China A Share - February Commentary
Director, Chief Investment Officer, Portfolio Manager
Portfolio Manager, Asian & Emerging Markets
This is a marketing communication. Please refer to the prospectus, supplement and KID/KIID for the Funds before making any final investment decisions. The value of this investment can fall as well as rise as a result of market and currency fluctuations. You may not get back the amount you invested.
Past performance does not predict future returns.
Countries continue to improve relations with China as US policymaking becomes more unpredictable and insular. Korean President Lee Jae Meung, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met Xi Jinping in China. Lee Jae Myung’s trip to China marked, in his words, a full-scale restoration of ties between the two countries. Numerous cooperation agreements were signed, and Korea maintained respect for the One China Policy.
December data showed industrial production growth of 5.2%. Notable areas of growth were robots, chips, and EVs, while weaker areas were solar cells, smartphones, cement, and steel. Retail sales only grew by 0.9% as funds for the household trade-in programme were exhausted, and certain categories also faced a high base effect.
China’s economy remains two-speed, with domestic consumption weak but manufacturing and exports strong. Looking ahead, we believe China is approaching a significant transition point. Towards the end of 2026, we expect the new pillar industries to become sufficiently large to offset the drag from real estate, supporting a meaningful and long-lasting improvement in economic growth. But until then, the economy is likely to need further support over the next 12 months. Therefore, it was encouraging to see the Central Economic Work Conference (CEWC), where China’s leadership sets economic policy for the year, call for more proactive measures.
In this commentary, we analyse the drivers of Fund performance in January and the current macroeconomic situation in China.
The value of this investment can fall as well as rise as a result of market and currency fluctuations. You may not get back the amount you invested.
The information provided on this page is for informational purposes only. While we believe it to be reliable, it may be inaccurate or incomplete. Any opinions stated are honestly held at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed and should therefore not be relied upon. This content should not be relied upon as financial advice or a recommendation to invest in the Funds or to buy or sell individual securities, nor does it constitute an offer for sale. Full details on Ongoing Charges Figures (OCFs) for all share classes are available here.
Risk
The Fund invests only in stocks of companies that are based in, or with significant business activities in China; it is therefore susceptible to the performance of that region. In addition, at least 80% of the assets will be in China A shares, which have a greater participation by retail investors than other markets, so its performance may be more volatile. The Fund is actively managed and uses the MSCI China A Onshore Index as a comparator benchmark only.
For the avoidance of doubt, if you decide to invest, you will be buying units/shares in the Fund and will not be investing directly in the underlying assets of the Fund
Documentation
The documentation needed to make an investment, including the Prospectus, the Key Information Document (KID) / Key Investor Information Document (KIID) and the Application Form, is available from the website www.guinnessgi.com , or free of charge from:
- the Manager: Waystone Management Company (IE) Limited, 2nd Floor 35 Shelbourne Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin DO4 A4E0; or,
- the Promoter and Investment Manager: Guinness Asset Management Ltd, 18 Smith Square, London SW1P 3HZ.
Waystone IE is a company incorporated under the laws of Ireland having its registered office at 35 Shelbourne Rd, Ballsbridge, Dublin, D04 A4E0 Ireland, which is authorised by the Central Bank of Ireland, has appointed Guinness Asset Management Ltd as Investment Manager to this Fund, and as Manager has the right to terminate the arrangements made for the marketing of funds in accordance with the UCITS Directive.
Investor Rights
A summary of investor rights in English, including collective redress mechanisms, is available here: https://www.waystone.com/waystone-policies/
Residency
In countries where the Funds are not registered for sale or in any other circumstances where their distribution is not authorised or is unlawful, the Funds should not be distributed to resident Retail Clients. NOTE: THIS INVESTMENT IS NOT FOR SALE TO U.S. PERSONS.
Structure & Regulation
The Fund is a sub-fund of Guinness Asset Management Funds PLC, an open-ended umbrella-type investment company, incorporated in Ireland and authorised and supervised by the Central Bank of Ireland, which operates under EU legislation. The Fund hasbeen approved by the Financial Conduct Authority for sale in the UK. If you are in any doubt about the suitability of investing in the Fund, please consult your investment or other professional adviser.
Switzerland
This is an advertising document. The prospectus and KID for Switzerland, the articles of association, and the annual and semi-annual reports can be obtained free of charge from the representative in Switzerland: Reyl & Cie SA, Ru du Rhône 4, 1204 Geneva. The paying agent is Banque Cantonale de Genève, 17 Quai de l'Ile, 1204 Geneva.
Singapore
The Fund is not authorised or recognised by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (“MAS”) and shares are not allowed to be offered to the retail public. The Fund is registered with the MAS as a Restricted Foreign Scheme. Shares of the Fund may only be offered to institutional and accredited investors (as defined in the Securities and Futures Act (Cap.289)) (‘SFA’) and this material is limited to the investors in those categories.