00688 Overview

Chinese Developers Performance: Several Chinese developers, including CHINA RES LAND and LONGFOR GROUP, received an "Overweight" rating, with varying short selling ratios and stock price increases.

SEAZEN's Financial Outlook: M Stanley has raised SEAZEN's target price to HKD3.17, predicting multiple financings to help reduce total borrowings.

Underperforming Developers: Companies like CHINA VANKE and COUNTRY GARDEN are rated "Underweight," indicating a less favorable outlook, despite some minor stock price increases.

Chinese Managers Overview: Among Chinese property management firms, CHINA RES MIXC and POLY PPT SER are rated "Overweight," while A-LIVING and SUNAC SERVICES are rated "Underweight," reflecting mixed market sentiments.

NPC Meeting Outcomes: The Fourth Session of the 14th National People’s Congress has opened, releasing the latest government work report and the outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan, with a focus on "risk mitigation" and "stability" in the property market.

Market Sentiment: Investor expectations remain low, and while there are no strong signals to boost housing prices, speculative sentiment may emerge as investors prepare for the upcoming Politburo meeting at the end of April.

Short-Term Outlook: JPMorgan predicts that Chinese property developers may underperform the broader market in the short term but could regain strength by early April, depending on market conditions.

Top Picks and Ratings: JPMorgan's top picks among Chinese property developers include CHINA RES LAND, CHINA RES MIXC, and CHINA JINMAO, while state-owned CHINA OVERSEAS and private LONGFOR GROUP are seen as having greater upside potential.

Property Sales Decline: In February 2026, China Overseas reported contracted property sales of approximately RMB8.464 billion, reflecting a 35.9% year-over-year decrease, with a sales area drop of 45% to around 358,700 square meters.

Accumulated Sales Figures: For the first two months of 2026, the total contracted property sales reached about RMB22.942 billion, showing year-over-year declines of 9% in sales value and 29.7% in sales area, totaling around 875,400 square meters.

Market Performance: The Hang Seng Index (HSI) fell by 717 points (2.8%) to 25,051, while the Hang Seng Tech Index (HSTI) and the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index (HSCEI) also experienced declines of 2.0% and 2.4%, respectively.

Notable Stock Movements: Major companies like Ping An, Alibaba, and AIA saw significant drops in their stock prices, with Ping An down 4.6% and Alibaba down 4.2%.

Short Selling Activity: High short selling volumes were reported for several stocks, including Alibaba ($1.56B) and Tencent ($1.91B), indicating bearish sentiment among investors.

Gainers and Losers: While many stocks declined, XIAOMI showed a slight increase of 1.5%, and XXF surged by 22.8%, contrasting with significant losses from companies like DALIPAL HLDG and COSCO SHIP ENGY, which dropped over 10%.

Chinese Property Developers Performance: Several Chinese property developers, including CHINA RES LAND and CHINA OVERSEAS, are rated as "Overweight" despite experiencing slight declines in share prices and notable short selling activity.

Market Reactions and Predictions: Analysts from JPM and UBS predict that easing property market restrictions in Shanghai may have limited effects on trading, with specific stocks like CHINA RES LAND and CHINA JINMAO being highlighted as top picks.

Chinese Property Managers Overview: Among property management companies, CHINA RES MIXC and POLY PPT SER are rated "Overweight," while others like A-LIVING and SUNAC SERVICES are rated "Underweight," indicating mixed investor sentiment.

Short Selling Trends: The report highlights significant short selling ratios across various companies, with some developers and managers facing higher short selling activity, reflecting market caution.

New Home Purchase Policies in Shanghai: JPMorgan reported that Shanghai has introduced favorable home purchase policies, easing restrictions for non-locals and allowing additional unit purchases for residents with three years of tax proof.

Comparison with Beijing Measures: The broker noted that Shanghai's measures are stronger than those implemented in Beijing last December, predicting stabilization in trading volume and prices over the next 1-2 months.

Sustainable Recovery Concerns: Despite the new policies, JPMorgan does not believe they will lead to a sustainable recovery in China's real estate market, with Shenzhen expected to be the next city to ease restrictions.

Top Stock Picks: JPMorgan's top stock picks include CHINA RES LAND, CHINA RES MIXC, and CHINA JINMAO, while suggesting that CHINA OVERSEAS could catch up as it has lagged behind.