Chinese New Year is just around the corner and ahead of next month's celebrations, financial company CLSA says stocks in Hong Kong will likely be in for a rocky Year of the Pig. But take heart, it says, the year could ultimately be profitable for those investing there.
The investment group released its annual CLSA Feng Shui Index this week, which uses Chinese geomancy to try and predict the market.
CLSA describes the exercise as "tongue in cheek," though it illustrates the power that traditional ideas — such as ensuring good fortune and avoiding disaster — hold in China and many parts of Asia.
Feng shui, which literally means "wind" and "water" in Chinese, is an ancient method that seeks to maximize luck and fortune based on the analysis of a complex system of factors.
There are 12 Chinese zodiac animals that represent each lunar year. It is currently the Year of the Dog. And when more than a billion people in China, and millions more around the world, celebrate the Chinese New Year which starts on Feb. 5, they will be ushering in the Year of the Pig.
"According to our predictions the Hang Seng Index will likely have a volatile year ahead in the Year of the Pig," Sally Chan, who covers internet stocks for CLSA, told CNBC on Friday when explaining about the report.