upgrades to energy networks in Asia Pacific

As Societe Generale celebrates 50 years in Japan, we look ahead at how the energy transition will shape the country’s economic prosperity over the coming decades.

China’s currency is attracting renewed attention as global trading partners rethink their exposure to the US dollar. For companies where China is a key part of the value chain, it is already logical – and increasingly practical – to deal in renminbi.

As China cools, India’s markets are rising up the agenda for global investors. Recent inflows could be just the start of things to come.

Banks have a critical role to play in scaling up finance and investment to address sustainability challenges. In Asia Pacific, a holistic approach is needed to support corporates and investors in their transition.

Japan continues to catch global investors’ eyes – and it’s not just a short-term bet.

Vijay Vikram Kannan, Asia Macro Strategist, shares his views with the Business Times on the Indonesian rupiah. The resilience of Indonesia’s currency reflects the country’s revitalised economic prospects and reduced exposure to global risks. Investors can approach the rupiah with renewed confidence.

Australia’s emissions reduction target of 43 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030, and net zero emissions by 2050 will require contributions from different parties.

A market worth several trillion dollars that is still rapidly expanding: this is the universe of Technology, Media & Telecom, better known as TMT. And while most of the headlines focus on consumer-facing software – the latest chatbot or social media application – much of the real investment and growth is to be found in the infrastructure that is enabling...

The masks are off and growth is back on! After three lean years, China’s borders are open, travel is possible again and the economy is starting to rebound, the labour market and real estate prices are starting to recover.

Energy transition comes at a cost, which market participants and policymakers have called “greenflation”. Greenflation is the inflation created when prices of commodities needed to green the economy rise due to increased demand or reduced supply.

Almost 90% of households in Australia own a vehicle, with over half owning more than one; and the average Australian drives nearly 13,000km per year (Footnote 1,2). Both numbers are higher than almost anywhere except North America.

Online hits for baby buggies on China’s Baidu search engine have dropped 40% since 2018; searches for baby bottles are down by a third; meanwhile, enquiries about elderly care homes jumped eight-fold last year.

Although it is becoming increasingly well established in Asia, the potential of renewable energy to help combat climate change remains huge in a region that accounts for 60% of the world’s population and more than 50% of global carbon emissions.

The world is betting on hydrogen. This simplest of elements is increasingly being regarded as a big part of the solution to global climate change. However the world is only at the start of a potential ‘hydrogen economy’ and Asia boasts some of the most interesting potential.

China’s leadership in digital payments has reshaped the way companies think about cash management. It now promises to transform cross-border commerce with the world’s second-biggest economy.

The boom in Australian property prices is well-known. But while most of the attention has focused on residential house prices, which rose 25% last year, an equally compelling story has been unfolding in commercial real estate. And though many analysts expect a sharp drop in the residential sector over the next two years in response to rising interest rates, we...

From virtually zero at the start of the coronavirus pandemic in spring 2020, to 5% a year later (May 2021), and a 40-year high of 8.6% in May, US consumer price inflation has blown through estimates, expectations and economists’ narratives. And America’s experience is being repeated across much of the rest of the world, including Asia Pacific. How can...

The expansion of the sustainable bond market is opening up new funding opportunities for a wider range of companies and connecting investors with projects that support Asia’s transition to a low-carbon future.

The transition to next-day settlement is a move that promises to make India’s equity markets among the fastest and most efficient in the world. T+1 is inevitable. The full benefits, however, will only be achieved when all participants are on board with processes crunched and optimised with the help of technology advancement.

Short-term green deposits are gaining traction as enterprises seek to make a lasting difference in the decarbonisation agenda