By Tom Bradley

I thought a recent report from Mawer Investment Management captured well the opportunity, challenges and complexity of investing in the Asian markets. A paragraph from the conclusion summarizes their balanced optimism.

Overall, we find ourselves among those who believe that the Southeast Asian promise is real. Structural growth opportunities in the region abound and show no signs of abating. The balance sheets and financial systems of these economies are in far healthier shape than their western counterparts today. And while there are a variety of hurdles that face companies that operate in the region, they do not appear insurmountable and in most places appear to be diminishing. This is one of the reason why we anticipate our investments in the region will grow as a percentage weight in in our portfolios over time.