Asia Centric by Bloomberg Intelligence

South Korea remains the world's hottest stock market, surging more than 250% over the past 18 months led by semiconductor giants Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, which together account for over half of the entire Kospi index. Fueled by the global AI infrastructure buildout, retail investors have poured close to $40 billion into the local market, sparking concerns about rising leverage and market volatility. A two-times leveraged SK Hynix ETF launched by CSOP in Hong Kong in October has already attracted inflows of more than $5 billion, making it the largest single-stock ETF in the world. Korean issuers are following suit with new domestic leveraged ETFs tied to these semiconductor giants. Peter Kim, managing director and investment strategist at KB Securities in Seoul, joins John Lee on the Asia Centric podcast. Kim discusses the sustainability of the current bull market and the risks associated with momentum-driven retail investors. He also unpacks the corporate governance reforms aiming to attract longer-term capital and explains why global institutional investors are selling into the rally.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The post-pandemic era transformed private credit into one of the hottest areas in finance as investors chased double-digit returns, creating a multi-trillion-dollar industry. Now, the narrative is quickly shifting as default rates climb, high-profile bankruptcies expose hidden leverage, and some major funds suddenly freeze withdrawals. So just how worried should we be, and what about Asian private credit specifically? Steve Smith, co-founder of Maybole Capital Partners and a finance veteran who has weathered eight credit cycles over his 40-year career, joins John Lee on the Asia Centric podcast. He outlines why he believes Asia is already in the "bust" phase of the credit cycle and explains why the region's bespoke, multi-jurisdictional private credit market is inherently riskier than the highly standardized US market. Smith also discusses his family office's strategic investments, highlighting catastrophe bonds as an alternative fixed-income asset offering highly consistent, uncorrelated returns.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Earnings season is officially underway and Asia's technology giants are setting the early pace. TSMC, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have all delivered strong numbers, prompting analysts to significantly raise earnings expectations for South Korea and Taiwan – two of the world's best-performing stock markets. These three tech behemoths are now challenging the "Magnificent Seven" as some of the most profitable companies in the world. Yet despite this massive growth, Korean chipmakers are trading at just a fraction of Mag 7 valuations, suggesting investors aren’t fully convinced we’re in a multi-year memory supercycle. Meanwhile, why is China lagging behind in the broader AI-fueled rally? And are investors becoming too complacent by fading the geopolitical risks of the Iran war? Marvin Chen, Asia equity strategist for Bloomberg Intelligence, joins John Lee on the Asia Centric podcast to make sense of the latest earnings.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Corporate governance reform has acted as a major catalyst for stock markets in Japan and South Korea. Now, Southeast Asia is eager to get in on the action, with countries from Vietnam to Indonesia rolling out new measures to entice foreign capital back to the region. But is Southeast Asia – a market historically saddled with a perception of poor corporate governance – truly ready to embrace shareholder activism? Christopher Beselin, CIO and founding partner at Endurance Capital, a shareholder activist fund based in Ho Chi Minh City, joins John Lee on the Asia Centric podcast. Beselin unpacks why the region's $3 trillion market is ripe for a collaborative style of activism. He also explains why Vietnam's export-driven growth model makes it a regional standout, and how lower tax regimes give Southeast Asia a unique advantage over Japan and South Korea in realizing shareholder value.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Iran war is refocusing global attention on the critical supply chains that power modern military arsenals. Rare earths are essential components in advanced weaponry, from fighter jets to interceptor missiles such as THAAD and Patriot. However, with Chinese export restrictions increasingly targeting equipment with military end-uses, Western nations are facing a critical shortage of the materials needed to rearm. How long will it take for countries to counter China's near-monopoly and achieve true supply independence? And beyond the defense sector, what is the long-term growth potential for the industry as demand accelerates for electric vehicles, AI data centers, and advanced humanoid robotics? Jack Baxter, Global Metals and Mining Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, joins host John Lee on the Asia Centric podcast. Together, they unpack the unprecedented deals reshaping the market and explore how Western miners – including MP Materials and Lynas Rare Earths – are positioned to capitalize on this shift.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Iran war and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz have triggered one of the largest energy supply shocks in modern history, sending Brent crude surging past $100 a barrel. With nearly 80% of the trapped crude and LNG destined for Asia, the region is exceptionally vulnerable to these bottlenecks. But the crisis extends well beyond energy – crippled supplies of critical inputs such as helium, aluminum and fertilizers threaten a broader inflationary spike across regional manufacturing and agriculture sectors. This creates a complex dilemma for monetary policymakers. Central banks must navigate the sudden inflationary jolt of $100 oil against the structural headwinds of slowing growth and the threat of AI-related job losses. The balancing act is proving especially tricky for the Reserve Bank of Australia and the Bank of Japan. Louis Kuijs, Chief Economist for Asia-Pacific at S&P Global Ratings, joins John Lee on the Asia Centric podcast to unpack the vulnerabilities of Asia's net energy importers, the outlook for regional currencies, and why central bankers face an unenviable trade-off.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Opportunities in fixed income are the best in over a decade, according to BlackRock. Investors can now build a 6% yielding portfolio without taking on the substantial credit or long-duration risks required in the past. Meanwhile, central bank policies have become desynchronized globally, creating a unique environment where Asian local bonds are negatively correlated to US debt. This wide dispersion in rates is creating unprecedented opportunities for investors to diversify portfolios and differentiate returns. Navin Saigal, head of global fixed income, Asia Pacific at BlackRock, joins John Lee on the Asia Centric podcast. He discusses how the AI and tech revolution is driving productivity gains and high GDP growth alongside a net-negative job environment — a dynamic that could put a dampener on global inflation. Saigal also explains why Asian local bonds remain among the most compelling, yet under-owned, diversification opportunities in the market today.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After hitting a nine-year low in early 2025, Hong Kong's residential property market is showing concrete signs of a turnaround. Home prices have rebounded 9% from their recent trough, fueled by the removal of all property cooling measures and a surge in transaction volumes. Even the commercial sector - still beset by high office vacancy rates - is seeing green shoots, driven by a resurgence in financial services and IPO activity. Can Hong Kong truly decouple from the ongoing property crisis in mainland China? And with the US Federal Reserve entering an easing cycle, will lower borrowing costs be enough to sustain this recovery? Rosanna Tang, Head of Research at Cushman & Wakefield, and Patrick Wong, senior property analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, join host John Lee to crunch the numbers. Together, they unpack the "wealth effect" driven by a rebounding stock market, the impact of a 270,000-strong influx of talent on the leasing sector, and why it's now often cheaper to buy than to rent in the world’s most expensive housing market.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Global military budgets are surging at a pace unseen since the Cold War, fueling a defense-spending supercycle. NATO allies are aiming to spend up to 5% of GDP on defense by 2035, while Asian powers such as Japan and South Korea are also boosting spending. This environment has been a boon for defense stocks, with South Korea's Hanwha Aerospace rising a spectacular 2,600% since the start of the Russia-Ukraine War, even eclipsing Rheinmetall's 1,700% run. Is the defense spending supercycle sustainable? And which companies and countries stand to benefit from this surge? Wayne Sanders, senior defense analyst and retired US army colonel, and Eric Zhu, aerospace and defense analyst – both at Bloomberg Intelligence – join John Lee on the Asia Centric podcast. They also discuss the evolving roles of air defense, hypersonics and space in future conflicts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

India's stock market has seen an explosion in retail participation, skyrocketing to more than 125 million registered investors from 20 million pre-pandemic. While 70% of these new investors are under 30, the boom is broad based: female participation has surged to nearly a quarter of the market, and half of all accounts now hail from rural areas. However, this new cohort's desire for "instant gratification" has fueled a speculative frenzy in derivatives, prompting regulator SEBI to step in with new rules to cool the market. Jayprakash Gupta, founder of online trading platform Dhan, joins John Lee to explain how wide-ranging digitization efforts – from banking access to mobile penetration – laid the foundation for this growth. He discusses the impact of SEBI's recent crackdown on trading volumes and explains why he remains bullish on India's financial markets, pointing to low penetration rates, strong mutual fund inflows and a robust pipeline of IPOs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Geopolitical risk is often seen as a market threat, yet the rivalry between Washington and Beijing is driving a wave of investment opportunities. The US push for re-industrialization is boosting demand for Asian exports in sectors such as shipbuilding, power generation and semiconductors while China’s investment in "new productive forces" accelerates its high-end manufacturing upgrade. Timothy Moe, chief Asia-Pacific equity strategist at Goldman Sachs, joins John Lee on the Asia Centric podcast. Moe explains why technology will remain a dominant theme in 2026 and why the firm is overweight Asia ex-Japan, forecasting the region will outperform the US and Europe. He also details why South Korea remains his top pick, citing 35% projected earnings growth and reasonable valuations, and outlines the rationale for his recent upgrade of India. This will also be our last episode for 2025 and we will re-commence on January 8 with a new line up of exciting speakers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s time to look ahead and make bold predictions for Asia in 2026. After a standout year, Asian equities are on track to beat the S&P 500 by the widest margin in eight years. Can the rally continue, and which markets will lead? Are investors overlooking US funding stress, potential QE, and the risks behind multi-decade tight credit spreads? And what’s next for Asian currencies and gold? Asia Centric convenes Bloomberg Intelligence strategists for a forward-looking discussion. Host John Lee is joined by Senior Equity Strategist Marvin Chen, Chief Asia FX Strategist Stephen Chiu and Senior Credit Strategist Timothy Tan as they unpack AI-driven growth, shifting currency dynamics, structural liquidity risks, and the potential repatriation of trillions in global capital back to Asia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inflation has returned to Japan after decades of near-zero price growth, with consumer prices rising close to 3% – the fastest since the 1980s. The cost-of-living squeeze, driven by food prices, helped topple the previous administration and propel Sanae Takaichi to power as Japan's first female prime minister. Her pro-growth, big government stance promises fiscal stimulus, but risks complicating the Bank of Japan's efforts to contain sticky inflation. Taro Kimura, Japan senior economist at Bloomberg Economics and Bank of Japan veteran, joins John on the Asia Centric podcast. He explains why inflation may be higher for longer and what Takaichi's policies mean for BOJ independence. He also covers the prime minister's remarks on Taiwan that sparked tension with Beijing, adding a geopolitical layer to Japan's economic challenges.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.