(Reuters) – The valuation of Asian shares surged to a 10-1/2-year high in June, tracking a rally in global stocks, as upbeat U.S. and China data renewed hopes of a swift economic recovery, offsetting concerns over rising coronavirus cases.
The MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares <.MIAP00000PUS> gained 4.83% last month, topping the MSCI’s World index’s <.MIWD00000PUS> 3.03% gains.
Thanks to the rally, the index’s forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio rose to 15.62 at the end of June, compared with 14.34 a month earlier. This was the index’s highest forward P/E ratio since December 2009, according to Refinitiv-Eikon data.
Benchmark equity indexes in India <.NSEI>, Hong Kong <.HSI>, the Philippines <.PSI> and Taiwan <.TWII>, gained more than 6% each last month.
New Zealand, India and Malaysia shares were the most expensive in the region, with P/E ratios of 30.7, 19.3 and 17.4, respectively.
Graphic: Asia-Pacific equities performance in June 2020 https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/mkt/qmyvmgbbqvr/Asia%20Pacific%20equities%20performance%20in%20June%202020.jpg
Graphic: Asia-Pacific equities’ performance in 2020 https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/mkt/yzdvxrqqevx/Asia-Pacific%20equities%20performance%20in%202020.jpg
Graphic: Valuation of Asia-Pacific equities https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/mkt/azgporaaqvd/Valuation%20of%20Asia%20Pacific%20equities.jpg
Graphic: MSCI Asia and World index’s PE https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/mkt/yzdvxraaqvx/MSCI%20Asia%20and%20World%20index%20PE.jpg
“Equity market bulls are looking past the current economic gloom despite not being out of the woods, and being emboldened by the flood of ultra-cheap money,” Vishnu Varathan, head of economics and strategy at Mizuho Bank, said in a note.
“Insofar that liquidity, not fundamentals, determines market buoyancy, we must brace for higher latent volatility.”
Asian shares scaled four-month peaks on Monday as investors counted on a revival in Chinese activity to sustain global economic growth, even as surging coronavirus cases delayed re-openings across the United States.
(Reporting by Gaurav Dogra and Patturaja Murugaboopathy in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich)
