{"id":676,"date":"2013-02-27T23:20:29","date_gmt":"2013-02-27T23:20:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thebizsense.com\/views\/?p=676"},"modified":"2013-03-13T09:09:47","modified_gmt":"2013-03-13T09:09:47","slug":"a-boom-out-east","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thebizsense.com\/views\/featured\/a-boom-out-east","title":{"rendered":"A Boom Out East"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Real-Estate<\/a>

Real-Estate Markets<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cA flood of cash into Asian investments has pushed stocks, currencies and real-estate markets sharply higher, leaving governments struggling to stem the inflows for fear they will fuel inflation,\u201d Fiona Law reports in The Wall Street Journal.<\/p>\n

Last year share prices in Thailand rose 43 per cent in dollar terms, with Singapore up 28 per cent and Hong Kong 27 per cent.<\/p>\n

South Korea\u2019s currency strengthened 8 per cent in dollar terms over the year, with Singapore\u2019s up 7 per cent and several \u2013 Malaysia, Taiwan and Thailand \u2013 up 4 per cent.<\/p>\n

Emerging nations in Asia, which delivered 44 per cent of the world\u2019s economic growth last year, are likely to have some of the world\u2019s strongest currencies this year, according to a survey by Bloomberg of forecasters with the best track records. Two units they predict will be among the leaders are the Indian rupee and the Filipino peso.<\/p>\n

Property sectors of many share markets in the region are breaking out, reports Jackson Wong of Investors Intelligence. \u201cA stable financial system, good economic growth and rising income levels are essential ingredients for a property boom,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Some of the stocks that have been performing strongly and look good include Central Pattana in Thailand, KLCC Property in Malaysia, Ayala Land in the Philippines and Hong Kong-listed Evergrande, Longfor Properties and The Link.<\/p>\n

Even in the long-depressed Japanese property market, there are signs of life, with an upside breakout in the Topix Real Estate index.<\/p>\n

Tim Price, the well-known British investment commentator, says that many of the world\u2019s opportunities in companies with \u201cdeep value characteristics\u201d are in Asia.<\/p>\n

I agree. And it is equally true of momentum plays. Of my own list of what are currently the most interesting global prospects combining value and growth characteristics, all but two of the top 20 are Asian listings (with one each in the US and Australia). Of the top 40, all but 14 are in Asia.<\/p>\n

The boom in middle-class consumers<\/p>\n

Tim reminds us that:<\/p>\n