Asia - Well-placed to weather the storm

Asian equity markets have endured a difficult period in 2008, with many indices showing substantial declines. The underlying causes of equity market weakness across the region have included the general uncertainty surrounding the extent of the global slowdown and the increases in energy and food prices that have pushed inflation to multi-year highs, necessitating tighter monetary policy in a number of countries. These issues have impacted global, not just Asian, markets and as inflationary pressures abate, the dominant theme for policymakers in the coming months will be sustaining growth. ...