Spotting the winners

Dora Hoan
Group CEO
Best World International Ltd

I BELIEVE it is crucial to take the pulse of the global economy to be able to make good investments, particularly in a post-crisis world. The prospects for the region however remains bright, as Asian consumption has been leading the global recovery relative to the US, the EU and Japan. I foresee even more opportunities for Asian economic growth in the next 20 years as a result of strong inter-regional and intra-regional trade.

I see ample opportunities in properties, construction, food & beverage and health & lifestyle.

Global markets on the whole are bouncing back but are still in their early stages of fragile recovery. Retail players have demonstrated renewed confidence in investing but they are observed to be more selective and not industry-specific. I would advise investing incremental cash in stocks of companies that have done fairly well over the years, with proven track record that they can withstand minor and major dips in the economy.

Investors must get a feel for a company, their accomplishments, their visions, goals for expansion and direction towards the future. It is particularly important in these uncertain times to look at the business model's scalability and sustainability. Certainly, more than trending and speculations, retail investors will go where real values come into play.