Goldman Sachs released a research report projecting that Chinese airlines will see stronger international travel demand next year on the grounds of more countries granting visa-free access to Chinese travelers and a potential continued shortage of available seats.

The broker also expects further upside in ticket prices driven by upward revisions to international passenger traffic forecasts, thanks to improving Chinese export activity and expanding visa-free policies.

Related NewsG Sachs Ratings, TPs on Airlines/ Shippers/ Port Stocks (Table)
While travel risks related to Japan remain worth monitoring, Goldman Sachs continues to hold a positive outlook on airline stocks. Given AIR CHINA (00753.HK)  -0.020 (-0.287%)    Short selling $15.26M; Ratio 15.806%   's strong performance, the broker highlighted the key picks of both this airline's H- and A-shares with a Buy rating.

As for other transportation sectors, Goldman Sachs remains upbeat about crude oil tanker companies, anticipating spot freight rates to rise further during the ongoing upcycle through 2026. It gave COSCO SHIP ENGY (01138.HK)  +0.360 (+3.731%)    Short selling $55.92M; Ratio 27.302%   a Buy rating in light of its higher exposure to crude oil tankers and China's import business.

In contrast, Goldman Sachs has turned bearish on container shipping companies, as new vessel orders this year have beaten expectations, pushing the order-to-fleet ratio to 33%, which could lead to a deeper and longer downside cycle. The broker rated COSCO SHIP HOLD (01919.HK)  +0.170 (+1.256%)    Short selling $18.69M; Ratio 11.156%   as Sell.
(HK stocks quote is delayed for at least 15 mins.Short Selling Data as at 2025-12-22 16:25.)

Related NewsG Sachs Upbeat About Airlines & Tankers in 2026, Cautious on Containers