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  • 8/6/2019 HSBC - Equity Insights -How Bad Could It Get

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    abcGlobal Research

    Some valuations are at levels not seen since the early 1980s

    But the market turmoil raises the risk of recession

    which means that analysts probably need to cut forecasts

    further and that sentiment will stay fragile for a while

    Markets have gone into freefall in the past week or so. The global index is down by 16%

    since August 1 and by 19% since it peaked in late April (Chart 1). That is not quite in the

    official bear market territory yet but note that some European markets (particularly

    Germany down 25% and Italy down 24% this month) are (Chart 2).

    What should investors do now? Given the damage to sentiment in the past few weeks, it is

    hard to see markets rebounding healthily straight away. The risk that the market turmoil

    tips the world into a new recession and causes earnings to turn down sharply has risen. It

    will be a few months before the smoke clears and it becomes plain how much damage has

    been done. Analysts have barely adjusted their earnings forecasts yet but historically, in a

    recession, they tend to cut them by around 30-40%. However, valuations have become

    very cheap with the PB (never mind prospective PE) for Europe, for example, down to

    1.1x, a level it hasnt seen since the early 1980s.

    We still look for three conditions before calling for a bounce: (1) cyclical indicators,

    including earnings, to come down further, (2) risk events (notably European debt) to pass,

    and (3) capitulation. We are close to getting there with (3) but not yet for (1) and (2). In

    the meantime, we advise investors to buy stocks with good long-term growth prospects,

    relatively little short-term earnings risks that have become cheap (see our two notes Stocks

    to buy in uncertain times for Europe and Asia, published this week). We remain

    overweight the US (more defensive than Europe) and EM (growth prospects still good).

    Equity Insights

    How bad could it get?

    Equity Strategy

    Global12 August 2011

    Garry Evans*

    Strategist

    The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking

    Corporation Limited

    +852 2996 6916

    [email protected]

    View HSBC Global Research at:http://www.research.hsbc.com

    Employed by a non-US affiliate ofHSBC Securities (USA) Inc, and is notegistered/qualified pursuant to NYSE

    and/or NASD regulations

    ssuer ofeport:

    The Hongkong and ShanghaiBanking Corporation Limited

    Disclaimer &Disclosures

    This report must be readwith the disclosures andthe analyst certifications inthe Disclosure appendix,and with the Disclaimer,which forms part of it

    1. Global and EM index performance, past 12m 2. Main market performance since Aug 1

    90

    100

    110

    120

    130

    Jul-10 Oct-10 Jan-11 Apr-11 Jul-11

    ACWI GEM

    -25% -20% -15% -10% -5% 0%

    GermanyItaly

    RussiaFranceSpainKoreaBrazilUKUSAustraliaChinaMexicoCanadaTaiwanSwitzerlandIndiaJapan

    Source: HSBC Source: HSBC

    To vote for HSBC in Asiamoney 2011

    http://www.asiamoney.com/polls

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    Global

    12 August 2011

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    HSBC strategy recommendationsGlobal market calls (benchmark: MSCI AC World Index; countries shown have a minimum weight of 0.5%)

    Market ______ HSBC call________ HSBC recommended Blue-chip index current Targetend-2011

    % from

    current (last quarter) active weight (% pts) level level change

    AmericasUS Over (Over) 2.2 S&P 500 1,121 1,430 28%Canada Neutra l (Under) 0 .0 S&P/TSX 12,199 14,500 19%Brazil Neutra l (Over) n \a Bovespa 51,395 71,000 38%Mexico Under (Under) -0.2 Bolsa 32,219 39,000 21%EuropeUK Neutral (Neut ral) 0.0 FTSE 100 5,007 6,300 26%France Under (Under) -2.0 CAC 40 3,003 4,100 37%

    Germany Neutral (Neut ral) 0.0 DAX 30 5,613 8,000 43%Switzerland Under (Under) -1.3 SMI 4,792 6,500 36%Spain Under (Neutral) -0.7 IBEX 35 7,966 10,700 34%Italy Under (Neutral) -0 .5 FTSE MIB 14,676 20,500 40%Netherlands Under (Under) -0.5 AEX 277 350 26%Sweden Under (Over) -0.7 OMX 905 1,130 25%Russia Over (Neutral) n\a RTS 1,538 2,075 35%Eurozone Under (Under) -3 .6 EUROSTOXX 50 2,154 3,000 39%Pan-Europe Under (Under) -5 .6 FTSE Eurofi rs t 300 910 1,150 26%Asia PacificJapan Under (Under) -4.0 TOPIX 777 870 12%Austral ia Over (Neutral) 0.6 S&P/ASX 200 4,141 5,200 26%China Over (Over) 2.8 MSCI China 57 78 37%Korea Neutral (Under) 0.0 KOSPI 1,806 2,200 22%Taiwan Over (Over) 1.5 TAIEX 7,736 10,000 29%Hong Kong Neutra l (Neutral) 0 .0 Hang Seng 19,784 26,000 31%

    India Neutra l (Neutral) 0 .0 SENSEX 17,131 20,000 17%Singapore Over (Under) 0.8 STI 2,821 3,600 28%OtherSouth Afr ica Neutral (Over) 0.0 JSE All-Share 28,659 34,000 19%World (USD terms)Developed wor ld Under (Under) -6 .0 MSCI DM 1,130 1,420 26%Emerging world Over (Over) 6.0 MSCI EM 981 1,270 29%All-countries world 0.0 MSCI AC 291 365 26%

    Source: HSBC, Thomson Financial Datastream

    Global sector calls (benchmark: MSCI AC World Index)

    Sector _____________HSBC call______________ HSBC recommended Industry preferencecurrent (last quarter) active weight (% pts)

    Energy Neutral (Neutral) 0.0 Oil & GasMaterials Over (Neutral) 3.5 MiningIndustrials Neutral (Neutral) 0.0 Capital GoodsConsumer Discretionary Neutral (Under) 0.0 Luxury GoodsConsumer Staples Under (Under) -3.6 Food RetailHealth Care Under (Under) -3.7 Heath Care Equipment & ServicesFinancials Neutral (Over) 0.0 Diversified FinancialsIT Over (Over) 3.7 Tech Hardware & EquipmentTelecom Services Over (Over) 1.9 Mobile TelecomsUtilities Under (Under) -1.7 Water Utilities

    Source: HSBC, Thomson Financial Datastream

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    How wrong can theconsensus be?

    With the lead indicators such as the US

    manufacturing ISM falling but still pointing to

    growth, the jury remains out on whether this is a

    soft-patch in economic activity or the start of a

    new recession. The problem is that we are

    unlikely to get a conclusive answer on this for a

    few more months. So we need to consider the

    worst case scenario for earnings in the event theglobal economy does enter a new recession.

    Analysts have barely pared back their earnings

    forecasts yet. In the US (Chart 3), thanks to a

    strong Q2 earnings season (with 71% of

    companies beating forecasts), the consensus

    continues to look for 17% growth this year

    and 15% next.

    Europe (Chart 4) looks less healthy. The

    consensus has cut the 2011 forecast by 6% overthe past three months and, in the Q2 earnings

    season, the beats:misses ratio so far (with about

    three-quarters of companies having reported) is as

    low as 43:48. This years growth is now forecast

    to be only 5%, compared to 14% back in January.

    In emerging markets (Chart 5), analysts continue

    to see earnings growth as robust, with 14%

    growth forecast for both this year and next. Asia

    ex Japan is similar 13% this year and 14% next.

    In GEMS, analysts have not really cut forecasts at

    all: the 2011 forecast is just 2% of its peak from

    May and the 2012 forecast just 1% off.

    3. Consensus EPS forecast: US

    40

    50

    60

    70

    80

    90

    100

    110

    120

    Jan-09

    May-09

    Sep-09

    Jan-10

    May-10

    Sep-10

    Jan-11

    May-11

    2010 2011 2012

    Source: HSBC, Reuters Thompson Datastream, IBES

    4. Consensus EPS forecast: Europe ex UK

    80

    100

    120

    140

    160

    180

    200

    Jan-09

    May-09

    Sep-09

    Jan-10

    May-10

    Sep-10

    Jan-11

    May-11

    2010 2011 2012

    Source: HSBC, Reuters Thompson Datastream, IBES

    5. Consensus EPS forecast: Emerging markets

    0

    20

    4060

    80

    100

    120

    140

    Jan-09

    May-09

    Sep-09

    Jan-10

    May-10

    Sep-10

    Jan-11

    May-11

    2010 2011 2012

    Source: HSBC, Reuters Thompson Datastream, IBES

    We can stress-test for a possible recession scenario

    by looking at how wrong consensus forecasts have

    been going into previous recessions.

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    Chart 6 shows the difference between actual

    earnings and the consensus forecast

    12 months earlier.

    On average, for the period since 1988 for which

    we have data, analysts have been 9% too

    optimistic. Mostly their forecasts were too high

    because they missed recessions (the biggest

    misses were in 1990, 2001 and 2008). But they

    also chronically over-estimated earnings in the

    expansion of 1993-9 although in otherexpansions such as 2003-7 and the past two

    years, their forecasts were too cautious.

    6. Analysts earnings forecast accuracy All Country World

    -50%

    -40%

    -30%

    -20%

    -10%

    0%

    10%

    20%

    88 90 92 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10

    Source: HSBC, Reuters Thompson Datastream, IBES

    The degree of excess optimism varies from

    country to country (Chart 7). Analysts were most

    accurate with their forecasts in emerging markets

    (although, unsurprisingly, the volatility here is

    greater) and most over-optimistic in Japan. Inboth the US and Europe, the over-estimation

    averages about 7% over time.

    7. Analysts earnings forecast accuracy, by region

    -30%

    -25%

    -20%

    -15%

    -10%

    -5%

    0%

    ACW

    Dev

    EM

    US

    Europe

    AsiaexJapan

    Japan

    Source: HSBC, Reuters Thompson Datastream, IBES

    What does this say about recessions? In normal

    recessions, analysts tend to be about 30-40% too

    optimistic for the year ahead in the US and

    Europe and rather more than that in Japan and

    emerging markets. The 2007-9 recession was

    worse than that, with analysts at the worse point

    over-estimating by 37% in the US, 43% in Europe

    and 47% in Asia ex Japan.

    If we assume that a recession next year would be

    more like a normal recession (given that we are

    starting from a much lower level of activity than

    2007), then the likely miss to current earnings

    forecasts would be about 30-40%.

    How cheap can markets get?

    We have been arguing for some time that equity

    markets look very cheap and that, therefore, the

    structural worries about the global economy were,

    to a degree at least, priced in. As of Wednesday

    this week, for instance, the 12-month forward PE

    for the All Country World Index reached 9.7x. It

    has been cheaper than this, since the MSCI

    indexes began in 1988, only for three months in

    October-December 2008 (Chart 8).

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    8. Prospective PE for All Country World Index (with average)

    0

    5

    10

    15

    20

    25

    30

    88 90 92 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10

    MSCI AC WORLD

    Source: HSBC, Reuters Thompson Datastream, IBES

    As an aside, one argument worth dismissing at

    this point is how similar the US looks now to

    Japan in the mid 1990s, four or five years after its

    bubble burst. While there may be similarities in

    the way that bond yields fell or growth proved to

    be anaemic, the big difference is that, in Japan,

    this was not priced in. In the mid-1990s, Japanese

    valuations remained sky-high: the prospective PE

    in 1994-5 averaged 55x and did not drop below

    20x until 2002 (Chart 9).

    9. Forward PE, Japan (with average)

    0

    10

    20

    30

    40

    50

    60

    70

    80

    88 90 92 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10

    MSCI JAPAN -

    Source: HSBC, Reuters Thompson Datastream, IBES

    We clearly need to test current world and US

    valuations further. There are two objections that

    can be made to using the forward PE since 1988:

    (1) it relies on analysts forecasts which might, as

    argued above, be very wrong; and (2) the worldwas in a secular bull market for much of the

    period since the mid-1980s. If we assume that

    earnings could fall, and that we need to go back

    further than 1988 for comparison, how cheap

    would markets look?

    There are two alternatives measures we could look

    at: price-to-historic earnings (for which we have

    data going back to 1870) and price/book (data from

    1975). Both show that valuations are not quite as

    cheap as they were in the 1974-1984 period but that

    they are still very low by historical standards.

    Chart 10 shows PE (using trailing earnings) for

    the S&P500 going back to 1870 (using Robert

    Shillers data for the period prior to the 1980s).

    Currently, the US is on 12.1x trailing earnings,

    compared to a long-run average of 14.4x. It has

    been cheaper than now only in late 2008-early

    2009, 1974-1984 (when it averaged only 9.5x),

    and during and for a period after wars (1915-26,

    1940-54). Even during the Great Depression

    1930-9, PE averaged around 17x.

    10. Trailing PE, S&P500 1870-2011 (with average & std devs)

    0

    5

    10

    15

    20

    25

    30

    1870 1890 1910 1930 1950 1970 1990 201

    Source: HSBC, Robert Shiller

    Of course, if earnings disappoint by as much as

    we suggested above that they might, P/trailing E

    might not help very much. But price/book is often

    a useful guide to valuation bottoms in earnings

    recessions. Even in the big recession of 2007-9,

    book value declined from peak to trough by only

    25%-30% in big markets (in a more normal

    recession, the decline is around 15-25%).

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    Chart 11 shows price/book for the US and Europe

    ex UK going back to 1975 (and, therefore,

    capturing the historically low valuations of the

    1970s and early 1980s). Currently, Europe ex UK

    is on a PB of 1.10x. It has been cheaper than this

    for one month in early 2009 but, before then, not

    since 1984. In the 1975-1985 period, however, it

    averaged only 0.74x. (It is worth remembering,

    though, that ROE for European companies this

    year is forecast to be 14%. We dont have the data

    for the 1970s readily to hand, but we would bet

    ROE then was significantly lower.)

    The US does not look quite so cheap on a PB

    basis, with a PB currently of 1.65x. That takes it

    back (with a two-month exception in early 2009)

    to the level of 1985. In the 1975-1985 period, US

    PB averaged 1.33x (but, then again, ROE

    averaged 10% during that period, against 16%

    over the next 12 months).

    11. Price/book ratio: US and Europe ex UK

    0

    1

    2

    3

    4

    5

    6

    7

    75 78 81 84 87 90 93 96 99 02 05 08 11

    US

    EUR ex UK

    Source: HSBC, Reuters Thompson Datastream, IBES

    One valuation measure that bearish investors

    often use, but which we find of limited value, is

    the cyclically-adjusted PE (CAPE also

    sometimes called the Shiller PE). This sounds

    sophisticated but, in fact, is nothing more that the

    current price divided by the 10-year average of

    earnings (usually adjusted for inflation).

    By the CAPE, the current level of the US market

    does not look that cheap. It is on 14.5x, only a little

    below the long-run average of 15.8x (Chart 12).

    12. Cyclically adjusted PE (with average & std devs)

    0

    5

    10

    15

    20

    25

    30

    35

    40

    1880 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000

    Source: HSBC, Robert Shiller

    There are a number of problems with the CAPE.

    First, the 10 years of historical data includes the

    big earnings drop of 2008-9 (Chart 13). Is it

    logical to value the current level of the market off

    earnings that collapsed? We would prefer to use a

    trend-adjusted PE (TAPE) and, since the current

    level of earnings for the US at roughly at its

    historical trend, this is almost identical to the

    historical PE.

    13. US earnings, with log trend

    0

    20

    40

    60

    80

    100

    120

    88 90 92 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10

    US

    Source: HSBC, Reuters Thompson Datastream, IBES

    Second, the assumption behind the CAPE is that

    earnings are always mean reverting. While that is

    usually true, there may be times (such as now, as

    we have often argued) where earnings can grow

    above trend for a while, driven by sales to

    emerging markets and with costs under control.

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    So where from here?Since our Q3 Quarterly, published in early July,

    we have argued that there were three conditions

    that needed to be fulfilled for markets to bottom:,

    cyclical indicators to dip further (including

    analysts cutting their earnings forecasts), risk

    events to pass, and investor capitulation to set in.

    We have dealt with analysts forecasts above.

    Where do we now stand on the others?

    Cyclical indicatorsIn the end, the economy is partly driven by

    psychology. How much will the events of the past

    few weeks affect consumer and corporate

    sentiment and spending decisions? That is very

    hard to judge. For the moment, HSBCs

    economists have not slashed their growth

    forecasts (they still look for 2.5% GDP growth for

    the US and 3.4% for the world in 2012 far from

    recession conditions). But we will need to watch

    the data carefully over the coming months for

    signs that growth expectations continue to fall.

    Not least, the US manufacturing ISM which we

    regard as the best single indicator of the cycle

    almost certainly will fall further. It is currently at

    50.9, having fallen from a peak of 61.4 in

    February. But that means it is still indicating

    expansion. Mid-cycle dips often take the ISM

    below 50 (see Chart 14) as, for example, in 1985,

    1996, 1998 without necessarily signalling arecession. As we have argued previously, the mid-

    cycle dip in the ISM typically lasts nine months,

    while this one has so far gone on for only five. It

    is quite possible for the ISM to fall further,

    without it signalling a recession (when it would

    typically drop to 40 or below).

    14. US manufacturing ISM and US recessions

    30

    35

    40

    45

    50

    55

    60

    65

    70

    50 60 70 80 90 00 10

    Recessions ISM

    Source: HSBC, Bloomberg

    How big is the risk of a US recession? Obviously

    that is our economists call. But we would make a

    couple of observations.

    First, this expansion is still very short by historical

    standards, having lasted only 26 months, by the

    NBERs official definition. This would make it

    the third shortest expansion since 1930 (and

    probably really the second shortest since many

    view the 1980-1 expansion, that lasted only 12

    months, as a mis-dating by the NBER).

    Second, the level of activity in the US remains at

    a very subdued level. The two largest consumer

    purchases, for example, autos and houses (Charts

    15 and 16), are at such depressed levels, that it is

    hard to imagine them falling sharply from here, as

    typically happens in a full-blown recession.

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    15. US auto sales, SAAR (mn vehicles)

    0

    5

    10

    15

    20

    25

    70 75 80 85 90 95 00 05 10

    Source: HSBC, Bloomberg

    16. US new housing starts (000 units SAAR))

    0

    500

    1000

    1500

    2000

    2500

    3000

    60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 00 05 10

    Source: HSBC, Bloomberg

    Risk events

    In many ways, we would argue that the recent

    dramatic sell-off was triggered by the failure of

    the EU summit at the end of July to tackle the

    European sovereign debt issue properly. The

    proposal to cut Greeces debt, in effect, by around

    20% was considered by the market as plainly

    insufficient. The summit also failed to make any

    proposals for Ireland and Portugal, or to increase

    the European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF) to a

    size sufficient to allow it to see off speculative

    moves against Italy and Spain. The European

    Central Banks subsequent stubborn refusal to

    carry out full-hearted credit easing and liquidity

    injection (in contrast to the position of the Fed)

    has exacerbated the situation.

    We would see the USs squabbles over the debt

    ceiling as less of a problem. While these were a

    reminder of how dysfunctional US politics has

    become (and the negotiations over coming months

    on the details of spending cuts are also likely to be

    unedifying), at least there was a decision and

    some sort of medium-term plan to cut the deficit

    along with a supportive central bank. Moreover,

    the US dollars position as the worlds FX reserve

    currency means the problem is much less urgent.

    Are these problems going to go away? In Europe,

    perhaps not soon. In our view, there need to be

    moves towards greater fiscal unity (see Fixing the

    eurozone 8 August by HSBCs chief economist,

    Stephen King). The debt situation for the three

    peripheral eurozone members has not been solved.

    The ECB needs to be more accommodative. We

    would like to think that markets will push policy-

    makers to take more decisive action. But, until

    they do, we continue to be cautious on Europeanstocks (where we remain underweight), however

    cheap they have got.

    Capitulation

    Perhaps the one box we can tick is investor

    capitulation. In our last Quarterly, we introduced

    an HSBC investor sentiment index, which

    combines the one-month moving average of 1) the

    American Association of Individual Investors

    (AAII) weekly survey, 2) the put/call ratio for

    equity options on the Chicago Board Options

    Exchange, and 3) the VIX index of S&P500

    implied volatility.

    The index has given useful buy signals at most

    market bottoms, both during recessions (2003 and

    2009) and intra-cycle (1998, 2005, 2010),

    although it did perhaps forgivably send too

    early a buy signal in 2002 and 2008 (Chart 17).

    The signal at market tops is rather more

    complicated: sentiment seems to wane before

    stocks peak, as in 2007.

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    Currently, sentiment has collapsed to the level of

    intra-cycle correction bottoms such as mid-2010

    or 1998, but not to the level of a big cyclical

    bottom such as 2009 or 2003.

    The VIX (which reached 48 this week) and the

    put/call ratio (which got over 1x) are at very

    bearish levels. The AAII survey, however,

    showed a surprising rebound in the latest weekly

    numbers, with 33% of retail investors expecting

    stocks to rise over the next six months, up from

    27% the previous week. Perhaps some investors

    believe the market now represents good value or

    maybe the survey just lags a little. Remember,

    too, that since we use a one month moving

    average to smooth out volatility, the numbers are

    a little slow to react.

    So, whether capitulation has truly set in depends

    like many of the other factors we have highlighted

    in this note on whether you believe this is just a

    (particularly nasty) mid-cycle correction, or a full-

    blown recession. The problem is that we are

    unlikely to get a conclusive answer on this keyquestion, at least in the near-term.

    17. HSBC investor sentiment index

    -3.5

    -3.0

    -2.5

    -2.0

    -1.5

    -1.0

    -0.5

    0.0

    0.5

    1.0

    1.5

    97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11

    6.0

    6.2

    6.4

    6.6

    6.8

    7.0

    7.2

    7.4

    Sentiment index S&P 500 (log, RHS)

    Source: HSBC, Thompson Reuters Datastream

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    Disclosure appendix

    Analyst Certification

    The following analyst(s), economist(s), and/or strategist(s) who is(are) primarily responsible for this report, certifies(y) that the

    opinion(s) on the subject security(ies) or issuer(s) and/or any other views or forecasts expressed herein accurately reflect their

    personal view(s) and that no part of their compensation was, is or will be directly or indirectly related to the specific

    recommendation(s) or views contained in this research report: Garry Evans

    Important disclosuresStock ratings and basis for financial analysis

    HSBC believes that investors utilise various disciplines and investment horizons when making investment decisions, which

    depend largely on individual circumstances such as the investor's existing holdings, risk tolerance and other considerations.

    Given these differences, HSBC has two principal aims in its equity research: (1) to identify long-term investment opportunities

    based on particular themes or ideas that may affect the future earnings or cash flows of companies on a 12-month horizon; and

    (2) from time to time to identify short-term investment opportunities that are derived from fundamental, quantitative, technical

    or event-driven techniques on a 0- to 3-month horizon and which may differ from our long-term investment rating. HSBC has

    assigned ratings for its long-term investment opportunities as described below.

    This report addresses only the long-term investment opportunities of the companies referred to in the report. As and when HSBC

    publishes a short-term trading idea the stocks to which these relate are identified on the website at www.hsbcnet.com/research.

    Details of these short-term investment opportunities can be found under the Reports section of this website.

    HSBC believes an investor's decision to buy or sell a stock should depend on individual circumstances such as the investor's

    existing holdings and other considerations. Different securities firms use a variety of ratings terms as well as different rating

    systems to describe their recommendations. Investors should carefully read the definitions of the ratings used in each research

    report. In addition, because research reports contain more complete information concerning the analysts' views, investors

    should carefully read the entire research report and should not infer its contents from the rating. In any case, ratings should not

    be used or relied on in isolation as investment advice.

    Rating definitions for long-term investment opportunities

    Stock ratings

    HSBC assigns ratings to its stocks in this sector on the following basis:

    For each stock we set a required rate of return calculated from the cost of equity for that stocks domestic or, as appropriate,regional market established by our strategy team. The price target for a stock represents the value the analyst expects the stock

    to reach over our performance horizon. The performance horizon is 12 months. For a stock to be classified as Overweight, the

    implied return must exceed the required return by at least 5ppt over the next 12 months (or 10ppt for a stock classified as

    Volatile*). For a stock to be classified as Underweight, the stock must be expected to underperform its required return by at least

    5ppt over the next 12 months (or 10ppt for a stock classified as Volatile*). Stocks between these bands are classified as Neutral.

    Our ratings are re-calibrated against these bands at the time of any 'material change' (initiation of coverage, change of volatility

    status or change in price target). Notwithstanding this, and although ratings are subject to ongoing management review,

    expected returns will be permitted to move outside the bands as a result of normal share price fluctuations without necessarily

    triggering a rating change.

    *A stock will be classified as volatile if its historical volatility has exceeded 40%, if the stock has been listed for less than 12

    months (unless it is in an industry or sector where volatility is low) or if the analyst expects significant volatility. However,stocks which we do not consider volatile may in fact also behave in such a way. Historical volatility is defined as the past

    month's average of the daily 365-day moving average volatilities. In order to avoid misleadingly frequent changes in rating,

    however, volatility has to move 2.5ppt past the 40% benchmark in either direction for a stock's status to change.

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    Rating distribution for long-term investment opportunitiesAs of 11 August 2011, the distribution of all ratings published is as follows:

    Overweight (Buy) 52% (27% of these provided with Investment Banking Services)

    Neutral (Hold) 36% (20% of these provided with Investment Banking Services)

    Underweight (Sell) 12% (19% of these provided with Investment Banking Services)

    Analysts, economists, and strategists are paid in part by reference to the profitability of HSBC which includes investment

    banking revenue.

    For disclosures in respect of any company mentioned in this report, please see the most recently published report on that

    company available at www.hsbcnet.com/research.

    HSBC Legal Entities are listed in the Disclaimer below.*

    Additional disclosures

    1 This report is dated as at 12 August 2011.2 All market data included in this report are dated as at close 10 August 2011, unless otherwise indicated in the report.3 HSBC has procedures in place to identify and manage any potential conflicts of interest that arise in connection with its

    Research business. HSBC's analysts and its other staff who are involved in the preparation and dissemination of Research

    operate and have a management reporting line independent of HSBC's Investment Banking business. Information Barrierprocedures are in place between the Investment Banking and Research businesses to ensure that any confidential and/orprice sensitive information is handled in an appropriate manner.

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    Disclaimer

    *Legal entities as at 4 March 2011

    UAE HSBC Bank Middle East Limited, Dubai; HK The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking

    Corporation Limited, Hong Kong; TW HSBC Securities (Taiwan) Corporation Limited; CA HSBC

    Securities (Canada) Inc, Toronto; HSBC Bank, Paris Branch; HSBC France; DE HSBC Trinkaus &

    Burkhardt AG, Dsseldorf; 000 HSBC Bank (RR), Moscow; IN HSBC Securities and Capital Markets

    (India) Private Limited, Mumbai; JP HSBC Securities (Japan) Limited, Tokyo; EG HSBC

    Securities Egypt SAE, Cairo; CN HSBC Investment Bank Asia Limited, Beijing Representative

    Office; The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, Singapore Branch; The Hongkong

    and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, Seoul Securities Branch; The Hongkong and ShanghaiBanking Corporation Limited, Seoul Branch; HSBC Securities (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd, Johannesburg;

    GR HSBC Securities SA, Athens; HSBC Bank plc, London, Madrid, Milan, Stockholm, Tel Aviv; US

    HSBC Securities (USA) Inc, New York; HSBC Yatirim Menkul Degerler AS, Istanbul; HSBC Mxico,

    SA, Institucin de Banca Mltiple, Grupo Financiero HSBC; HSBC Bank Brasil SA Banco Mltiplo;

    HSBC Bank Australia Limited; HSBC Bank Argentina SA; HSBC Saudi Arabia Limited; The

    Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, New Zealand Branch

    Issuer of report

    The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking

    Corporation Limited

    Level 19, 1 Queens Road Central

    Hong Kong SAR

    Telephone: +852 2843 9111

    Telex: 75100 CAPEL HX

    Fax: +852 2596 0200

    Website: www.research.hsbc.com

    This document has been issued by The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC) in the conduct of its Hong Kong regulated

    business for the information of its institutional and professional customers; it is not intended for and should not be distributed to retail customers in

    Hong Kong. The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited is regulated by the Securities and Futures Commission. All enquires by

    recipients in Hong Kong must be directed to your HSBC contact in Hong Kong. If it is received by a customer of an affiliate of HSBC, its provision to

    the recipient is subject to the terms of business in place between the recipient and such affiliate. This document is not and should not be construed as

    an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to purchase or subscribe for any investment. HSBC has based this document on information obtained

    from sources it believes to be reliable but which it has not independently verified; HSBC makes no guarantee, representation or warranty and accepts

    no responsibility or liability as to its accuracy or completeness. Expressions of opinion are those of the Research Division of HSBC only and are

    subject to change without notice. HSBC and its affiliates and/or their officers, directors and employees may have positions in any securities mentionedin this document (or in any related investment) and may from time to time add to or dispose of any such securities (or investment). HSBC and its

    affiliates may act as market maker or have assumed an underwriting commitment in the securities of companies discussed in this document (or in

    related investments), may sell them to or buy them from customers on a principal basis and may also perform or seek to perform investment banking

    or underwriting services for or relating to those companies.

    HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. accepts responsibility for the content of this research report prepared by its non-US foreign affiliate. All U.S. persons

    receiving and/or accessing this report and wishing to effect transactions in any security discussed herein should do so with HSBC Securities (USA)

    Inc. in the United States and not with its non-US foreign affiliate, the issuer of this report.

    In the UK this report may only be distributed to persons of a kind described in Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial

    Promotion) Order 2001. The protections afforded by the UK regulatory regime are available only to those dealing with a representative of HSBC Bank

    plc in the UK. In Singapore, this publication is distributed by The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, Singapore Branch for the

    general information of institutional investors or other persons specified in Sections 274 and 304 of the Securities and Futures Act (Chapter 289)

    (SFA) and accredited investors and other persons in accordance with the conditions specified in Sections 275 and 305 of the SFA. This publication

    is not a prospectus as defined in the SFA. It may not be further distributed in whole or in part for any purpose. The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking

    Corporation Limited Singapore Branch is regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Recipients in Singapore should contact a "Hongkong and

    Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, Singapore Branch" representative in respect of any matters arising from, or in connection with this report. InAustralia, this publication has been distributed by The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (ABN 65 117 925 970, AFSL 301737)

    for the general information of its wholesale customers (as defined in the Corporations Act 2001). Where distributed to retail customers, this research

    is distributed by HSBC Bank Australia Limited (AFSL No. 232595). These respective entities make no representations that the products or services

    mentioned in this document are available to persons in Australia or are necessarily suitable for any particular person or appropriate in accordance with

    local law. No consideration has been given to the particular investment objectives, financial situation or particular needs of any recipient. This

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    In Japan, this publication has been distributed by HSBC Securities (Japan) Limited. It may not be further distributed in whole or in part for any

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    (FSCMA). This publication is not a prospectus as defined in the FSCMA. It may not be further distributed in whole or in part for any purpose.

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    040/04/2011

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    Global

    Garry EvansGlobal Head of Equity Strategy+852 2996 6916 [email protected]

    Daniel Grosvenor

    +852 2996 6592 [email protected]

    EU and US

    Peter SullivanHead of Equity Strategy, EU and US

    +44 20 7991 6702 [email protected]

    Europe

    Robert Parkes+44 20 7991 6716 [email protected]

    CEEMEAJohn Lomax

    +44 20 7992 3712 [email protected]

    Wietse Nijenhuis

    +44 20 7992 3680 [email protected]

    Asia

    Garry Evans+852 2996 6916 [email protected]

    Steven Sun+852 2822 4298 [email protected]

    Vivek Misra+91 80 3001 3699 [email protected]

    Global Equity Strategy Research Team