(Dec 27): Chinese investors are doubling down on dividend stocks as 2024 draws to a close, with flows into a pair of the largest exchange-traded funds (ETFs) tracking the theme hitting a record.
The Huatai PB CSI Bonus Low Fluctuation ETF attracted flows of 4.4 billion yuan in December, while the Huatai-PineBridge SSE Dividend Index ETF attracted five billion yuan, their highest monthly inflows on record, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The two funds were among the biggest beneficiaries of a spate of dividend ETF buying in China this year.
The heavy buying was accompanied by outflows from the most active fixed-income ETFs, which previously boomed amid an easing push by China’s central bank. The differing fortunes of the two types of fund suggest investors are turning from government bonds to dividend stocks in an effort to boost their income — a shift that may gather steam in the coming months.
“Insurance funds typically heavy in fixed income products are under pressure to deliver with the lower yields, and they are likely to increase exposure to high dividend and high return-on-equity stocks to enhance returns,” write Guosen Securities analysts including Sun Xiang in a note.
The rush for dividend ETFs risks becoming overheated. The Huatai-PineBridge Hang Seng SCHK High Dividend Low Volatility ETF and Guotai CSI Hong Kong Connect High Dividend Yield Investment ETF both sank 10% on Friday, after a brief suspension triggered by their fund premiums hitting 15%.
The Shanghai Stock Exchange Dividend Index, which offers a forward dividend yield of 5.4%, is up 13% in 2024.
Uploaded by Tham Yek Lee