Which sectors will profit from the urbanisation trend?

EMs

Dean Newman, head of emerging markets equities at Invesco Perpetual, reveals where the investment opportunities lie as the world's population re-locates to more urban areas.

Living in an urban area can often trigger negative images of congestion, overcrowding and expensive land values. While some city dwellers may dream of leaving this behind by relocating to greener pastures, the evidence suggests we are living in an urbanising world. According to the United Nations (UN), the percentage of the world’s population living in urban areas crossed the 50% threshold three years ago. Furthermore, the migration from rural areas to cities has been more prominent in emerging countries, no real surprise given that urban areas generally offer greater employment opportun...