CLSA Feng Shui Index 2024 (2024)

In Feng Shui, the five elements provide a framework to explain the generating and overcoming cycles in nature. In 2024, the flying stars will transition to the ninth 20-year period (2024-43) and fire will replace earth as the underlying element, supporting breakthroughs in hot fields. Meanwhile, earth-related industries should continue to perform well because fire produces earth. However, metal sectors could encounter difficulties as fire melts metal, while water-related industries may face obstacles since water can overcome fire. Wood-related businesses should remain stable or even experience growth as wood fuels fire.

Our analysis combines the relative positions of the elements and their weighting in the bazi. Our rankings are based on Chinese dragons, with five claws representing outstanding dragons and two claws indicating very average ones at best.

Industries related to wood may be active this year, but they lack support from water in the bazi. Late summer floods, however, could lead to a rise in the wood sectors later in the year. Publishers and paper manufacturers may continue to deny the long-predicted paperless world. Arts will flourish again after several quiet years - from painters to musicals, the forecast is encouraging.

Fire is in a favourable position in the bazi, showing its usual burst during the summer and an unusual amount of strength throughout the winter. This could be due to the lack of water in the chart, which usually inhibits fire. We expect advancements in the fields associated with fire, which may include tech, medicine, chemistry and even religion.

Despite unseasonable bursts of fire activity, earth may remain the consistently flourishing element through 2024. Fire might even help strengthen earth, which is already naturally strong in the bazi, tempered only by the decent amount of wood that can use earth’s power for its own purposes. Expect earth-related areas to remain stable while livestock and appraisers flourish.

Metal is in relatively short supply in the monthly predictions, outside its usual period of strength at the end of summer; it doesn’t seem to be strong in the bazi either. The Hang Seng Rooster, when combined with Dragon, can create metal. This might mean that progress could take several steps rather than be a straight path for metal-related sectors such as banks, vehicles and heavy machinery.

Water is the weakest of the five elements in the bazi this year. Businesses related to water are likely to remain busy but margins could be squeezed like a sponge. Due to unseasonable summer activity, water-related industries like frozen food and investigative journalism may be drawn to disaster-relief efforts. Late summer and autumn may be bright spots for travel and transport.

Feng Shui Index 2024 report

Year of the Wood Dragon

Sorcerer: Dr James Greenbaum
Sorcerer's apprentice: Stella Liu
Wand bearer: Justin SL Chan
Director/Editor: Sandy Chen Dowling; Yukti Vidyarthi
Translation editor: Sandra Tsui
Design/Art: Cecilia Wong; Elva Lau; Lizzie Lau; Patrina Leung; Jon Berkeley
Web development: Paul Ngan; Timothy Wang
Video production: Alexandra Lee; Joy Zhou
Thanks to: Christina Qianna; Ellen Lo; Melanie Ng; Priscilla Man
Producer: Liz Patterson

Launched in 1992 as a Chinese New Year card, the CLSA Feng Shui Index is a light-hearted outlook for the Hong Kong market and a well-loved firm tradition. Please note that this guide is not a research report.