Asia safest investment risk

Asia safest investment risk

BANGKOK (DPA): Among emerging markets Asian countries, with the exception of Indonesia, remain the safest investment risk despite the economic crisis that has plagued the region since 1997, a country risk survey disclosed Tuesday.

According to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), a sister company of The Economist magazine, Asia ranked below the Middle East, Latin America, Eastern Europe and Africa as an investment risk, said The Nation newspaper.

EIU ranked regions and countries taking into account 77 different indicators that reflect such factors as political stability, quality of governance, monetary and fiscal policy, regulatory policy, current-account balances, debts, financial structure and liquidity risk.

Out of a total of 100 points, Asian countries had an average risk rating of 48, compared to the Middle East's 53, Latin America's 54, Eastern Europe's 58 and Africa's 60.

Among Asian countries, the EIU judged Singapore and Taiwan to be the safest investment spots, ranking them 16 and 24 respectively, followed by South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, The Philippines, India and China, in terms of riskiness.

Indonesia, however, ranked among the riskiest investments, second only to Russia which was rated 78.