IIF Ruins The Party, Predicts Another $420 Billion In Chinese Capital Outflows This Year
By Tyler Durden
In early 2016, the biggest global macroeconomic risk factor was the accelerating capital outflows out of China over fears of currency devaluation (or simply because the local population knows better than anyone just how dire to domestic situation is and is rushing to park its assets offshore) and with good reason: after the PBOC burned through $1 trillion in reserves to offset capital flight starting in the summer of 2014, even the IMF chimed in with a concerned report suggesting China may have at most another half a trillion “buffer” left before it runs into illiquid assets which would prove virtually impossible to liquidate easily in the open market.
It got so bad that in January and early February, US equity futures would surge or slump based on a Yuan fixing that was a few basis point lower or higher than expected.
But then, almost as if on cue, following three consecutive months of nearly $100 billion in outflows, in February the capital flight slowed sharply and then proceeded to reverse (not if one includes FX adjustments but these days who actually does math) in March, leading to the first Chinese reserve increase since October. (assuming of course one believes Chinese data; one reason why one should not is everything that is currently going on in Vancouver real estate which proves the capital outflow has never been stronger).
So perhaps as a result of the rapid reversal in reserve liquidation or the stabilization in the offshore Yuan rate (where the PBOC has been particularly active in punishing shorts), fears about Chinese capital flights have been relegated to the back pages. Which is paradoxical, because not only have none of China’s underlying problems been addressed, the only way China managed to sweep its all too glaring problems under the rug was with the aid of $1 trillion in new Q1 loans.
Of course, it was concerns about soaring bad debt (as well as a hard landing economy and plunging exports, but those are all derivatives of China’s 350% in debt/GDP) that got China where it was in the summer and winter of 2015 in the first place, when it first started devaluing its currency. So to suggest that by adding even more debt on top of what was a debt problem somehow fixed it, well, debt problem is something only a full Krugman could suggest.
Which is why we were not surprised to read that according to the latest Institute of International Finance forecast, and in validation of Kyle Bass’ strong conviction that China is about to suffer a major 15%+ devaluation, China’s capital outflow headaches may be only just starting. According to the IIF’s latest report released today, global investors are expected to pull $538 billion out of China’s slowing economy in 2016, which means another $420 billion after the $118 billion that has already been withdrawn in Q1.
That number would be down a fifth from the $674 billion pulled out last year, the industry association said, …read more
Source: IIF Ruins The Party, Predicts Another $420 Billion In Chinese Capital Outflows This Year
