Crash? You ain't seen nothing yet: analysts

$21 billion wiped off Singapore market - but observers say stocks could fall another 20-30% before hitting bottom


By VEN SREENIVASAN

THE bloodletting which wiped some $21 billion off the Singapore market yesterday could be the beginning of a selldown which could lop another 30 per cent off the value of stocks here.

That seems to be the view of some analysts and strategists following a rampage which dragged the Straits Times Index (STI) down 3.2 per cent or 91.33 points to 2,733.63 points yesterday - its lowest in 15 months.

'What we are seeing is a perfect storm - a confluence of negative factors,' said Prabodh Agrawal, CEO of Singapore-based IIFL Institutional Equities.

'Despite the selldowns we are now seeing, most blue chips and bellwethers here are still trading at just below their long- term price-book levels. During the last recession, they were trading at about two standard deviations below their long-term average. If we assume the same numbers and circumstances, stocks could fall another 20-30 per cent from current levels.'

The selldowns here and across the Asia Pacific region came on the heels of similar overnight savaging of Wall Street and European markets following more disappointing US economic data and intensifying concerns about a potential global economic recession triggered by the European sovereign debt crisis and a sharp US economic slump.

The dive across Asian bourses followed 3-5 per cent plunges in the US and Europe. And the selldown intensified as Wall Street futures remained deep in the red and Europe opened sharply lower again yesterday.

In Tokyo the Nikkei 225 gave up 2.51 per cent to 8,719.24, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng lost 3.08 per cent to 19,399.9 and Sydney's ASX200 dived 3.51 per cent to 4,101.90.

In Singapore, with yesterday's plunge, some $117 billion has been lopped off the value of Singapore equities this month alone.

And technical analysts see more downside. Kim Eng Securities' technical charts suggest a potential low at 2,350 points - a whopping 14 per cent under current levels.

'Based on the weekly chart trends, our chartist sees the STI trading within the 2,600-2,680 area in the short term, which coincides with the 50 per cent Fibonacci level,' it said in a note yesterday. 'The index could further correct downwards to the 2,350-2,420 area if this support area is broken.'

But many analysts also point out that medium-term fundamentals-wise, many stocks are turning attractive and thus providing opportunities for bottom-fishing.

Melvyn Boey, head of research and strategy for Asean, Bank of America/Merrill Lynch, added that although there's a looming crisis in the West, this region's fundamentals are intact.

'Asean, and especially Singapore, remain vulnerable to the impact of a global recession,' Mr Boey said.

'But, that said, South-east Asia's fundamentals are a lot stronger today than five or 10 years ago. Investors should look at stocks of companies with revenue growth, pricing power, cashflow and strong overall fundamentals to ride through the recession.'

Mr Boey added that while a recession seemed imminent, the down-cycles were getting shorter and tighter.

In short, the recovery could be as swift as the slide is brutal. So stick to fundamentals.

On the other hand, Mr Agrawal was more circumspect. 'The 2008/09 crisis lasted only four quarters because governments and central bankers were able to act aggressively and in concert to recapitalise distressed asset markets. Today, government balance sheets are in poor shape, thus diminishing their ability to act as aggressively,' he said.

Mr Agrawal noted that the intervention in 2008/09 had reflated the asset markets, but not the economies concerned. He now sees a potential for several rounds of continuous deleveraging dragging all asset markets - equities, commodities and property - further southwards. In Singapore, he cautions against jumping back into stocks too early.

But then, asset markets - especially equities - could get another reflation if US Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke unveils a new stimulus package or 'QE3' at next Friday's Jackson Hole meeting.