On June 5th, defensive sectors regained momentum in the A-share market, with banking stocks collectively strengthening.
Bank Of China Limited led the gains, rising 2.54% to close at a new high for the year.
Stocks such as Xiamen Bank and China Minsheng Banking Corp., Ltd. rose over 2%, while China Construction Bank, Industrial Bank, Bank of Communications, and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China were among more than 20 stocks gaining over 1%.
The leading 10-billion-yuan banking ETF, Huabao (512800), saw its on-exchange price rise 1.29% on increased volume, reclaiming its 5-day and 20-day moving averages.
Market Rebalancing Drives Flows
Recent market dynamics have seen a rebalancing between growth and value styles, with concentrated positioning in the technology sector easing marginally and pressure on the high-dividend sector alleviating.
As a typical high-dividend-yielding asset, the banking sector stands to benefit.
Data from the Shanghai Stock Exchange shows substantial capital inflows into the prominent Huabao Banking ETF (512800), which has attracted a total of over 3.12 billion yuan over five consecutive trading days.
Dividend Season Provides Catalyst
The annual dividend distribution period is underway, with listed banks recently disclosing their 2025 profit distribution implementation plans.
Data indicates that A-share listed banks plan total cash dividends for 2025 of approximately 645.6 billion yuan, setting another historical record.
The overall trend features "stability among large banks and divergence among small-to-medium banks," with the six major state-owned banks planning total dividends of about 427.4 billion yuan, maintaining payout ratios generally at 30% or higher.
Against a backdrop of low and fluctuating long-term interest rates, the banking sector maintains persistent appeal for long-term capital.
Valuations at Historic Lows
Furthermore, following this year's extreme market movements, bank sector valuations have retreated to historically low levels.
The price-to-book (PB) ratio of the CSI Bank Index stands at only 0.64 times, with all 42 listed A-share banks trading below their net asset value.
Frequent share purchases by major shareholders and senior executives underscore recognition of the sector's long-term value.
According to incomplete statistics, Postal Savings Bank of China, China Everbright Bank, Bank of Chengdu, and Bank of Nanjing have seen share purchases by major shareholders.
Executives have also purchased shares in banks such as Zhejiang Ruifeng Rural Commercial Bank, Bank of Beijing, and Bank of Changshu.
Analysts See Potential for Re-rating
Analysis suggests that banks, as core A-share assets, have experienced recent weakness primarily due to short-term market style rotation.
Subsequently, if market capital flows shift towards undervalued, high-dividend sectors, banking stocks could see significant valuation repair opportunities, highlighting their long-term allocation value.
Brokerage Outlook on Fundamentals
Huatai Securities noted that a narrowing decline in net interest margins in the first quarter drove a solid recovery in bank revenues, yet stock performance has diverged from fundamentals.
Looking ahead, policy interest rates are expected to remain relatively stable.
Benefiting from the gradual maturity of high-interest deposits, net interest margins still have potential for moderate recovery.
Some capital may seek to rotate from high-valuation to low-valuation sectors.
The banking sector, being undervalued with improving fundamentals, could benefit from this market rebalancing.
ETF as a Sector Investment Tool
The Banking ETF (512800) and its feeder funds passively track the CSI Bank Index, which includes all 42 A-share listed banks, serving as an efficient tool for tracking the overall banking sector.
The Banking ETF (512800) has a latest size exceeding 10 billion yuan, with an average daily turnover this year over 700 million yuan, making it the largest and most liquid among the 10 banking sector ETFs in the A-share market.