ASEAN stocks still promising

ASEAN stocks still promising

HONG KONG (AFP): International investors risk missing out on potential profits by continuing their "hands off" policy on stocks from Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, a bank report said on Friday.

The report by global investment bank ING Barings, said key growth stocks could still be found in the four markets but warned investors to monitor carefully political developments.

Economic growth expectations are lower this year in all four markets except Indonesia, the report said, adding that any slowdown in electronics exports would also hurt those economies.

However, it added there were positive factors in these markets.

Substantial current account surpluses were offsetting capital outflows, regional external liquidity was robust and many of the region's banks, with the exception of Indonesia, had sufficient liquidity to lend, the bank said.