Korean Hyundai is attacking the Japanese car manufacturers!

Hyundai latest advertisement focuses on its steel quality instead of its car features.  Why?

The Japanese Kobe steel scandal has affected the automotive industry and Hyundai is taking advantage of the scandal to showcase its steel quality over the Japan-made cars.

In another Korean stunt, Hyundai managed to stack 7 cars vertically to prove its steel mettle.

Bomb cyclone is creating weather havoc now and polar vortex is coming too!

Just look at the weather havoc created by the bomb cyclone in the USA & China.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2018/01/02/monster-storm-to-blast-east-coast-before-polar-vortex-uncorks-tremendous-cold-late-this-week/?utm_term=.5646aff059df

New York

China yellow river (Huanghe)

The polar vortex is no longer able to be contained in the Arctic and will flow to the USA and beyond.  Scientists have discovered that the Arctic is forming more ice but the Antarctic is melting its ice.  Some scientists are postulating that ice age will happen in 2030 because of the sun activity.

http://metro.co.uk/2018/01/02/mini-ice-age-hit-2030-save-us-global-warming-scientists-claim-7196604/

Hotung - Stock calls

Date	Analyst	Company	Last	Target	Call	Valuation
01/20/17	DMG & Partners	Hotung	1.515	1.9	Buy	PB0.6x, Yield 7%
04/17/17	DMG & Partners	Hotung	1.75	2	Buy	PB0.6x FY17
06/07/17	UOB Kay Hian	Hotung	1.87	3.38	Buy
06/12/17	Lim & Tan	Hotung	1.92	3.02	Buy
07/05/17	UOB Kay Hian	Hotung	1.865	3.38	Buy	PB0.94x
08/17/17	UOB Kay Hian	Hotung	2.1	2.93	Buy

Hotel Properties - Stock calls

Date	Analyst	Company	Last	Target	Call	Valuation
02/29/16	OCBC	Hotel Properties	3.5	5.32	Buy
03/07/16	OCBC	Hotel Properties	3.55	4.83	Buy
05/17/16	OCBC	Hotel Properties	3.47	4.83	Buy
08/12/16	OCBC	Hotel Properties	3.5	4.83	Buy
02/28/17	OCBC	Hotel Properties	3.76	4.83	Buy
08/16/17	OCBC	Hotel Properties	3.87	4.83	Buy

HongKong Land - Stock calls

Date	Analyst	Company	Last	Target	Call	Valuation
01/26/16	Credit Suisse	Hongkong Land	5.95	7.9	Outperform
01/26/16	Deutsche	Hongkong Land	5.95	7.2	Hold
03/04/16	Lim & Tan	Hongkong Land	6.02	0	Buy
03/07/16	Credit Suisse	Hongkong Land	6.14	7.5	Outperform
03/07/16	DBS Vickers	Hongkong Land	6.14	8.16	Buy
03/07/16	Deutsche	Hongkong Land	6.14	4.86	Sell	RNAV (38% discount), PER14x FY16
08/01/16	Credit Suisse	Hongkong Land	6.4	7.2	Neutral
08/01/16	DBS Vickers	Hongkong Land	6.4	7.87	Buy
08/01/16	Deutsche	Hongkong Land	6.4	5.76	Sell
11/11/16	DBS Vickers	Hongkong Land	6.63	7.76	Buy
12/07/16	Deutsche	Hongkong Land	6.4	5.76	Sell
03/03/17	CIMB	Hongkong Land	7.02	7.8	Add	RNAV (40% discount)
03/03/17	DBS Vickers	Hongkong Land	7.02	7.8	Buy	RNAV (35% discount)
03/03/17	Lim & Tan	Hongkong Land	7.02	0	Buy
03/06/17	Credit Suisse	Hongkong Land	6.84	7.2	Neutral
03/06/17	DBS Vickers	Hongkong Land	6.84	7.9	Buy
04/04/17	CIMB	Hongkong Land	7.72	8.5	Add	RNAV (35% discount)
05/04/17	DBS Vickers	Hongkong Land	7.75	8.51	Buy	RNAV (30% discount)
06/13/17	Lim & Tan	Hongkong Land	7.76	0	Buy
08/03/17	DBS Vickers	Hongkong Land	7.54	8.93	Buy	RNAV (30% discount)
08/04/17	CIMB	Hongkong Land	7.59	9.1	Add	RNAV (35% discount)
08/07/17	DIR	Hongkong Land	7.8	9.3	Buy	RNAV (30% discount), Up from $8.70
11/10/17	DBS Vickers	Hongkong Land	7.32	8.93	Buy	RNAV (30% discount)
12/20/17	CIMB	Hongkong Land	7.16	9.1	Add

Stock calls for 8 January 2018

Date	Analyst	Company	Last	Target	Call	Valuation
01/08/18	DBS Vickers	Capitaland	3.65	4.35	Buy	RNAV (10% discount)
01/08/18	CIMB	Capitaland	3.65	4.25	Add	RNAV (20% discount)
01/08/18	UOB Kay Hian	Capitaland	3.65	4.3	Buy	RNAV (15% discount)
01/08/18	DMG & Partners	Capitaland	3.65	4.2	Buy	RNAV (15% discount)
01/08/18	DMG & Partners	DBS	26.32	23.33	Neutral
01/08/18	CIMB	HMI	0.665	0.83	Add	DCF
01/08/18	CIMB	Q & M	0.65	0.61	Reduce	PER28x CY19
01/08/18	CIMB	Raffles Medical	1.12	1.24	Add	Sum of parts
01/08/18	CIMB	SPH Reit	1.07	1.06	Hold	DDM
01/08/18	Lim & Tan	SPH Reit	1.07	0	Hold
01/08/18	OCBC	SPH Reit	1.07	1.08	Hold
01/08/18	CIMB	Talkmed	0.69	0.68	Hold	DCF
01/08/18	DMG & Partners	UOB	26.91	28.88	Buy

OMG! My friend's car was shot in Manila today!

I didn't take this picture from the internet.  This is my friend's car with a bullet hole.

My friend's car was shot while she was driving out for lunch in Manila.  Fortunately, nobody was killed or hit by the bullet.  Manila is really a dangerous place.  Therefore, please be careful when you want to go to Manila for business or leisure.

Let this picture be a warning to all.

Many US retailers are closing down due to good economic growth! Does this make sense?

http://clark.com/shopping-retail/major-retailers-closing-2017/

More than 5,000 USA retail stores closed down in 2017 and more than 1,000 reported that they would close down in 2018.  The retail store closures will definitely be in thousands in 2018.

If the USA economy is growing well and yet the retail stores are closing down in droves, this can only mean 2 things. Either the government is fudging the numbers or there is a structural change in the consumer shopping habit.

Could this be the so-called Amazon effect that revolutionized the shopping trend in the USA?

We'll let you ponder over this.  Good economic growth but more retail store closures is definitely an uncanny phenomenon.

China is cracking down on cryptocurrencies and bitcoin miners are fleeing.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bitcoin-miners-reportedly-fleeing-china-190445805.html

This is not surprising if you understand how China works.

The bitcoin fanatics are just in denial that the bitcoin ban in China is just temporary and bitcoin trading will resume in China soon.  However, we've stated in our previous post that this is impossible.

https://sg-stock.blogspot.sg/2017/10/bitcoin-soars-to-all-time-high.html

If the bitcoin trading ban is just temporary in China, the bitcoin miners won't flee and forsake their set up costs.

Baltic dry index - 1371

Today, Friday, January 05 2017, the Baltic Dry Index climbed by 30 points, reaching 1371 points.

Baltic Dry Index is compiled by the London-based Baltic Exchange and covers prices for transported cargo such as coal, grain and iron ore. The index is based on a daily survey of agents all over the world. Baltic Dry hit a temporary peak on May 20, 2008, when the index hit 11,793. The lowest level ever reached was on Wednesday the 10th of February 2016, when the index dropped to 290 points.

===================

Related Stocks: Sembcorp Marine, Cosco & Pan Ocean

US rig count - 924

HOUSTON (AP) — The number of rigs exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. declined by five this week to 924.

That exceeds the 665 rigs that were active this time a year ago.

Houston oilfield services company Baker Hughes reported on Friday that 742 rigs were drilling for oil and 182 for natural gas this week.

Among oil- and gas-producing states, Wyoming gained two rigs and New Mexico and Texas each gained one.

Louisiana lost six rigs, Oklahoma declined by two and North Dakota lost one.

Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Utah and West Virginia were unchanged.

The U.S. rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981. It bottomed out in May of 2016 at 404.

====================

Related stocks: Keppel Corp, Sembcorp Marine & Cosco

Hong Leong Finance - Stock calls

Date	Analyst	Company	Last	Target	Call	Valuation
04/05/17	DBS Vickers	Hong Leong Finance	2.7	3.2	Buy	GGM, PB0.8x FY17
08/10/17	DBS Vickers	Hong Leong Finance	2.63	3.2	Buy	GGM, PB0.8x FY17
11/13/17	DBS Vickers	Hong Leong Finance	2.72	3.2	Buy	GGM, PB0.8x FY17
01/05/18	DBS Vickers	Hong Leong Finance	2.77	3.2	Buy

Hock Lian Seng - Stock calls

Date	Analyst	Company	Last	Target	Call	Valuation
07/04/16	phillip	Hock Lian Seng	0.345	0.31	Reduce	Sum of parts
08/12/16	phillip	Hock Lian Seng	0.345	0.31	Reduce	Sum of parts
08/18/16	phillip	Hock Lian Seng	0.375	0.34	Reduce	Sum of parts
11/03/16	CIMB	Hock Lian Seng	0.365	0.34	Not Rated	Bloomberg consensus target
11/08/16	phillip	Hock Lian Seng	0.37	0.38	Neutral	Sum of parts
02/16/17	UOB Kay Hian	Hock Lian Seng	0.515	0.69	Buy	PER7.6x FY17, Ex-Cash
03/02/17	phillip	Hock Lian Seng	0.585	0.57	Neutral	Sum of parts
03/02/17	UOB Kay Hian	Hock Lian Seng	0.585	0.69	Buy
05/11/17	phillip	Hock Lian Seng	0.475	0.57	Accumulate	Sum of parts
05/11/17	UOB Kay Hian	Hock Lian Seng	0.475	0.585	Buy	PER7.6x FY17, Ex-Cash
12/06/17	DBS Vickers	Hock Lian Seng	0.455	0.58	Not Rated	PER11x FY18

Ho Bee - Stock calls

Date	Analyst	Company	Last	Target	Call	Valuation
01/14/16	Kim Eng	Ho Bee	1.96	2.84	Buy	RNAV (34% discount), PB0.7x
02/26/16	Kim Eng	Ho Bee	1.91	2.33	Buy	RNAV (38% discount)
03/10/16	Kim Eng	Ho Bee	1.955	2.33	Buy	RNAV (38% discount)
03/10/16	Lim & Tan	Ho Bee	1.955	0	Buy
03/14/16	phillip	Ho Bee	2	2.27	Accumulate	RNAV (40% discount)
03/28/16	DMG & Partners	Ho Bee	2.13	2.6	Buy
04/04/16	Kim Eng	Ho Bee	2.19	2.33	Buy
04/20/16	Kim Eng	Ho Bee	2.19	2.47	Buy	RNAV (40% discount)
04/29/16	phillip	Ho Bee	2.17	2.27	Accumulate	RNAV (40% discount)
05/04/16	CIMB	Ho Bee	2.19	2.8	Add	RNAV (30% discount)
05/24/16	UOB Kay Hian	Ho Bee	2.23	2.86	Buy
06/08/16	UOB Kay Hian	Ho Bee	2.27	2.82	Buy
06/09/16	Kim Eng	Ho Bee	2.24	2.47	Buy
06/27/16	DMG & Partners	Ho Bee	2.17	2.75	Buy
06/27/16	phillip	Ho Bee	2.17	2.2	Accumulate	RNAV (40% discount)
06/30/16	Kim Eng	Ho Bee	2.13	2.28	Hold	RNAV (39% discount)
07/07/16	UOB Kay Hian	Ho Bee	2.11	2.82	Buy
08/16/16	CIMB	Ho Bee	2.23	2.78	Add	RNAV (30% discount)
08/17/16	phillip	Ho Bee	2.2	2.2	Accumulate	RNAV (40% discount)
09/09/16	Kim Eng	Ho Bee	2.16	2.28	Hold
10/05/16	Kim Eng	Ho Bee	2.16	2.28	Hold
10/06/16	DMG & Partners	Ho Bee	2.16	2.68	Buy
11/09/16	UOB Kay Hian	Ho Bee	2.12	2.82	Buy
11/11/16	Lim & Tan	Ho Bee	2.11	0	Buy
11/11/16	phillip	Ho Bee	2.11	2.2	Accumulate	RNAV (40% discount)
12/06/16	Kim Eng	Ho Bee	2.09	2.13	Hold
12/13/16	UOB Kay Hian	Ho Bee	2.08	2.82	Buy
01/11/17	Kim Eng	Ho Bee	2.06	2.13	Hold
02/06/17	phillip	Ho Bee	2.29	2	Accumulate
02/09/17	Lim & Tan	Ho Bee	2.3	0	Buy
02/28/17	Kim Eng	Ho Bee	2.3	2.47	Hold
03/02/17	phillip	Ho Bee	2.26	2.64	Accumulate	RNAV (30% discount)
03/08/17	UOB Kay Hian	Ho Bee	2.32	2.82	Buy
03/13/17	Kim Eng	Ho Bee	2.35	2.47	Hold
03/13/17	UOB Kay Hian	Ho Bee	2.35	3.02	Buy
03/16/17	Kim Eng	Ho Bee	2.3	2.6	Hold
04/26/17	Kim Eng	Ho Bee	2.31	2.6	Hold	RNAV (36% discount)
04/27/17	phillip	Ho Bee	2.37	2.64	Accumulate	RNAV (30% discount)
05/29/17	Kim Eng	Ho Bee	2.36	3	Buy	RNAV (29% discount)
06/16/17	Kim Eng	Ho Bee	2.37	3	Buy
07/11/17	Kim Eng	Ho Bee	2.35	3	Buy
08/14/17	phillip	Ho Bee	2.32	2.98	Accumulate	RNAV (30% discount)
08/22/17	CIMB	Ho Bee	2.35	3.39	Add	RNAV (35% discount)
08/28/17	Kim Eng	Ho Bee	2.39	3	Buy
09/18/17	UOB Kay Hian	Ho Bee	2.32	3.02	Buy
09/25/17	Kim Eng	Ho Bee	2.36	3	Buy
11/10/17	phillip	Ho Bee	2.57	2.98	Accumulate	RNAV (30% discount)
11/17/17	Kim Eng	Ho Bee	2.53	3	Buy
12/01/17	UOB Kay Hian	Ho Bee	2.48	3.02	Buy
12/18/17	Kim Eng	Ho Bee	2.41	3	Buy

Stock calls for 5 January 2018

Date	Analyst	Company	Last	Target	Call	Percent	Valuation
01/05/18	DMG & Partners	A-Reit	2.79	2.9	Buy	3.94
01/05/18	DMG & Partners	Cache Logistics	0.875	0.84	Neutral	-4.00
01/05/18	DMG & Partners	CapitaCommercial	2.03	1.6	Take Profit	-21.18
01/05/18	OCBC	Capitaland	3.66	4.13	Buy	12.84
01/05/18	Lim & Tan	Capitaland	3.66	0	Buy	-100.00
01/05/18	DMG & Partners	Capitamall Trust	2.11	2.08	Neutral	-1.42
01/05/18	DMG & Partners	CDL Hospitality	1.72	1.7	Buy	-1.16
01/05/18	Jefferies	City Developments	12.86	14.8	Buy	15.09
01/05/18	DBS Vickers	Cityneon	0.97	1.45	Buy	49.48
01/05/18	UOB Kay Hian	DBS	26.5	29.5	Buy	11.32
01/05/18	DMG & Partners	Frasers Centrepoint Trust	2.29	2.24	Neutral	-2.18
01/05/18	DMG & Partners	Frasers Commercial Trust	1.53	1.39	Neutral	-9.15
01/05/18	DBS Vickers	Genting	1.34	1.51	Buy	12.69
01/05/18	DBS Vickers	Hong Leong Finance	2.77	3.2	Buy	15.52
01/05/18	DMG & Partners	Keppel Reit	1.27	1.05	Neutral	-17.32
01/05/18	DMG & Partners	Manulife US Reit	0.935	0.98	Buy	4.81
01/05/18	DBS Vickers	MM2 Asia	0.545	0.73	Buy	33.94
01/05/18	DBS Vickers	OCBC	12.95	14	Buy	8.11	GGM, PB1.4x FY18
01/05/18	UOB Kay Hian	OCBC	12.95	14.88	Buy	14.90
01/05/18	OCBC	OUE Hospitality	0.875	0.83	Hold	-5.14
01/05/18	Amfrasers	Sembcorp Marine	1.83	2.05	Hold	12.02
01/05/18	DBS Vickers	ST Engineering	3.3	3.7	Hold	12.12
01/05/18	DMG & Partners	Starhill	0.775	0.81	Neutral	4.52
01/05/18	DMG & Partners	Suntec Reit	2.17	1.75	Neutral	-19.35
01/05/18	DBS Vickers	UOB	27.02	29.5	Buy	9.18	GGM, PB1.4x FY18
01/05/18	DBS Vickers	Venture	21.97	26	Buy	18.34
01/05/18	CIMB	Yongnam	0.335	0.53	Add	58.21	PB0.8x FY18

Paris security is getting from bad to worse.

A Paris policewoman got attacked by mob recently.

If a policewoman could get attacked, what about ordinary people?  When the bad guys are not afraid of the police anymore, the security situation is really bad in Paris.

SIA top management doesn't know how to run an airline anymore.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/singapore-airlines-sia-cancels-credit-card-fees-9831474

Can you believe this?  The top management wanted to impose the credit card fee on 3 Jan 2018 and then retracted the imposition the next day.

The credit card fee imposition was a major decision that would affect all consumers and could irk the customers.  Therefore, this decision was not something to be taken lightly and must be done through thorough analysis and planning.  However, the top management just went ahead with this decision and retracted it the next day.

This farce shows that the top management doesn't know how to run an airline anymore by making a major decision lightly without much consideration.

Taiwanese boss knew that the oil shipment on the detained HK ship would be sold in international waters.

https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/taiwan-investigates-man-over-illegal-085215008.html

We've stated previously that Taiwan was responsible for the illegal oil shipment to NK.  Trump and the western media were just embarking on a smearing campaign against China.

We've been proven right now.  The Taiwan fishery boss admitted that he knew that the oil shipment would be sold in international waters.  He chartered the HK ship to sell oil in international waters.

http://sg-stock.blogspot.sg/2018/01/hot-news-latest-update-on-detained-hk.html

HMI - Stock calls

Date	Analyst	Company	Last	Target	Call	Valuation
09/14/16	Amfraserss	HMI	0.53	0.6	Buy	DCF, PER42x FY17
11/15/16	Amfraserss	HMI	0.755	0.84	Buy	DCF, PER33x FY18
02/10/17	Amfraserss	HMI	0.645	0.84	Buy
02/13/17	Amfraserss	HMI	0.645	0.86	Buy	DCF, PER36x FY18
03/10/17	phillip	HMI	0.61	0.83	Buy	DCF
03/13/17	CIMB	HMI	0.635	0.81	Add	DCF
03/24/17	OCBC	HMI	0.64	0.8	Buy	DCF
04/20/17	OCBC	HMI	0.625	0.8	Buy
04/20/17	UOB Kay Hian	HMI	0.625	0.83	Buy	DCF
05/09/17	CIMB	HMI	0.615	0.81	Add	DCF
05/12/17	OCBC	HMI	0.605	0.8	Buy	DCF
05/15/17	Amfrasers	HMI	0.6	0.86	Buy	DCF, PER38x FY18
05/15/17	CIMB	HMI	0.6	0.83	Add	DCF
05/15/17	phillip	HMI	0.6	0.83	Buy	DCF, PER35x FY18
06/05/17	Kim Eng	HMI	0.63	0.84	Buy	DCF, PER35x FY18
06/08/17	OCBC	HMI	0.69	0.8	Buy
06/19/17	UOB Kay Hian	HMI	0.685	0.83	Buy	DCF
08/01/17	UOB Kay Hian	HMI	0.665	0.83	Buy	DCF
08/24/17	OCBC	HMI	0.65	0.8	Buy	DCF
08/25/17	Kim Eng	HMI	0.645	0.8	Buy	DCF
08/25/17	CIMB	HMI	0.645	0.83	Add	DCF
08/29/17	phillip	HMI	0.645	0.83	Buy	DCF
09/11/17	UOB Kay Hian	HMI	0.635	0.83	Buy	DCF
11/15/17	CIMB	HMI	0.715	0.83	Add	DCF
11/15/17	phillip	HMI	0.715	0.83	Buy	DCF
11/15/17	UOB Kay Hian	HMI	0.715	0.83	Buy	DCF
11/15/17	Kim Eng	HMI	0.715	0.8	Buy	DCF

Hi-P - Stock calls

Date	Analyst	Company	Last	Target	Call	Valuation
05/06/16	Lim & Tan	Hi-P	0.425	0	Hold
05/23/17	DBS Vickers	Hi-P	0.88	1.07	Buy	PER12x FY18
06/16/17	DBS Vickers	Hi-P	0.935	1.07	Buy
08/07/17	DBS Vickers	Hi-P	1.19	1.45	Buy	PER13x
10/03/17	DBS Vickers	Hi-P	1.405	1.67	Buy	PER13.2x FY18
11/08/17	DBS Vickers	Hi-P	1.93	2.3	Buy	PER15.4x FY18
12/06/17	DBS Vickers	Hi-P	1.61	2.3	Buy
12/21/17	Kim Eng	Hi-P	1.75	2.11	Buy	PB3.4x FY17, PER13.6x FY18, PEG0.7x