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Sunday, January 27, 2008

India most bullish in Asia Pacific


Investors in India continue to remain the most optimistic across the Asia-Pacific, according to the ING Investor Sentiment Index launched today. An overwhelming 93% of investors in India said that they expect the overall investment sentiment will be better in 2008 compared to 2007.

Despite a drop in confidence level among Asian investors in the fourth quarter of 2007 due mainly to subprime concerns, and political and governmental policy changes in some markets, investor sentiment remained the highest in India with a score of 167 (wave one: 168). The overall sentiment going into 2008 was robust with investors in India, Hong Kong, and Philippines among the most optimistic, while those in Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Taiwan were the least optimistic. Notably, the previous quarter’s enthusiasm by Chinese investors has been dampened.

"Although the ING Investor Sentiment Index reveals that the subprime-led credit crunch and political uncertainties have made investors more cautious, core sentiment remained positive in the region as 2007 came to a close," commented Eddy Belmans, Regional General Manager, North Asia, ING Investment Management Asia/Pacific.

The ING Investor Sentiment Index is based on the analysis of a quarterly survey commissioned by ING and carried out by international and independent research firm, TNS. First launched in October 2007, the tracking study surveys changes in investment sentiment and behaviour across 13 Asian markets, namely Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. For wave two of the survey, which was conducted in late November 2007, a total of 1,311 mass affluent investors were interviewed through either face-to-face or online interviews. The survey does not capture more recent events that have seen some markets drop on growing concern about the global economy.