Bank of America Securities: The container shipping industry has not yet passed its worst period, maintaining an 'Underperform' rating for COSCO Shipping Holdings (01919.HK) and Orient Overseas (International) Ltd. (00316.HK).

Bank of America Securities issued a research report stating that the container shipping industry has yet to pass its worst period. Excess supply and the pressure from the reopening of the Red Sea routes are likely to lead to EBIT losses in 2026. The bank expects that the first half of 2026 will be weighed down by a significant increase in vessel supply, while the second half will face mounting pressure due to the increasingly probable reopening of the Red Sea route. The bank believes that these losses will prompt container shipping companies to scale back shareholder returns in 2026 in order to preserve cash during the downturn. The bank maintains an "underperform" rating for COSCO Shipping Holdings (01919.HK), Orient Overseas (00316.HK), and Evergreen Marine (2603.TW).

AASTOCKS10:06

Black Sesame Technologies (02533.HK) partners with COSCO SHP SG affiliate to launch intelligent vessel inspection robot project.

Black Sesame Technologies (02533.HK) has recently formally signed an agreement with Qingdao COSCO SHP SG Digital Intelligence Technology, a wholly-owned subsidiary of COSCO SHP SG Group, to jointly launch the marine embodied intelligence inspection robot project. This marks a key step for Black Sesame Technologies’ robotics business in the shipbuilding and shipping sectors. The project focuses on intelligent inspection needs in complex environments aboard ocean-going vessels and involves joint research and development around embodied intelligent robotic systems, edge-side intelligent control platforms, and perception and decision-making algorithms. The aim is to deeply integrate intelligent computing power, algorithmic capabilities, and real-world industry scenarios, promoting the engineering application of embodied intelligence technology in highly complex and high-reliability contexts.

AASTOCKSJan 19 07:15

Liner companies 'attempt' to return to the Red Sea; freight rates may face pressure amid oversupply.

①Maersk announced on January 15 local time that it would make structural adjustments to the MECL route and return to the route via the Suez Canal; ②Industry insiders stated that although the resumption of operations may face factors such as impacts on insurance rates and port congestion, overall, it will still exacerbate the market's oversupply and put downward pressure on freight rates.

cls.cnJan 16 18:40

Intelligent Stock Short Position Statistics | January 16

Zhitong HKEX Short Position Report | January 16

Zhitong FinanceJan 16 18:30

Citi has upgraded COSCO Shipping Holdings (01919.HK) to a "Buy" rating, raising its target price to HKD 15.9.

Citi issued a research report indicating that despite the market's negative sentiment towards the container shipping industry persisting until the end of 2025, primarily due to demand concentration in the first half of 2025 and the resumed passage of the Suez Canal, Citi holds a positive outlook on the risk-reward prospects for Asia-Pacific shipping companies. The bank believes that freight rates are likely to rise in the first half of 2026 as Western economies experience restocking needs coupled with managed supply-side dynamics. Citi notes that Asia-Pacific shipping companies currently trade at attractive valuations, representing only 0.6 to 0.8 times the forecasted price-to-book ratio for 2026, while the industry’s overall net cash position also provides support.

AASTOCKSJan 16 15:03

Stock Market Movements | Shipping stocks generally declined, with Orient Overseas International (00316) falling nearly 4% after Maersk announced the resumption of its Red Sea route.

Shipping stocks generally softened. As of press time, Orient Overseas International (00316) dropped by 3.72%, trading at HKD 121.7; SITC International (01308) fell by 2.93%, trading at HKD 26.5.

Zhitong FinanceJan 16 13:37