Ashburton boosts Japan weighting

Tristan Hanson, manager of asset allocation and strategy at Ashburton, says the group has reduced exposure to Europe to 20% of its total equity portion and emerging Asia (15%) to facilitate the greater Japan weighting. Meanwhile, on a relative basis, exposure to US equities remains unchanged (40% of equities). He says: "After a 20-year bear market and another very poor year in 2009, global investors have lost interest in Japan. This is also reflected in valuations which look relatively attractive if one expects Japanese corporations to benefit from a global economic recovery in 2010. ...