< The 2014 All-China Research TeamWensheng PengChina International Capital Corp.First-place appearances: 0

Total appearances: 3

Analyst debut: 2012Repeating in the No. 2 position is Wensheng Peng of China International Capital Corp. Clients revere his “many good insights and predictions about liquidity and other important macroeconomic drivers,” as one fund manager in Hong Kong says. Peng, dividing his time between Beijing and Hong Kong, was ahead of the pack in predicting that China’s central government would enter a policy-easing cycle to encourage borrowing. “Unlike those in the market who called for a blanket monetary easing,” he recalls, “we highlighted a precondition — that is, a slowdown in the rate of credit expansion.” The economist was right. “Wensheng was early in analyzing the downward pressures on Chinese property markets going back to late 2013,” affirms another constituent, “but he turned more bullish — and in the end, his foresight proved wise.” Peng went on garden leave from CICC in October and is expected to reemerge at Citic Securities in mid-January 2015.