One aspect of my approach to portfolio management is to look down the road a few years to think, in big picture terms, what client accounts might look like. I have written many times about Iceland and Vietnam as investment destinations but for now don't have wide exposure for clients but expect I will over the next couple of years.Kazakhstan is another country that could make it's way into the portfolio over time as well. It is very resource rich, has $22 billion in foreign currency reserves, GDP growth in the neighborhood of 10%, unemployment in the ballpark of 1% and moderate short term interest rates around 5% but they do have a small current account deficit which makes some sense in that I believe there is a need to import a lot of consumer goods.
There is a stock market in Kazakhstan but I could not figure out how get to a page with a chart of the benchmark KASE index and at this point I am not sure how it has done. If anyone can find a chart at that website or elsewhere please leave a link.
If you are a regular reader of FT Alphaville (literally the first thing I read in morning) you have seen several Kazak companies list in the UK. Chances are these are not available now but I think they will be in the next couple of years
One last point is that you can follow the economic goings on at the English version of the National Bank of Kazakhstan website.
I think it makes sense to learn about as many countries as you can. It will make sense to invest in some of them in the future and learning about them ahead of time and following them over a period of a few years will better prepare you to decide which ones you actually buy.
6 comments:
"Kazakhstan is the greatest country in the world, all other countries are run by little girls. Kazakhstan is number one exporter of potassium, Other Central Asian countries have inferior potassium."
This is according to Borat, so it's golden information.
Seriously, what sort of criteria do you use to size up a foreign country? Is it an eyeball or something somewhat scientific?
I know almost nothing about Kazakhstan, except of course about the potassium.
What are the bones? Resource rich, strong growth, well managed economy (for now?) and a strong but not volatile currency. The country will want to modernize socially. This is all a good recipe for a positive stock market environment now and in the years to come.
I don't know if it will pan out or not. For now I have merely begun to watch it.
Croatia.
Again.
interesting timing of the post.
i have a friend who just got back from some business meetings there... says people are very friendly and there is a construction boom there.
Talked highly of the economy and the people.
Kazakhstan is a good oil producing country. So unless the country is run by a knucklehead like Chavez it could be a good investment opportunity. Ishares should have an ETF right around the corner. ;)
Some info:
http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/business/articles/eav060804.shtml
One the KASE I found this:
http://www.globalfinancialdata.com/index.php3?action=detailedinfo&id=6792#metadata
http://www.kz-today.kz/index.php?uin=1133435284&chapter=1153419675
thank you for the links.
for anyone else interested in the links you click below.
here
here
here
Post a Comment