This year, the stock markets of East and Southeast Asia should post gains ranging from roughly 36% in Malaysia to 22% in Indonesia, according to Alan Butler-Henderson, regional strategist for ING Barings in Hong Kong.
In contrast, the U.S. market should advance only about 10% and Japan roughly 7%, he predicted.
Overall, Asia's best performing markets this year should be Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines, which should show gains of roughly 36%, 32% and 32%, respectively, Mr. Butler-Henderson forecasts.
As for his specific timetable, Southeast Asian markets should see "a further quick 5% to 71/2% upside over the next few weeks," he said. During February and March, net market gains in Southeast Asia should ease up slightly to about 5%, followed by corrections during May and June, when between one-third to one-half of this year's rises through April will disappear.
By late summer, the region's markets will rally anew, and "Asia ex-Japan will be the best place in the world by a considerable margin from then until November," he forecasted.
