<div id="readability-page-1" class="page">Hongkongers and world leaders should take a step back and be careful to avoid conflicts during the Year of the Horse, feng shui masters have warned, saying the zodiac sign contains excessive “fire energy” that could trigger aggressive action. Soothsayers interviewed by the South China Morning Post said the coming year, which fell under the category of the “fire horse” in the lunar calendar, would remain volatile for China and crisis-prone for the US. They also predicted that Hong Kong would remain embroiled in geopolitical tensions, even as its economy improved gradually. The horse is one of the 12 zodiac signs in Chinese cosmology, while fire is one of its five elements – metal, wood, water, fire and earth – whose characteristics and powers affect those born that year and beyond. Celebrity host and feng shui master Qixianyu, better known as Master Seven, urged Hongkongers to avoid conflict with others and be cautious, as fiery tempers, clashes and weapons were all governed by the fire energy. “If you engage in conflict with others, a small stressful situation could result in violence,” she said. Astrologer Letao Wang said that while the energy of the Year of the Snake was more introspective, the image of the fire horse was forward-moving. Wang gave similar advice to world leaders: “Think and rethink before you take action, specifically anything related to war, military, impatience and aggression. “The snake represents knowledge and wisdom, so what wisdom did you gain last year? You would have to ride the horse based on that – if that self-reflection is not done well, the horse will run wild.” Geomancer Yunwenzi, or Master Cloud, said Hong Kong’s fortune for the coming year would be “relatively weak” and the geopolitical outlook would “remain somewhat clouded”, according to Qimen Dunjia, another form of divination from ancient China. “Balancing the relationship between the central government and Hong Kong, as well as managing cooperation models with the international community, will remain critical tasks for Hong Kong,” she said. She said Hong Kong’s economy would improve slowly, with stocks seeing an overall positive trend despite market sentiment being highly unstable throughout the year, driven by volatility from the United States. “Investors should exercise extra caution, particularly in April, June, July and August, as these months will see large fluctuations and significant risks,” she said. In 2026, she said the most flourishing sectors would be finance and trade, along with high-end professional services.  Fortune-teller Bowie Tsang named more professions that would benefit in the Year of the Fire Horse. “Industries associated with ‘fire’ or ‘mobility’ tend to perform better, such as pharmaceuticals, healthcare, beauty, aesthetic medicine, tourism, entertainment and culture,” she said. According to Tsang, the spring and summer in the Year of the Horse could be beneficial for the economy and the stock market, with the two seasons symbolising wood and flames and complementing the year’s intense fire energy. She added that the metal and water elements would strengthen in the autumn and winter, restraining the fire energy and leading to more conservative sentiments and greater pressure in the stock and speculative markets. As for Hong Kong, due to the strong performance in the finance sector in the first half of the year, the city’s role and function on the global stage would remain stable while going through a “period of recalibration”, Tsang said. Her reminder for Hong Kong businesses and individuals was that it was of paramount importance to maintain flexibility and their unique selling points while avoiding rigid adherence to outdated models or singular positioning. Master Seven predicted a good year for Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, saying his ba zi – the “eight characters” that reflect cosmic time and elemental calculations of a person’s birth date – contains many water elements. The fortune-teller said a person imbued with heavy water elements would be favoured in a year with strong fire energy, meaning that the current fire period would boost his fortunes. If Lee, who took the helm in 2022, could secure a second five-year term in government, Wang said his career would flourish starting from the second half of 2027, leading into 2028, and also bring the city prosperity. Wang said in Western astrology, 2026 would also witness the conjunction of Neptune and Saturn in the fire sign Aries, a planetary event that last occurred over 1,400 years ago. Aries represents leadership and aggression, while Neptune and Saturn rule idealism and practicality, respectively, he said. “It means this is the time for not just the individual, but for our world leaders, to find the middle point between the vision versus practicality,” he said.  For China, Master Cloud said the Year of the Fire Horse would bring significant volatility to the nation’s fortunes as companies would inevitably remain mired in price wars. Political pressure on China this year would be extreme, potentially leading to the adoption of grey zone tactics, shifting towards economic infiltration or localised blockades rather than direct military action, she said. For US President Donald Trump, who was born in the Year of the Dog, celebrity fortune-teller Mak Ling-ling said he would see good fortune and new opportunities, as the dog enjoyed a friendly relationship with the horse. But Master Cloud said the fortune of the United States in 2026 could fall into an ominous pattern, signalling a year of disaster, crisis, and intense struggle or “warfare”. “The US will face multidimensional pressure, including economic blowback, a move by allies to reduce their reliance on the US, and the intensification of internal conflicts,” she said.</div>

00HSI

0HSCI

159920

<p>Hong Kong feng shui masters warn that the Year of the Horse, characterized by excessive 'fire energy', may lead to conflicts and volatility, particularly for China and the US. They advise caution to avoid aggressive actions and predict a gradual economic improvement for Hong Kong amidst geopolitical tensions. Key sectors like finance, healthcare, and tourism are expected to perform well, while investors should be wary of significant market fluctuations in mid-year. The year may also favor Chief Executive John Lee due to favorable elemental influences in his birth chart.</p>

南华早报

Hang Seng Index

Hang Seng Composite Index

ChinaAMC Hang Seng ETF

Yinhua CSI All Share Investment Banking & Brokerage ETF

TRACKER FUND

GX HS HIGHDIV

ISHARESHSI

Hwabao WP CSI All Share Investment Banking & Brokerage ETF

E Fund CSI Hongkong Bond Investment Theme ETF

GF Fund CSI HK Connect Financials(ex Banks) Thematic ETF

Guotai CSI All Share Investment Banking & Brokerage ETF

China Southern Hang Seng ETF

Beware excessive ‘fire energy’ in Year of the Horse: Hong Kong feng shui masters