Year-to-date, the performance of Singapore’s exchange traded fund (ETF) has been somewhere in the middle of other Asian economies. That may not be the case for long, though.
True, economists project that GDP will expand by 5.1% in 2011, a significant drop from this year’s expected growth of 15.1%, writes Kevin Lim for Reuters. The government forecasts a 4% to 6% growth for 2011, a number more consistent with that of high-income economies in the quickly-developing Asia region. [7 Reasons to Think About Singapore ETF.]
The bottom line is, it’s still growth, and strong growth at that. Growth slowdown aside, Singapore has a lot of things going for it:
- Janet Ong for Bloomberg reports that Taiwan and Singapore will begin talking about a trade accord early next year, which would offer “significant mutual benefits,” says the trade offices of both sides.
- Singapore has unemployment numbers to envy. The rate dropped to 2.1% in the third quarter from 2.2% in the second quarter, according to Xinhua Net.
- Singapore boasts some of Asia’s most optimistic consumers, says Channel News Asia. They like the direction of the economy and their job prospects.
If you’re looking for exposure to a growing Asian economy, Singapore seems to be making all the right moves these days. For more information on Singapore, visit our Singapore category.
- iShares MSCI Singapore Index (NYSEArca: EWS)
The opinions and forecasts expressed herein are solely those of Tom Lydon, and may not actually come to pass. Information on this site should not be used or construed as an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation for any product.