North Asian currencies – including the Japanese yen, South Korean won, Taiwan dollar and Chinese yuan – are trading at some of their deepest discounts on record, dropping up to 56% below purchasing power parity. These depressed valuations persist despite strong macro fundamentals, backed by massive foreign exchange reserves and their status as top global creditors. However, this valuation gap is beginning to snap back as booming domestic economies, rising retail sales, and increasing inflation prompt central banks in the region to hike interest rates.
What will this shifting macroeconomic environment mean for regional FX and equities? Sean Darby, equity strategist at Mizuho Securities, joins host John Lee on the Asia Centric podcast. Darby unpacks his "Burger Heaven" thesis on undervalued currencies and explains why steepening yield curves are setting up long-ignored bank stocks to outperform.

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