The real Asian powerhouse

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is the world's third largest trading block with a GDP that has doubled since 1997

Interest in emerging markets and specifically Asia ex Japan is running high as countries such as China prove they can shake off the worst of the economic downturn and emerge relatively unscathed. However, for many, Asia means little more than India or China, which ignores the real potential outside these two growing economic powerhouses. One area investors should consider is the ASEAN region. The acronym, for those unfamiliar with the term, refers to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a regional organisation with ten members: Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philipp...