Asean: ASEAN's economic fundamentals and demographic strength have positioned the region for greater international investor interest, said the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) today.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, SC's chairman Datuk Mohammad Faiz Azmi highlighted ASEAN's economic scale, growth potential, and diversity as key factors that warrant increased global investor attention. He emphasized the region's diversity as a source of resilience and growth within a connected landscape, noting the aim to showcase ASEAN's evolving investment opportunities and its potential as an integrated asset class with Malaysia serving as a gateway.
The SC pointed out that ASEAN, with its US$4.26 trillion economy and nearly 700 million-strong population, conducts trade worth US$4.37 trillion. Despite these figures, its representation in global investment portfolios is modest relative to its economic significance and growth prospects.
The SC recently held the inaugural ASEAN Investment Roadshow in London, co-hosted with FTSE Russell. The event gathered approximately 100 stakeholders, including institutional investors, asset managers, regulators, index companies, and media, to discuss ASEAN's potential as a long-term investment destination.
Jamie Perrett, FTSE Russell Equities and Multi-Asset head of EMEA index product management and global head of index research and design, noted that ASEAN's economic scale is becoming increasingly significant in global portfolios. He mentioned the region's mix of domestic demand, supply-chain diversification, and transition financing as complementary to broader emerging-market exposure, along with reforms enhancing capital market accessibility.
The roadshow, held at The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, aimed to deepen investor understanding of ASEAN's investment opportunities and share ongoing developments to improve the region's accessibility and investability. This initiative supports the ASEAN Capital Markets Forum's agenda and forms part of SC's efforts to connect global capital with ASEAN opportunities, while positioning Malaysia as a regional fundraising and investment gateway.