TMFMmbop's Blog

Took off from HK

TMFMmbop — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 08:27:21 GMT

Now stranded in Beijing.

I hate you Continental Airlines.

Thoughts from an anonymous banker on China

TMFMmbop — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 00:55:01 GMT

The most interesting things are always said off the record. While you won’t get attribution for these observations from a very opinionated investment banker, I thought they might all be worth talking about. (Note: I don’t agree with all or maybe even any of them)

On Goldman Sachs
They are so short-...

Shanghai SuperBrand Mall Walk

TMFMmbop — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 03:15:46 GMT

Shanghai SuperBrand Mall (Pudong)

Just got done with one of the many mall walks I do while traveling (I hate the mall in the US, but generally enjoy the experience abroad). Spent about three hours in the SuperBrand mall, which is in Pudong near the Huangpu amid many luxury hotels and tier 1 office properties -- so this is high end consumer s...

Inadvertent Insight Into China

TMFMmbop — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 23:54:43 GMT

This is the first trip to China for our Foolish colleague Scott Schedler. He's having a great time, but unfortunately due to smog in Beijing and now heavy rain Shanghai, he has to reason to believe that the sun ever shines here. Looking up at the sky yesterday as we were coming home from a meeting, he finally sighed and said that he was "giving up on visibility in China."

This is one I heard today that should be stamped on your passport when you enter the country...

"China: Where nothing is allowed, but everything is possible."

So solid.

Shanghai is making me happy

TMFMmbop — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 19:30:23 GMT

Just discovered that Din Tai Fung has a branch 100 yards from our hotel. It's 730am, but I am already looking forward to lunch.

Be jealous: http://www.dintaifung.com.tw/en/index.asp

For all of the skepticism about China's infrastructure...

TMFMmbop — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 11:09:50 GMT

Some are saying that China is building too much infrastructure to artificially keep up its growth rate. To those people I say why would we have had to wait 20 minutes just to get into the Beijing subway station if we wanted to ride it around rush hour today.

That is all.

Pretty interesting interview with Jack Ma...

TMFMmbop — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 20:05:25 GMT

On Caixin re: the Alipay dispute:

http://english.caing.com/englishNews.jsp?id=100269326&time=2011-06-14&cl=111&page=all

He sounds idealistic, and as I expected, will go far to protect his reputation.

Updated: Anthony Bolton on investing in China

TMFMmbop — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 17:25:39 GMT

You may remember that famed UK investor Anthony Bolton launched a China fund a few years back. Well, our friendly Fools in London recently got to hear what he's learned after posting years of (mostly) losses:

"I started out with some quite big exposures to the large mainland banks," he replies. "Now, I'm holding only the Hong Kong banks, not the mainland ones. And I've more of a bias against t...

Today's thought of the day

TMFMmbop — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 11:02:56 GMT

Thinking I may have been wrong to be so skeptical of Baidu.com. As many readers will know, my hypothesis has long been that Google left to China to keep brand credibility and therefore could return with verve when China ultimately lifts the Great Firewall (and I am always short totalitarianism). But after spending a day at Baidu today, I think Google may have miscalculated. Baidu, whil...

Big Day on the Farm

TMFMmbop — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 09:16:18 GMT

Haters are going to hate, but our analyst team split up today with Team A touring several Yongye stores in Beijing municipality and meeting farmers using the product while Team B got an in-depth look at CGA's recently acquired Gufeng manufacturing facility. Both impressed.

The MSPEA deal has cleared up at least some of the doubts about Yongye, so there's not much to see here -...

China 2011: Day 1 Highlights

TMFMmbop — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 11:17:04 GMT

A short post this evening since jetlag is fast gaining on me (though my system of running right after I get off a long-haul flight continues to work wonders).

Quote of the trip is already "Eyes wide open" -- a saying that justifies asking ridiculous questions about the relative risk profiles of Chinese stocks.

If you're in the area, we'll be at the Jade Bar at the Pudong Shangri-La from 5 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 18 meeting and hanging out with other Fools. Come join us!

Is China's Growth Grinding to a Halt?

TMFMmbop — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 15:29:41 GMT

After two years carrying the global economy on its back, China's economy is starting to slow. Auto sales growth slowed dramatically in April, and while China fights to bring inflation under control, it recently allowed electricity rates to rise in response to power producers complaining that high coal prices were limiting their ability to turn a profit as electricity demand grows.

Click on the link below to hear the team preview our upcoming China trip on David Kuo's Monytalk program.

http://www.fool.co.uk/money-talk/unearthing-hidden-treasures-in-china-8335.aspx?source=uhpsitpc0000002

The Cheapest Chinese Internet Stock

TMFMmbop — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 13:51:51 GMT

The words "cheap," "Chinese," "Internet," and "stock" don't belong together -- at least not until the current bubble bursts. In the wake of raging returns from Baidu.com, a recent spate of Chinese Internet IPOs has demonstrated beyond a doubt that U.S. investors are willing to pay a pretty penny f...

Is China a Joke? Mekael Chimes in from Guangzhou.

TMFMmbop — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 12:42:04 GMT

I got an interesting response from my friend Mekael in Guangzhou to yesterday's column. Here is his food for thought:

Hey Tim,
I just read your article yesterday "Is China a Complete Joke?". As a man on the ground I can say things are still changing quickly and steadily. I believe for the bette...

Can Private Equity Save Chinese Stocks?

TMFMmbop — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 12:38:07 GMT

It's been a fascinating and volatile time to be investing in Chinese stocks for the past 24 months, but last week showed definitively the challenges and opportunities in the sector.
http://www.fool.com/investing/international/2011/06/02/can-private-equity-sav...

Is China a Complete Joke?

TMFMmbop — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 09:46:38 GMT

It was almost five years ago now that our Motley Fool Global Gains research team started visiting China, regularly searching for overlooked investment opportunities in the country. We were attracted to the market for the same reasons every business and investor is attracted to China -- it's the world's fastest-growing economy and will someday be the largest as well. Furthermore, because of infrastructu...

Welcome to China 2011!

TMFMmbop — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 16:41:57 GMT

I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t at least one moment this year when I wondered if our annual research trips to China are worth it. It’s been a fascinating and volatile time to be investing in Chinese stocks. And while are returns have not been up to our standard over that time frame as a result, we still believe in China's long-term potential. Simply put, It’s the world’s fastest-growing economy and will soon be the world’s largest.