HSBC Research: Reopening of Red Sea Shipping Route Expected to Reduce Freight Rates; COSCO SHIP HOLD and OOIL Remain Underweight
Resumption of Shipping Routes: Maersk will resume its shipping route from India and the Middle East to the US East Coast via the Red Sea and Suez Canal, following similar moves by CMA CGM and the Ocean Alliance.
Impact on Freight Rates: The resumption of these routes is expected to increase shipping capacity by 7-8%, leading to a forecasted decline in freight rates by 9-16% this year, contingent on ongoing disruptions in the Red Sea.
Financial Risks for Shipping Companies: A potential 10% drop in freight rates could significantly impact Maersk's EBIT margin, resulting in losses for both Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd.
Investment Ratings: HSBC Global Investment Research has assigned a Buy rating to Maersk due to its logistics and terminal operations, while maintaining Underweight ratings for COSCO SHIP HOLD and OOIL, and a Hold rating for SITC.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Analyst Views on 00316
About the author


Market Performance: The Hang Seng Index (HSI) fell by 570 points (2.1%) to 26,059, while the Hang Seng Tech Index (HSTI) dropped 148 points (2.9%) to 4,989, with a total market turnover of $357.68 billion.
Declining Heavyweights: Major stocks like Xiaomi, Meituan, and Alibaba experienced significant declines, with Xiaomi down 5% and Alibaba down 4.5%, amidst high short selling ratios.
Gainers in the Market: Xinyi Glass and CNOOC were notable gainers, with Xinyi Glass rising 12.4% to a new high, while CNOOC increased by 5.6%.
Volatile Stocks: Several stocks faced sharp declines, including Guofuhee, which plummeted 19.2%, and Dmall, which fell 13.1%, indicating a volatile trading environment.

Market Performance: The Hang Seng Index (HSI) fell by 420 points (1.6%) to 26,209, while the Hang Seng Tech Index (HSTI) and the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index (HSCEI) also experienced declines of 2.1% and 1.4%, respectively.
Active Heavyweights: Major stocks like Xiaomi, Meituan, and Alibaba saw significant drops, with Xiaomi down 4.6% and Alibaba down 2.7%, amidst high short selling activity.
Notable Movers: Xinyi Glass and CNOOC were standout performers, with Xinyi Glass rising 11.4% to a new high, while several other stocks, including Sunny Optical and HSBC Holdings, faced declines.
Short Selling Trends: The short selling ratios for various stocks were notable, with JD Health and HSBC Holdings showing high short selling activity, indicating bearish sentiment among investors.
Market Opening Trends: The HSI opened 1.2% lower at 26,305, with significant declines in the HSCEI and HSTECH, while energy stocks like SINOPEC and PETROCHINA saw gains due to rising oil prices.
Loan Prime Rate Stability: China's 1Y Loan Prime Rate remains unchanged at 3%, aligning with forecasts, indicating stability in the financial sector.
Shipping and Gold Stocks Performance: Shipping stocks advanced at the open, with OOIL and COSCO SHIP HOLD rising, while gold stocks rallied due to increasing gold prices, with notable gains for SD GOLD and ZHAOJIN MINING.
Tech and Automotive Sector Movements: Tech stocks like TENCENT and JD-SW showed slight increases, while major players like BABA-W and NIO-SW experienced declines, reflecting mixed performance across the sector.

Market Performance: Hong Kong stocks rose in early trading, with the HSI up 199 points (0.8%) to 26,789, and total market turnover reaching HKD122.273 billion.
HSBC Results: HSBC Holdings reported a 7.4% year-on-year decline in profit before tax to USD29.907 billion, with its stock price down 0.3% at HKD134.9, while declaring a quarterly dividend of USD0.45.
Commodity Stocks Surge: Several commodity stocks, including ZHAOJIN MINING and ZIJIN GOLD INTL, saw significant gains of over 2%, with CHINAGOLDINTL spiking 3.2%.
Consumer Sector Growth: Consumer stocks advanced, highlighted by MAOYAN ENT's forecast of RMB540 million profit, and notable increases in sportswear and catering stocks, with HAIDILAO jumping 5.8%.

Industry Outlook: The container shipping industry is expected to face challenges, with BofA Securities predicting an EBIT loss in 2026 due to oversupply and the reopening of the Red Sea route.
Vessel Supply Impact: Significant growth in vessel supply in the first half of 2026 will contribute to the industry's struggles, compounded by the reopening of the Red Sea route in the second half of the year.
Investment Recommendations: BofA Securities has maintained an Underperform rating on COSCO SHIP HOLD and OOIL, advising investors to be cautious of negative developments related to the Red Sea route.
Market Conditions: The report highlights the potential for declining spot freight rates as port congestion eases and seasonal factors weaken, which could further impact the shipping market.

Market Performance: The Hang Seng Index (HSI) fell by 78 points (0.3%) to close at 26,844, while the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index (HSCEI) dropped 46 points (0.5%) to 9,220, with a total market turnover of $255.08 billion.
Active Heavyweights: Notable declines were seen in Xiaomi (-2.0%), Ping An (-1.3%), and Tencent (-0.7%), while Alibaba experienced a slight increase of 1.0%.
Significant Movers: Pop Mart saw a significant drop of 5.6%, while Techtronic Industries and Li Ning reported gains of 4.9% and 4.3%, respectively, with some stocks hitting new highs.
Top Gainers in HSMI & HSSI: Synagistics surged by 17.8%, followed by XXF with a 13.1% increase, and several other stocks also reported substantial gains, indicating a mixed performance across different sectors.




