While both sellside analysts and buyside investors are panicking over the collapse in bank stock prices and the evaporation of market liquidity as virtually nobody trades any more, perhaps it is time someone looked further east, specifically in China where in January the results reported by local brokerages have confirmed what we have been warning about, namely the local investors – disgusted with China’s stock “market” which is not only a burst bubble now but also rigged beyond any measure – have pulled their money en masse, and left China’s brokerage to disintergated into a revenueless, profitless mess.

Red Pulse has more:

Twenty-three listed securities companies had reported January financial results through February 5, showing steep declines in earnings. The brokers collected a combined RMB6bn in revenue and RMB200m in net profits in January, decreasing 83% and 98% MoM, respectively. Overall the industry recorded a loss in January.

Brokers’ key securities trading business has been impacted by low trading inactivity as markets got off to a rocky start in 2016, falling 22% in January. Daily January trading volume was RMBS38.7bn, down 32% MoM. Margin lending balance at the 23 listed securities companies dropped to RMB915.4bn at the end of January, down 22% MoM and the lowest level in 14 months. Net assets of the 23 securities companies increased by RMB9.1bn at the end of January. However, net assets of these companies actually fell RM1311bn if the additional RMB20bn in share issuance from Industrial Securities, Pacific Securities and Soochow Securities were excluded.