Goldman Sachs: Q2 Earnings Up 135%, APAC Market Still Has 21% Upside Potential

According to Trend Research, Goldman Sachs' August 21, 2026 research report notes that the MSCI Asia Pacific ex Japan Index (MXAPJ) posted Q2 net profit growth of 135% year-over-year and 52% quarter-over-quarter, with 46% of companies beating expectations and a median surprise of 4.3%. The information technology sector led the gains, with earnings up 390% YoY. The current MXAPJ forward P/E ratio stands at 11x, two standard deviations below its 10-year average, placing it in a deeply discounted range. Goldman Sachs has set a 12-month target price of 1,080 points, implying a 21% upside from the current level of 891 points, with an expected total return including dividends of approximately 24%. Goldman Sachs believes earnings resilience will drive valuation repair, recommending overweight positions in capital goods, healthcare, energy, tech hardware and semiconductors, and insurance, while suggesting underweights in autos, software & services, internet, utilities, and metals & mining. Key trading recommendations include going long on portfolios that outperform earnings revisions (launched in July 2021, with a cumulative return of 334%) and going long on AI infrastructure hardware and semiconductors (launched in June 2023, with a cumulative return of 63%). MSCI will adjust its index benchmarks on August 31, triggering approximately $42 billion in two-way capital flows across Asian markets, which could amplify volatility toward the end of the month. Downside risks to monitor include rising long-end US Treasury yields, escalating geopolitical tensions, and the pace of China’s economic recovery.