
Hu You
Senior Research Analyst, Research & Portfolio Management, iFAST Singapore
Hu You is a senior research analyst from the iFAST Research & Portfolio Management Team. She provides research coverage on global macro themes for China and Japan as well as the broader Asian region. Besides publishing research articles for the iFAST Research Team, she has also contributed her views on local media platforms, such as Lianhe Zaobao, CNA938, Capital 95.8FM and 96.3FM. She graduated from Singapore Management University with a Bachelor of Science (Economics) with a second major in Finance.
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Japan’s dividend engine is reviving up: This fund offers 6%+ yield
The combination of BOJ policy normalisation, stronger earnings and corporate governance reform is creating a favourable backdrop for rising dividends and shareholder distributions.

Japan’s July export boom reinforces our conviction in semiconductor trades
Japan’s exports hit a record high in July, but the headline 23.2% YoY surge masks a more nuanced picture. Much of the growth was driven by higher prices and yen weakness rather than stronger shipment volumes. For investors, the key is to look beyond export value and identify sectors delivering genuine volume growth.

Fund Spotlight: Digging beneath the headlines to find Asia’s stock-level opportunities
M&G (Lux) Asian Fund takes a high-conviction, bottom-up approach to uncovering mispriced businesses across Asia. This approach becomes increasingly valuable when market gains become concentrated in a single dominant theme, helping investors uncover opportunities beyond the crowded trades.

Alibaba’s 1QFY2027 results: AI bet is getting bigger - is the payoff getting closer?
Alibaba Group has just delivered one of its most polarising quarterly results. While net income plunged 75% as the company doubles down on AI, its core businesses are showing encouraging signs of improvement. Is Alibaba’s costly AI bet reasonable?

Japan’s 2Q GDP disappoints, but the equity story still has legs
Japan’s 2Q26 GDP growth came in below expectations, highlighting a growing divergence between softer domestic demand and resilient AI demand. Is Japan’s economy losing steam, and what does this mean for its equity story? Read on to find out.

MUFG: Banking on Japan’s rate hikes for more upside
MUFG is emerging as one of the clearest beneficiaries of Japan’s ongoing monetary policy normalisation. Its record 1QFY2026 earnings were supported by broad-based growth, while further BOJ rate hikes could extend the NIM expansion cycle.

Alibaba: An AI opportunity hidden behind e-commerce headwinds
In our view, the market continues to overemphasise the short-term earnings drag from instant commerce while underappreciating the long-term earnings potential of Alibaba's Cloud and AI businesses.

AI jitters spark a chip rout, but Asia's investment case remains strong
Asian equity markets came under heavy selling pressure, led by semiconductor stocks following CXMT's blockbuster IPO and China's DUV breakthrough. While sentiment was shaken, Asia's long-term investment case remains intact.

Japan's inflation is heating up. Another BOJ rake hike is becoming harder to ignore
The Bank of Japan's June rate hike is unlikely to be its last. Accelerating producer inflation, persistent yen weakness and the gradual pass-through of higher import costs to consumers are strengthening the case for another rate hike later this year.

The latest US tariffs look sweeping. Their impact on Asia is far more limited
The US's new forced-labour tariffs have sparked concerns over another escalation in global trade tensions, but the headline rates mask a far more nuanced reality. Read the article to find out why Asia’s investment case is intact.
