Asia: China, Japan bearish

Japan’s Nikkei 225 index is headed for another test of long-term support at 8000/8200 on the monthly chart. The latest peak below zero on 13-week Twiggs Money Flow warns of strong selling pressure. Failure of support would signal another test of the 2008/2009 lows at 7000.

Nikkei 225 Index

China’s Shanghai Composite Index is testing its 2011 low at 2150 on the weekly chart. Failure would indicate a decline to 1800*. 63-Day Twiggs Momentum below zero continues to warn of a primary down-trend. Recovery above 2250 remains unlikely, but would suggest another rally to 2500.

Shanghai Composite Index

* Target calculation: 2150 – ( 2500 – 2150 ) = 1800

India’s Sensex is retracing to test support on the weekly chart. Respect of 17000 would indicate a rally to 18500, but 63-day Twiggs Momentum oscillating in a narrow range around zero suggests a ranging market and another test of primary support at 15800/16000 remains as likely.

Sensex Index

Singapore’s Straits Times Index is testing resistance at 3040. Recovery of 63-day Twiggs Momentum above zero suggests that the primary up-trend is intact, and breakout would signal an advance to 3300*, but a ranging market is more likely.

Singapore Straits Times Index

* Target calculation: 3000 + ( 3000 – 2700 ) = 3300

Asia: India bullish while China, Japan bearish

Japan’s Nikkei 225 index formed a peak below zero on 13-week Twiggs Money Flow, indicating strong selling pressure. Failure of primary support at 8200 would signal another test of the 2008/2009 lows at 7000.

Nikkei 225 Index

China’s Shanghai Composite Index is testing its 2011 low of 2150 after breaking  primary support at 2250. Breach of the new support level would indicate a decline to 1800*. Reversal of 13-week Twiggs Money Flow below zero would strengthen the bear signal. Recovery above 2250 is unlikely, but would suggest another rally to 2500.

Shanghai Composite Index

* Target calculation: 2150 – ( 2500 – 2150 ) = 1800

India’s Sensex: Bullish divergence on 13-week Twiggs Money Flow indicates reversal to a primary up-trend; a trough above the zero line would signal strong buying pressure. Respect of support at 17000 by the latest retracement would indicate a rally to 18500, while breakout above 18500 would confirm the primary up-trend.

Sensex Index

* Target calculation: 18500 + ( 18500 – 16000 ) = 21000

Singapore’s Straits Times Index is testing resistance at 3030. Recovery of 63-day Twiggs Momentum above zero suggests that the primary up-trend is intact. Breakout above 3030 would signal a primary advance to 3300*.

Singapore Straits Times Index

* Target calculation: 3000 + ( 3000 – 2700 ) = 3300

Labor Shortage May Help China Adjust to Slower Growth – WSJ.com

Reflecting the tight labor market, wage income for urban households rose 13% year-on-year in the first half, and average monthly income for migrant workers rose 14.9%, according to data from China’s National Bureau of Statistics…… At current rates, China’s private-sector manufacturing wages will double from their 2011 levels by 2015, and triple by 2017, eroding competitiveness and denting the exports that have played a key part in China’s early growth.

via Labor Shortage May Help China Adjust to Slower Growth – WSJ.com.

Comment:~ It makes you question official inflation figures of just 2.2 percent when wage increases are significantly higher.

Asian markets: India bullish while China weakens

Japan’s Nikkei 225 index is testing medium-term resistance at 9000/9100. Breakout would test 10000. Troughs below zero on 13-week Twiggs Money Flow indicate weakness.

Nikkei 225 Index

China’s Shanghai Composite Index is retracing to test resistance at 2250. Respect would confirm a primary down-trend — already signaled by 63-day Twiggs Momentum below zero.

Shanghai Composite Index

* Target calculation: 2250 – ( 2500 – 2250 ) = 2000

Wait for confirmation from a Shenzhen Composite index reversal below 880/900. A 63-day Twiggs Momentum peak below zero would strengthen the signal.

Shenzhen Composite Index

Singapore Straits Times Index broke through medium-term resistance at 2900, headed for a test of 3050. Recovery of 63-day Twiggs Momentum above zero suggests that the primary up-trend is intact.

Singapore Straits Times Index

* Target calculation: 3050 + ( 3050 – 2900 ) = 3200

India’s Sensex displays a healthy bullish divergence on 13-week Twiggs Money Flow, indicating reversal to a primary up-trend. Breakout above 17000 suggests another test of 18500. And breach of 18500 would confirm the primary up-trend.

Sensex Index

* Target calculation: 18500 + ( 18500 – 16000 ) = 21000

China’s failed gamble for growth

Zarathustra: The idea of this gamble is simple. With the financial crisis in 2008 hitting the developed world, it naturally affected external demand. The Chinese knew these. At the end of 2007, trade surplus accounted for more than 7.5% of GDP. Currently, the same number is at its low single digit, probably 2% or so. No longer is China’s growth driven by trade. It is now driven largely by domestic demand.

And this is where the gamble lies. The massive stimulus was meant to stimulate domestic demand for a few years, in hope that perhaps the rest of the world will recover, and hence external demand would have recovered. Or else, in hope that domestic demand will become strong enough and sustainable so that the economy no longer depends on the health of the rest of the world…..

via China’s failed gamble for growth.

China and Hong Kong

China’s Shanghai Composite Index broke support at 2250, signaling resumption of the primary down-trend. Declining 63-day Twiggs Momentum (below zero) strengthens the signal.

Shanghai Composite Index

* Target calculation: 2250 – ( 2500 – 2250 ) = 2000

Wait for a break below 880 on the Shenzhen Composite Index to confirm the Shanghai signal. Reversal of  13-week Twiggs Money Flow below zero would indicate selling pressure.

Shenzhen Composite Index

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index respected resistance at 20000. Reversal below 18000 would indicate a decline to 16000*. A peak below zero on 63-day Twiggs Momentum would strengthen the bear signal.

Hang Seng Index

* Target calculation: 18000 – ( 20000 – 18000 ) = 16000

Westpac: China credit supply outstrips demand

Phat Dragon is placing the most value on new information regarding credit demand and supply. It is credit growth that tells us more about the shape of activity later this year than any other macro indicator……the supply side of the credit equation is moving decisively higher (greater policy emphasis, increased willingness to lend) but ……sluggish demand for loans is holding the system back. Indeed, the June quarter observation for “loan demand” (bankers’ assessment) fell to 12% below average, lower even than the Dec-2008 reading, even as the “lending attitude of banks” (corporate assessment) rose for a second straight quarter and the ‘easiness’ of the monetary policy stance (bankers’ assessment) rose to 21% above average.

via Westpac: Phat Dragon – a weekly chronicle of the Chinese economy.

China in deflation, and how to reflate it at all costs

Zarathustra: [Chinese] over-investment over the past many years, and particularly in the years after the financial crisis, has created massive over-capacity across the economy that no one is really able to quantify. We have already got over-building in the real estate sector which resulted in massive number of empty apartments and empty shopping malls…. We are also aware of the over-capacity and inventory build-up in various sectors like coal and steel….. steel industry profits have fallen by 96.7% in the first four months of the year compared to the same period a year ago….. actual CPI figures are already in negative territory on a month-on-month basis. In short, deflation is already here for China….

via China in deflation, and how to reflate it at all costs.

Since Lehman’s collapse, China’s money supply has doubled

Zarathustra: We have just discovered that China’s M2 money supply has doubled once more since the collapse of Lehman brothers. M2 money supply currently stands at around RMB90 trillion, and it was at about RMB45 trillion the month before Lehman collapsed. Thus the so-called RMB4 trillion stimulus after Lehman’s collapse (which is more like a RMB8 trillion fiscal stimulus in reality) has translated into a RMB45 trillion increase in M2 money supply.

via Chart: Since Lehman’s collapse, China’s money supply has doubled.

Hat tip to macrobusiness.com.au