It's a jungle out there, so beware any monkey business, warns CLSA

HONG KONG (Reuters) - The Year of the Monkey will get off to a swinging start, with metals and water-related sectors tipped to do well, until the primate takes a tumble and runs amok, according to Hong Kong-based brokerage CLSA's Feng Shui Index.

The index, a tongue-in-cheek financial forecast for the Year of the Monkey which begins on Feb. 8, predicts that not only silver and gold, but autos, financials, gaming, transport and machinery sectors will all prosper at the start of the year.

But then it expects the monkey will wreak havoc on oil and gas, utilities, technology, telecoms and Internet industries, although CLSA forecasts clearer skies for the property sector despite higher interest rates.

It's been a jungle in the markets already, but the feng shui index, which applies traditional Chinese astrology to market forecasting, predicts the monkey will pump life into the Hang Seng Index in the first half of the year, before stumbling mid-year.

"This is a year to set things up for a stronger future. That's good news for China as it sets about shoring up its "One Belt, One Road" strategy with wealth and security two guiding motives for the country's modern Journey to the West," CLSA said, referring to China's new Silk Road and economic belt, and the Chinese classic novel.

The city's benchmark index has dropped about 12 percent so far this year, tracking sharp falls in Chinese stocks, and is down more than 20 percent from the same period last year.

CLSA describes the monkey's "endearing human-like qualities" but warns it can also be unpopular for its "roguish trickery".

"It's a year for slow, considered expansion, not for raucous monkey antics," the brokerage said.

Those born in the Chinese years of the Ox and the Snake should have a good year, while for fire monkeys such as

Taiwan's new President Tsai Ing-wen, the stars favour work, travel and finance, CLSA said.

It warns "fire dog" U.S. Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump it could be a "mongrel" of a year and he should be careful with his spending.

It also says he should beware the "golden-tongued" U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who was born in the year of the fire pig in the Chinese zodiac.

The CLSA Feng Shui Index began life in The Year of the Monkey in 1992 as a Lunar New Year card for clients and this index marks it 22nd edition.

(Reporting by Anne Marie Roantree; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)