A growing set of opportunities
EMERGING MARKETS

A growing set of opportunities

Today’s low interest rate environment has left investors searching for higher returns. But in a fast-changing world, where should they begin to look? The answer could be emerging markets.

In brief

  • The emerging market region spans nearly 30 countries around the world1, with many in a position to capitalise on broader trends such as digitalisation and rising income levels.
  • Southeast Asia (SEA) is currently home to an online population of 400 million people, a figure that is up 53% from 20152. With so many people becoming connected, SEA’s internet economy is expected to reach a gross merchandise value of $309B by 20253.
  • Gender diversity has been a historical weak point for Brazilian companies, but female representation in the country has been improving. Brazil surpassed the emerging markets average for the first time in 20204, thanks to increased awareness and initiatives by its financial sector.
  • As part of its National Health Protection Scheme, India’s government is looking to provide 500 million people with government-sponsored health insurance5. If progress is kept on track, revenues could increase at a compound annual growth rate of nearly 18%6, making it one of the world’s fastest growing healthcare markets in the world.

Sources: 1 MSCI, Jan 2020 2Google, Temasek, Bain & Company, Nov 2020. 3Google, Temasek, Bain & Company, Nov 2020. 4MSCI, Nov 2020. 5 National Health Profile, Dec 2018. 6 IBEF, Aug 2020.

Capital at risk. The value of investments and the income from them can fall as well as rise and are not guaranteed. The investor may not get back the amount originally invested.

Emerging market investments are usually associated with higher investment risk than developed market investments. Therefore, the value of these investments may be unpredictable and subject to greater variation. Note: All figures mentioned in this infographic are in USD.

Comparing market capitalisations
Many emerging market countries are on equal footing with tech's biggest names. When compared to a single company, these countries may offer the opportunity for enhanced returns and diversification.
Comparing market capitalisations

To get up to speed, here are three opportunities that investors may be overlooking

1 Digitalisation in Southeast Asia

Number of internet users in SEA

Southeast Asia (SEA) is quickly emerging as the next digital giant.

Since 2015, the region has added 140 million internet users. 

70% of the region's 583 million citizens are now online.

Why should investors care?
According to the latest projections, it could create an internet economy worth $300 billion by 2025. Southeast Asians are also some of the most engaged internet users in the world. The average internet user in the Philippines spends 10 hours a day online.
Hours spent per day using the internet

Source: Hootsuite, We are Social (Jan 2019) Google, Temasek, Bain & Company (Nov 2020) For illustrative purposes only.

Southeast Asia’s internet economy
SEA’s internet economy has more than tripled in size since 2015. Gross merchandise value (GMV) is the total value of merchandise sold through a customer-to-customer (C2C) exchange site.
Gross merchandise value

Towards a technology driven powerhouse

Southeast Asia has many of the pieces it needs to become a technology driven powerhouse. If it maintains its current trajectory, the region could give birth to some of the world's next tech giants.
young demographic
Young demographic
Average age 30.2 years old¹
rising income levels
Rising income levels
50 million new entrants to the global middle class by 2022²
rapid adoption of technology
Rapid adoption of technology
100 million new ecommerce users added since 2015³

Sources: 1Worldometer (Jan 2021), 2Bain & Company (March 2019), 3Google, Temasek, Bain & Company (Nov 2020).

2 ESG improvements in Brazil

Gender diversity has been a historical weak point for Brazilian companies, but female representation has been improving. Brazil surpassed the emerging markets average for the first time in 2020.

Percentage of women on boards
Why is gender diversity so important?
For starters, companies with diverse leadership teams tend to be more innovative. Innovation revenue comes from products and services launched in the past three years.
Percentage average innovation revenue

Source: Boston Consulting Group (Nov 2018). Totals may not add up to a 100%. For illustrative purposes only.

Percentage of women making long-term household financial decisions
Female leadership may help Brazilian companies gain a better understanding of this trend.
Percentage of women making long-term household financial decisions

Diversity commitments in Brazil

2017
Brazil’s B3 stock exchange becomes the first country in the Americas to sign the Women’s Empowerment Principles, an initiative of UN Women.
2019
The 30% Club launches in Brazil, aiming to promote awareness around diversity and eliminate all-male boards by 2021.
Present
Brazil’s government is discussing a bill which would introduce a gender quota of 40% women on corporate boards.

3 Infrastructure expansion in India

Public health expenditure

Source: National Health Profile (Dec 2018) For illustrative purposes only.

Structural scaling up of healthcare. India is working to overcome its historic lag in public health spending

To address this shortfall, India is making investments to provide 500 million people with government-sponsored health insurance. 

This scale-up could potentially result in one of the fastest growing healthcare markets in the world. 

India is capturing the attention of investors around the world.
Revenues are expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 17.7% as millions of Indians gain access to better services.
revenue from India's healthcare sector

Source: IBEF (Aug 2020) For illustrative purposes only.

Opening doors
Since 2000, India has allowed 100% foreign direct investment in healthcare projects such as hospitals.
Cumulative foreign investment in Indian healthcare

Source: Google, Temasek, Bain & Company (Nov 2020) For illustrative purposes only.

Reacting to rapid urbanisation
With 10 million people migrating to its cities each year, real estate development is another top priority for India. Supply shortages across all three income groups are an opportunity for both domestic and foreign developers.
Cumulative housing supply and demand

Source: IBEF (Aug 2020) For illustrative purposes only.

India’s government has taken steps to attract foreign investment.

Since 2018, India allows 100% foreign ownership of:
Economic liberalisation
Economic liberalisation
Residential projects
Residential projects

India’s government has taken steps to attract foreign investment.

Since 2018, India allows 100% foreign ownership of:
Economic liberalisation
Economic liberalisation
Residential projects
Residential projects

Source: IBEF (Aug 2020).

The result of these efforts is a real estate market expected to be worth $1 trillion by 2030. (Source: KPMG, Sept 2018).

 

There’s more than meets the eye

Overall, with nearly 30 countries to explore, these opportunities are just a subset of what emerging markets has to offer.

Growth-minded investors may want to give this diverse region a closer look.