MONEY MASTER

Amazon (AMZN.US)  is showing  strong bullish momentum , with technical indicators suggesting the rally may have further room to run following a sharp rebound from recent lows. Strong Rebound From Key Support Levels Amazon shares have surged in recent sessions, climbing  over 11% this week , marking its  strongest weekly performance since early 2023 . The rally was triggered by a  double bottom formation near US$200 , a key psychological and technical support level. This pattern was reinforced by bullish candlestick signals, indicating a  potential trend reversal . The stock is currently trading around  US$238 , still about  10% below its 52-week high , leaving room for upside. Bullish Technical Patterns Emerging Several positive technical signals are now in play: Inverse head-and-shoulders pattern breakout Bullish island reversal , reclaiming the  200-day moving average Break above a  bear flag formation  on the weekly chart These p...

Summary: US online holiday sales are projected to rise  5.3% year-on-year  to  US$253.4 billion (RM1.07 trillion)  this November–December, according to Adobe Analytics. The growth will be primarily driven by  Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL)  usage, offsetting headwinds from a weaker labour market and tariff-induced price increases. Key Highlights 1. Slower Growth Amid Economic Strain Online spending growth is expected to moderate from  8.7% in 2024  to  5.3%  this year as consumers face higher prices and tightening household budgets. Tariffs and slower wage growth have prompted households to spend more cautiously, with overall holiday budgets projected to be smaller. 2. BNPL Drives Incremental Demand Adobe projects  US$20.2 billion  in holiday purchases will be made via BNPL options, an  11% increase year-on-year , more than double the pace of total online spending growth. BNPL providers such as  Affirm Holdings (AFRM.US) ...

ARK Invest Returns to Alibaba Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. shares surged in New York on Wednesday, buoyed by renewed interest from prominent tech investor  Cathie Wood . Her firm  ARK Invest  acquired about  $16.3 million  worth of Alibaba stock across its ARK Fintech Innovation ETF and ARK Next Generation Internet ETF on Monday, marking its first exposure to the Chinese e-commerce giant since 2021. Stock Performance and Market Reaction Alibaba’s U.S.-listed shares jumped  8.2%  on Wednesday, following a  9% rally  in Hong Kong earlier this week after its annual technology conference. Year-to-date, Alibaba’s U.S. stock has gained  92% , outperforming broader Chinese tech peers. AI and Cloud Expansion Plans At its flagship conference, Alibaba unveiled  Qwen3-Max , a large language model with  over 1 trillion parameters , claiming benchmark advantages over rivals such as  Anthropic’s Claude  and  DeepSeek . The compa...

Key Takeaway:  Alibaba is making a renewed bid to expand AliExpress internationally by targeting  Amazon-listed brands  with cheaper shipping and lower fees, hoping to challenge US rivals despite geopolitical headwinds and stiff competition from Temu and Shein. Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.  is stepping up its overseas e-commerce push by trying to lure well-known Amazon sellers to its global shopping site,  AliExpress . The strategy centers on  lower shipping costs and reduced commission fees , which Alibaba claims could cut selling expenses by as much as half compared with Amazon. AliExpress aims to strengthen its foothold in  Europe, Latin America, and the US , offering brands more traffic support and promotional tools. The company is also looking to leverage existing partnerships from its domestic platform,  Tmall , to encourage global expansion. The move underscores Alibaba’s determination to compete on Amazon’s home turf, even after its first US...

Deflationary pressure in China, which has already pushed down prices of cars and fast food, is now reshaping the country’s  US$38 billion medical aesthetics market . So-Young Pushes Prices to Record Lows So-Young International Inc has launched 33 clinics across major cities, offering chemical peels for 149 yuan (US$21) and skin boosters for 399 yuan. The company says there is further room to cut costs, moving closer to South Korea — the benchmark for affordable cosmetic treatments. Average spending per customer at So-Young clinics is about 2,000 yuan, far below the sector average of 6,500 yuan, according to CEO Xing Jin. “As prices approach Korean levels, convenience will keep more consumers at home for treatments,” he said. Rising Competition from E-Commerce Players The push could ignite a broader price war. JD.com Inc has already opened two cosmetic clinics in Beijing, undercutting rivals on certain procedures. Internet platforms such as Meituan and Douyin are also expanding into...

Key Takeaway Chinese ecommerce and logistics firms, led by  JD.com , are rapidly leasing warehouse space across Europe as Trump’s tariffs push manufacturers to diversify markets. Europe has emerged as the “last major growth frontier” for these firms, triggering a second warehouse boom. Market Snapshot UK Take-Up (2025 YTD) : >2M sq ft (vs 2.3M sq ft peak in 2021) JD.com : 900,000 sq ft leased in UK (Coventry DC, Milton Keynes hub, multiple sites) Other Players : Super Smart Service (Zong Teng Group), Top Cloud Logistics, Daals (furniture retailer) GLP : 400,000 sq m leased to Chinese firms across UK, Germany, Poland, Italy (past 5 years) Drivers of Expansion US Tariffs : Higher barriers to U.S. markets push Chinese exporters to Europe. Ecommerce Growth : JD.com launched  Joybuy  in UK, offering discounted goods. Geopolitical Risks : Supply chain shocks (Suez Canal 2021, pandemic) reinforced need for diversification. Landlord Demand : Rising inquiries from Chinese group...

  Key Takeaways: De minimis exemption abolished : All imported packages, regardless of value, now face tariffs, ending a decades-old rule that exempted shipments under  US$800 . Impact on e-commerce : Online retailers like Shein and Temu face higher costs and paperwork, potentially eroding their price advantage. Winners and losers : US textile and manufacturing industries gain tariff protection, while consumers and small businesses importing via online platforms face higher prices. Revenue and enforcement : White House estimates  US$10 billion annually in new tariff revenues , with CBP already collecting nearly  US$500 million  since China/Hong Kong exemptions ended in May. Transition risks : Supply chain disruptions likely as postal agencies and express carriers adapt; full ad valorem duty collection required by  Feb 28, 2026 . Policy Shift The  de minimis exemption , dating back to 1938, allowed small-value imports duty-free. Raised to US$800 in 2015...

In a world where global trade is increasingly uncertain — tariffs, geopolitical tensions, and fragmented supply chains —  ASEAN and China are moving in the opposite direction: toward deeper economic integration.  The upcoming signing of the  ASEAN-China Free Trade Area 3.0 (ACFTA 3.0)  is a significant development that investors shouldn't overlook. Let’s unpack what this means and where the  investment opportunities  lie. What Is ACFTA 3.0? The original ASEAN-China Free Trade Area was established in 2010. It covers one of the  largest consumer markets globally , spanning over  2 billion people . With the  ACFTA 3.0 upgrade scheduled for later this year , the agreement will enhance: Tariff elimination Supply chain integration Investment flows Digital and green economy collaboration The timing is crucial, as countries in the region brace for volatility triggered by US trade actions and slowing global growth. Who Stands to Gain? Here are a few s...

Amazon’s Prime Day 2025  isn’t just a shopping bonanza — it’s shaping up to be a  massive e-commerce and membership machine  with potential upside for investors. What’s New This Year? For the  first time , Prime Day runs  four full days  (July 8–11) across  20 countries . Analysts project  $21B+ in gross merchandise value , up  60%  from last year (BofA Securities). Adobe Analytics forecasts  $23.8B in total online retail spend  across the U.S. during the week —  more than 2x Black Friday 2024 . Not Just a Sales Event — A Strategic Win Amazon is expected to  boost both retail and ad revenue ,  attract millions of new Prime members , and  reinforce customer loyalty : 2024 saw  record-high Prime signups  leading into the event. A  Jefferies survey  shows  73% of U.S. consumers  hold Prime memberships — crushing  Walmart+ (26%)  and  Target Circle (22%) . "Prime Day ...

India’s quick-commerce champions are  riding a bullish wave , with  Swiggy and Eternal Ltd.  outpacing benchmarks and regional peers over the past month, supported by  strengthening fundamentals, first-mover advantages, and improving investor sentiment . Stock Scorecard (Past 30 Days): Swiggy Ltd.  +20% 🚀 Eternal Ltd.  +11% Nifty 100  < trailing behind China’s Meituan & JD.com  ↓ $70B market cap loss since March What’s Fueling the Surge? Profitability Now in Sight After aggressive expansion and deep discounting, key players like  Swiggy’s Instamart  and  Eternal’s Blinkit  are now scaling back on costs and zeroing in on monetization. Analysts say losses may have  already peaked . First-Mover Advantage Still Intact Despite heavyweight entrants like Amazon and Flipkart,  incumbents control 88%  of India’s quick-commerce market, with dense networks of “dark stores” and optimized delivery logistics. Shift in ...

What to Expect from Sea’s Performance on March 4 Sea Limited (SE)  is set to announce  Q4 2024 financial results before the market opens on March 4 (ET). Analysts expect  revenue of $464 million , reflecting a  28.42% YoY increase , and  earnings per share (EPS) of $0.435 . Sea’s stock has surged nearly 20% YTD,  following a  160% gain last year . Shopee: E-Commerce Growth & Market Expansion Shopee remains  a key growth driver , benefiting from: Expanding market leadership  amid  potential slowdown in social commerce in ASEAN . Investment in logistics  to sustain long-term growth. Continued investment in Brazil  to strengthen market presence. J.P. Morgan expects Shopee to leverage network effects  for sustained growth and  has raised its FY26E GMV forecast by 4%. However,  intensifying competition  from regional and global players  could impact short-term performance. SeaMoney: Digital Finance Expan...

Shares of Ulta Beauty (ULTA.US) dropped 2.6% to $334.33 on Thursday following a downgrade by William Blair analyst Dylan Carden, highlighting concerns over the company’s shift to online commerce and broader challenges in the beauty industry. Key Highlights Stock Performance: Ulta shares are down 31.9% year-to-date , on track for their worst year since 2008 , when they fell 51.72%. Analyst Downgrade: Carden downgraded Ulta from Outperform to Market Perform after reassessing expectations set during the company’s Analyst Day on Oct. 16. Analyst Concerns Overoptimistic Projections for 2025: Consensus estimates for 2025 comparable sales and operating margin assume an early inflection in the beauty market that may not materialize. Impact of E-Commerce: The shift to online shopping poses a long-term threat to Ulta’s retail stores, introducing “heightened, more dynamic competition” and potential market share erosion. As prestige brands expand online , Ulta risks either losing share to c...

Key Takeaway: PDD Holdings (NASDAQ) will release its Q3 2024 earnings on November 21, 2024 , before markets open. Analysts forecast strong revenue and earnings growth , driven by its e-commerce business and the success of the Temu platform . Consensus Estimates: Revenue: Projected at 103.70 billion CNY , up 50.64% year-over-year (YoY) . Earnings Per Share (EPS): Estimated at 19.77 CNY , a rise of 86.47% YoY . Key Drivers of Growth: E-Commerce Momentum: PDD’s innovative group-buying model and integration with social media have gained traction. Online marketing services revenue: Expected to grow 23.78% YoY to 49.12 billion CNY . Transaction services revenue: Forecasted to rise 81.84% YoY to 53.01 billion CNY . Temu Platform Strength: Temu sales: Estimated at $54 billion for 2024 , up from $15.33 billion in 2023 . Global Expansion: Temu’s rapid growth diversifies PDD’s revenue streams, reducing reliance on the Chinese market . Investor Confidence: David Tepper’s Appaloosa Mana...

Colin Huang, the visionary behind Pinduoduo and owner of the e-commerce platform Temu, has emerged as China’s richest person, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Despite a previous decline in his wealth, Huang’s fortune has rebounded to $48.6 billion, fueled by the expansion of Temu and changing shopping habits in China. Key Highlights: Rising from Setbacks: Huang's journey is marked by resilience. After an initial rise in wealth, his fortune plummeted by 87% during China's crackdown on the private sector. However, the success of Temu, particularly its expansion outside China, has driven a significant recovery. Pinduoduo’s Comeback: PDD Holdings Inc, the parent company of Pinduoduo, has staged a steady comeback, thanks to Temu's popularity and China's evolving consumer market amidst economic challenges. Outshining Rivals: With his $48.6 billion fortune, Huang has overtaken Zhong Shanshan, the previous titleholder, and becomes the first tech tycoon in more ...

South Korea's financial authorities are set to provide at least 560 billion won (US$404.55 million) in liquidity support to small businesses impacted by recent payment delays from e-commerce platforms, the finance ministry announced on Monday. Key Developments: Government Intervention: The intervention follows an investigation into e-commerce firms TMON and WeMakePrice, owned by Singapore-based Qoo10, for failing to pay vendors. Official Statement: Vice finance minister Kim Beok-seok emphasized the government's commitment to minimizing damage, stating, "The responsibility lies with the e-commerce platforms, but the government cannot just watch the situation." Support Measures: The support will be provided mainly through low-interest policy loans for small businesses. Additional measures include extensions for existing loan repayments and tax payments. Vendor Concerns: TMON and WeMakePrice have stated they are working to minimize damage to customers and are informing t...