High returns in Southeast Asia’s stock markets are attracting investors, particularly in the Philippines and Thailand where benchmark stock indices have soared 29.8% and 30% this year, compared to 13.1% for the Asia region.
In The Wall Street Journal article, "Southeast Asia's Growing Appeal", Daniel Inman outlines factors responsible for the growth in Southeast Asia including a middle class that will number 145 million people in 2015, political stability, strong demand for commodities in China, and infrastructure spending.
"...Southeast Asia remains attractive to investors, especially as governments spend more on infrastructure in an effort to reverse years of chronic underinvestment. In Thailand, the government has implemented large-scale stimulus spending on reconstruction after last year's deadly floods, while the Philippines has been teaming up with investors to build expressways and other projects."
The popularity of Southeast Asia’s stock markets shows that the region can compete with China for investors.