Category: Flash News

On December 31, 2024, a group of companies planning to IPO have reached a “crossroads” on the path of securitization. Alternatively, companies at different stages of growth and industry attributes are exploring new avenues for securitization, either by continuing to prepare for IPOs or by venturing into mergers and acquisitions. According to incomplete statistics, as of December 30th, more than 400 companies planning to go public on the Shanghai, Shenzhen, and North stock exchanges have “withdrawn orders” and are rethinking their path to listing. At a time when the “abandoned candidates” were feeling lost, policies such as the “Six Measures for Mergers and Acquisitions” and the “Eight Measures for the Science and Technology Innovation Board” were intensively released, providing new options for these companies planning to IPO. The reporter noticed that many IPO companies are taking advantage of the policy environment to “talk about marriage” with listed companies, hoping to enter the A-share market through mergers and acquisitions; Some companies are fond of independent listing, re evaluating their own sector positioning, or switching to the Beijing Stock Exchange, or exploring new listing paths in overseas markets such as the Hong Kong Stock Exchange; Some companies are also poised to take action, stating that they will seize the opportunity to “test again” once their business performance improves and market expectations become clearer. (Shanghai Securities News)

On December 31st, according to the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), as of the week ending December 24th, stock fund managers increased their S&P 500CME net long position by 2531 contracts to 1042431 contracts; Equity fund speculators increased the net short position of S&P 500CME by 78396 contracts to 347102 contracts.

On December 31st, according to the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), as of the week ending December 24th, speculators’ net long positions in WTI crude oil increased by 1879 contracts to 298711 contracts, reaching a new high in about five months; The net long position of speculators in NYMEX WTI crude oil increased by 21694 contracts to 182895 contracts, setting a new four month high; The net long position of NYMEX gasoline held will reach 56366 contracts, hitting a seven week low; The net short position in NYMEX diesel will reach 18809 contracts, hitting a new low of over seven weeks; The net long position of natural gas in seven Henry Hub contracts held in the United States has increased to 162047 contracts, reaching a new high in approximately 14 months.

On December 31st, according to the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), as of the week ending December 24th, COMEX gold speculators’ net long positions decreased by 19678 contracts to 184260 contracts; COMEX silver speculators’ net long position decreased by 1487 contracts to 20590 contracts; COMEX copper speculators’ net long position decreased by 5129 contracts to 1192 contracts.

On December 31st, the newly elected President of Georgia, Kavelashvili, delivered a speech at his first public event after taking office, stating that Georgia will continue to be committed to joining the European Union. Kavelashvili stated that the Georgian government must make every effort to ensure national unity through diplomatic and peaceful means. He also emphasized that Georgia’s integration with the European Union is still ongoing. By 2030, Georgia will be fully prepared to join the European Union. Georgia is ready to engage in negotiations with the European Union at any time.

On December 31st, Geng Shuang, the Deputy Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations, expressed at the emergency public meeting of the Security Council on the Middle East situation that he hopes the Security Council can find a comprehensive, efficient and effective solution to the Middle East issue in the new year. Geng Shuang stated that in 2024, conflicts and confrontations in the Middle East continue to escalate, and tensions continue to spread. In the face of the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East and the escalating tensions caused by mutual stimulation, it is necessary for the Security Council to summarize its experience and lessons in the new year, strengthen unity and cooperation, strive to seek consensus, take effective actions, and find a comprehensive, effective solution to the Middle East issue. Geng Shuang said that China calls on all parties involved in conflicts in the Middle East to avoid taking actions that exacerbate tensions, and the top priority is to cease fire and violence. The conflict in the Gaza Strip has been prolonged for too long, and achieving an immediate and lasting ceasefire is a prerequisite for all work to be carried out. The ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel is very fragile, and the agreements already reached must be effectively implemented. China calls on the Houthi armed forces in Yemen to stop harassing merchant ships and other attacks, and calls on Israel and other relevant countries to stop airstrikes on Yemen. Geng Shuang said that China calls on countries in the Middle East to resolve differences and conflicts through dialogue and consultation, and achieve peaceful coexistence. Countries should respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, legitimate rights to survival and development, and reasonable security concerns. China supports Middle Eastern countries in upholding a common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security concept, and jointly promoting the construction of a sustainable new architecture for Middle Eastern security. Geng Shuang said that the Middle East is not a battleground for great power games, nor can it become a victim of geopolitical competition among countries outside the region. All parties concerned should fully respect the historical and cultural traditions of Middle Eastern countries, support Syria and other Middle Eastern countries to achieve peace and reconciliation, and embark on a development path that is in line with their own national conditions. On regional hot issues, we should respect right and wrong, uphold fairness and justice, support and assist regional countries in finding ways to resolve conflicts, rather than taking sides and creating confrontations. Geng Shuang said that China calls on the international community to increase efforts to promote the early realization of a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the Palestinian issue. The fact has repeatedly proven that the Palestinian issue is the core of the Middle East issue, and only by thoroughly resolving the Palestinian issue can the Middle East truly achieve peace and stability. The international community should revitalize the political prospects of the “two-state solution” with a sense of urgency that cannot wait for time.

On December 31st, in the past 20 years, China’s ETF industry has gone through a stage of development from scratch, from existence to breadth, and from weakness to strength, achieving remarkable results. In October 2020, the size of ETFs reached the trillion yuan mark for the first time; In August 2023, the size of ETFs exceeded 2 trillion yuan; In September of this year, the size of ETFs reached the 3 trillion yuan mark. ETFs have grown into an important market with over a thousand products and a scale of 3.78 trillion yuan. The third quarter report data disclosed by public funds shows that passive funds, mainly ETFs, have surpassed active equity funds in terms of A-share market value for the first time in history, with the former holding a much higher proportion of some industry leaders than the latter. The development of ETFs has had a profound impact on market structure changes, and is expected to attract more institutional investors, thereby promoting the development and maturity of the capital market. (Securities Times)

On December 31st, local time, US President Biden ordered the closure of all federal administrative departments and agencies on January 9th, 2025, to pay tribute to the 39th President of the United States, Jimmy Carter, who passed away on December 29th. Biden stated in the statement that for reasons of national security, defense, or other public needs, the heads of federal government administrative departments and agencies may decide to keep some offices and facilities open. Previously, the White House had declared January 9, 2025 as a national day of mourning to commemorate Carter.

On December 31st, Ken Griffin, founder of Citadel, said last month that the boom of multi strategy hedge funds has ended, but he was only half right. Indeed, the asset management scale of multi strategy funds has decreased compared to last year, partly due to some funds, including Castle, returning billions of dollars in profits to clients. But these funds are still in their heyday, with several even ranking among the world’s largest hedge funds. The demand for top tier funds in the market is strong, and not only has their performance improved this year. And the battle for talent is still ongoing.

On December 31st, Bank of America analysts stated in a report that there will be more funds flowing into euro investment grade bonds in 2024 than into government bonds and stocks. Bank of America stated that the supporting factor for this trend is the increased demand for higher yields in the market as interest rate cuts lead to a decrease in government bond yields. As interest rates continue to decline in 2025, we believe that the inflow of funds into investment grade bonds will continue to increase, surpassing the inflow of funds into other ‘risk-free’ assets