Emerging Markets

IFAs are backing emerging market and Asian equities for the best returns in 2010, according to research by Henderson New Star.

China is to hold its economic growth target at 8% in 2010 despite the global downturn.

Investors have an average weighting of just 0.1% in emerging markets (EM) despite almost two thirds of IFAs considering it the best performing asset class, research suggests.

A third (32%) of IFAs are putting their weight behind emerging markets to outperform next year, despite concerns about Dubai's debt problems.

Stock markets in Asia and across the emerging economies will be the stand-out performers next year, research by F&C Investments suggests.

Overseas equities offer the best investment returns over the short term, say an overwhelming majority of advisers questioned in a survey.

The fall of the Berlin Wall 20 years ago marked the end of the crude and utopian communist experiment that divided Europe for over four decades, says Hexam's Marina Akopian.

Risk assets and emerging markets are more attractive to investors now compared with six months ago, according to a survey by Schroders.

A third of UK investors have no exposure to emerging markets despite the majority expecting the region to be the top performer over both the medium and long-term.

Aberdeen Asset Management is soft closing its £952m Emerging Markets fund to both retail and institutional investors.