Market P/Es: Seven Canadas for One ChiNext

By Paul Kedrosky · Tuesday, November 3, 2009 ·

In a quick look around the world at market price/earnings multiples after the launch of the ChiNext wild-wild west exchange in China, the league tables have really changed. The impossible has happened, with the outrageously expensive Shanghai Composite newly looking (relatively) cheap. Gosh.

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I’m particularly fond of how 20 of the 28 ChiNext companies fell by the exchange maximum 10% today, that coming after 23 rose the maximum 10% on the previous trading day.

While some are pointing to the new ChiNext listings as an example of China celebrating growth entrepreneurs, I’m not convinced. The early listed companies are a grab bag of utilities, movie companies, pulp & paper, and machinery makers.  And don’t even get me started about the low listing hurdle. As Andy Xie has said, “This is a V.I.P. table built on top of a casino”.