News and views

12 July 2010

Focus should be on businesses with growth not external factors
Article written by Howard Kippax, Senior Investment Manager - Asia equities, for Investment Week

The Asia region offers attractive dividend yields in addition to potential capital appreciation, although for UK-based investors, currency movements can have a meaningful effect on short-term returns.

31 May 2010

Opportunities in China despite longer-term economic imbalances
Article written by Howard Kippax, Senior Investment Manager - Asia equities, for Investment Week

Greece debt troubles and the risk of financial contagion within Europe have resulted in political rule bending and market intervention. In Asia, politics remains a key determinant of economic policy, particularly in managing foreign exchange rates. However, the challenges for policy-makers in Asia are somewhat different as they manage improving economic growth and signs of inflation at home whilst remaining watchful of the troubles in Europe.

10 May 2010

Banks choosing to shrink balance sheets over lending
Article written by James Kinghorn, Senior Investment Manager - US equities, for Investment Week

The massive fiscal and monetary stimulus and bank bailouts have played an enormous role in helping the economy climb out of a very severe and long recession. A flood of liquidity has helped shore up corporate balance sheets and by default encouraged asset prices to rise. The good news is that economic indicators remain positive and continue to support further economic expansion in the coming few months. The index of leading indicators, which has had a very good predictive record in signalling the start and end to the recent recession, continues to improve.