Asset managers that invest in emerging Europe, the Middle East and Africa are more open to opportunities in the region’s frontier markets than those that invest in Asia ex-Japan, according to a review of responses from participants in Institutional Investor’s two most recent emerging-markets surveys.
When asked if they invest in Asia’s frontier markets, only about 12 percent of those who cast votes for this year’s All-Asia Research Team said yes. When a comparable question was put to participants in the Emerging EMEA survey, a much larger 44 percent answered in the affirmative.
Regarding their preference for particular countries, voters in the Asia survey cite these frontier markets most frequently:
* Vietnam (40 percent)
* Sri Lanka (19 percent)
* Pakistan (16 percent)
* Bangladesh (12 percent)
* Cambodia (10 percent)
Buy-siders in Emerging EMEA were asked to name their top investment destinations in each of that survey’s three distinct regions. In Emerging Europe they choose:
* Romania (22 percent)
* Serbia (13 percent)
* Croatia (12 percent)
* Bulgaria (11 percent)
* Lithuania (10 percent)
In the Middle East and North Africa:
* Morocco (20 percent)
* Kuwait (17 percent)
* Tunisia (15 percent)
* Bahrain (13 percent)
* Oman (12 percent)
And in Southern/Sub-Saharan Africa:
* Nigeria (26 percent)
* Kenya (19 percent)
* Ghana (16 percent)
* Côte d’Ivoire (11 percent)
* Tanzania (11 percent)
The 2015 All-Asia Research Team reflects the opinions of some 3,560 investment professionals at more than 1,060 institutions managing an estimated $1.72 trillion in Asia (ex-Japan) equities. Polling was conducted from early January through early February.
The 2015 Emerging EMEA Research survey garnered responses from more than 500 individuals at 343 institutions that collectively oversee an estimated $296 billion in emerging EMEA equities and $145 billion in regional debt. Polling was conducted from early February through mid-March.
Results of the latter survey will be published on June 9.
