[ET Net News Agency, 20 October 2020] Morgan Stanley raised its target price for Bank
of Chongqing (BCQ)(01963) to HK$4.6 from HK$4.5 and maintained its "equal-weight" rating.
The research house believes the key concern on China banks has shifted from macro/NPL
risks to uncertainties from policy window guidance, which has reduced the chance of
excessive ROE at state-owned China banks when GDP growth and credit demand finally slows
in the future.
Morgan said BCQ is a concentrated play in urban areas of Chongqing and nearby cities, a
beneficiary of local industrialization and urbanization. Some short-term regional economy
overhang remains, which could weigh on BCQ's asset quality. Morgan remains cautious until
more evidence of a stabilized asset quality surfaces. (KL)