CNN Greed & Fear Index reached 20 last week, a level that’s typically associated with extreme fear among investors. A VIX index of 31 also suggests that investors are cautious.
While the Omicron variant is highly transmissible, it’s becoming clear that it leads to mild disease in most cases. Short-term pain but a clear path to herd immunity.
Hong Kong authorities are planning to launch a new app that travellers to mainland China will be required to use. It looks like the HK-Mainland border will open up soon.
The Value Investing Substack on Malaysian clothing retailer Padini (PAD MK — US$427 million)
The searching 4 value blog on asset “play” Bauhaus International (483 HK — US$61 million)
The Profit Hunting blog with a bearish take on the upcoming IPO of Digital Core REIT on SGX (DCREIT SP — pending listing)
(Largest new programs as % of market cap; min market cap: US$50m)
Koei Tecmo Holding (6%) (3635 JP — US$6.8 billion)
Aseed Holdings (5%) (9959 JP — US$63 million)
Takadakiko (4%) (5923 JP — US$54 million)
Pavonine (3%) (177830 KS — US$52 million)
Mimaki Engineering (2%) (6638 JP — US$244 million)
(Largest over past 7 days; min market cap: US$50m)
Kosy: US$36.7 million (KOS VN — US$300 million)
Jaymart: US$2.9 million (JMART TB — US$1.5 billion)
Q&M Dental: US$1.7 million (QNM SP — US$432 million)
Thoresen Thai Agencies: US$1.4 million (TTA TB — US$522 million)
Srisawad Corp: US$0.8 million (SAWAD TB — US$2.4 billion)
(estimated reading time) ($ = behind a paywall)
I wrote about the potential implications of the Omicron variant and six stocks that stand to benefit from a prolonged pandemic (13 minutes) ($)
Pangolin Aviation Recovery Fund’s Nov 2021 letter discusses Omicron (5 mins)
Variant Perception is expressing a bullish view on gold (1 min)
The Open Insights Substack on the impact of Omicron on oil prices (7 mins)
Russell Clark rightly argues that FX reserve building is akin to QE (3 mins)
The author of the Turtles Substack has sold his Hong Kong shares (4 mins)
Adam Tooze: BRICs, twenty years on (8 mins)
Segra Capital Management on the spot uranium market (31 mins)
AFR: All the stock picks from Sohn Hearts & Minds (2 mins) ($)
Capital Employed released a list of 49 must-follow small-cap accounts on Finance Twitter (3 mins)
(listening time)
Jim Grant in inflation, crypto and meme stocks (52 mins)
Michael Mauboussin on the new version of Expectations Investing (1:42 hours)
Ed Yardeni on his new book “In Praise of Profits” (1:09 hours)
Former Third Point partner Munib Islam on his new venture (1:14 hours)
Harris Kupperman of Praetorian Capital on uranium and energy (59 mins)
Asianometry on how Chinese lithography company SMEE is lagging behind its Western rival ASML (18 mins)

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