Vietnam and India will benefit from China’s fall: Carson Block of Muddy Waters Resrearch
Feb 18, 2025
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Carson Block, founder of Muddy Waters Research and a prominent short-seller, discusses the future of investing in a shifting global landscape. He shares insights on why China is becoming uninvestable and why Vietnam and India are emerging as robust investment opportunities. Block also reflects on the challenges faced by activist short sellers, particularly in the UK market, and explores the potential of going against well-known tech giants. His expert perspective combines market dynamics with personal anecdotes, offering a compelling look at current investment strategies.
Vietnam is emerging as a major investment opportunity due to geopolitical tensions with China, augmented by strong demographics and workforce.
China's uninvestability stems from market manipulation and fraud risks, while India offers growth potential despite short-term tax concerns.
Deep dives
Challenges in Short Selling
Short selling has become increasingly difficult due to past monetary policy, particularly since the global financial crisis and the subsequent loose monetary environment that continued through the COVID-19 pandemic. This environment allowed companies to survive longer than expected by securing cheap financing, which complicated the timing for short sellers. Even with rising interest rates post-2022, speculative liquidity remains high, as evidenced by persistent interest in assets like cryptocurrencies. Activist short selling has also been affected, as the bar for identifying significant bad news has risen, compounded by increasing litigation from companies and a lack of understanding from regulators.
The Impact of Passive Investing
The dominance of passive investing has significantly altered the dynamics of the U.S. equity markets, particularly affecting larger companies within the S&P 500. This has resulted in an increasingly disproportionate dispersion of returns, where larger firms benefit exponentially from the relentless buying of passive funds while the supply of their stock diminishes. If investor sentiment shifts and leads to net outflows from passive funds, the effects could trigger a rapid market decline reminiscent of historical crashes. The fragility introduced by this market structure raises concerns about broader systemic risks and liquidity constraints.
Opportunities in Emerging Markets
Vietnam has been identified as a key beneficiary in the geopolitical realignment stemming from rising tensions with China, as investors seek alternatives to Chinese markets. The country boasts strong demographics, a dedicated workforce, and increasing foreign direct investment that has historically flowed to China. As the relationship with China evolves, Vietnam is positioned strategically to capture investment that might have otherwise contributed to China's growth. However, the environment remains complex; while there are promising opportunities in Vietnamese markets, careful examination of business practices and corporate governance is essential.
Comparative Market Observations
While China has been deemed uninvestable due to issues related to fraud risk and manipulation of its markets, Vietnam offers a contrasting landscape with potential for growth. The challenges in China stem from a lack of transparency, significant market manipulation, and volatile government policies, whereas Vietnam seeks to cultivate foreign investment. While India has similar appeal, there are concerns about tax implications for foreign institutional investors that could hinder investment flows in the short term. Both countries, characterized by their strategic positioning in the global economy, represent potential investment opportunities barring the inherent risks associated with emerging markets.
Founded in 2010 by Carson Block, Muddy Waters Research is best known for its short-selling, predominantly in the mid-cap space.
In this episode of IC Interviews, Block joins Dave Baxter to discuss what it would take for him to bet against the Magnificent Seven, the UK activist investing landscape, opportunities in Vietnam and India, and why China is uninvestable.
This episode was recorded on 5 February.
Timestamps
00:31 State of short selling
9:04 What could change the market
16:30 Going against the Magnificent 7
18:16 Opportunities in UK sectors
21:28 Saba Capital
23:18 Vietnam fund
27:15 China
30:48 India
33:03 How short and long differ
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