Emerging Market Stocks Rise as Energy Producers, Banks Lead Gain

Emerging-market stocks headed for the biggest four-day gain in 15 months, led by energy and financial companies, as investors bet oil prices are stabilizing and China will step up measures to support economic growth. Russia’s ruble rose for a second day.  VTB Bank jumped to the highest price since July 2012 in Moscow after saying it’s financing a $283 million copper-mill project in Armenia. Shares in Dubai and Nigeria rose for a third day. Cnooc Ltd. and PetroChina Co. climbed more than 4 percent, while Bank of China Ltd. led mainland shares traded in Hong Kong to the largest gain in two weeks. The ruble gained 6.9 percent versus the dollar.

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Emerging Markets Poised to Outperform in 2015

In 2015, we believe ongoing economic reform in many emerging markets could positively influence economic growth trends and corporate profitability. Stock valuations at a discount to those of developed markets do not accurately reflect the potential of emerging markets.  High economic growth rates will remain a key attraction of many emerging markets. Even with major economies like Brazil and Russia slowing down, overall growth in emerging markets during 2015 is expected to be comfortably in excess of that achieved by developed markets, with China and India likely to drive the Asian region to particularly strong growth.

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Emerging Markets Drive Satellite Growth

Emerging markets hold the key to subscription and revenue growth in satellite pay-television. Subscriptions to satellite television services reached 196 million homes in 2013 and revenues passed $97 billion, as reported by Euroconsult. Emerging markets now account for 60% of global subscribers and nearly all growth in subscriptions to satellite television.

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For Investors, India Remains Favorite Emerging Market

Kudos to new prime minister Narendra Modi. Thanks to him and Reserve Bank of India chairman Raghuram Rajan, India is the global fund managers favorite emerging market.  Despite a temporary bump in its growth trajectory, London-based investment firm Schroders says India is the best of the big emerging markets for investors.

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People in Emerging Markets Catch Up In Life Satisfaction

People in emerging economies are considerably more satisfied with their lives today than they were in 2007. A Pew Research Center survey finds that publics in emerging nations now rival those in advanced economies in their self-reported well-being.

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Xiaomi is the Apple iPhone for Emerging Markets

The name Xiaomi was splashed across headlines last week because the Chinese smartphone maker was reportedly seeking $1.5 billion in fresh funding that would value it at over $40 billion. That means the company, little known in the West, would be awarded twice the valuation of Sony and 2.5 times that of Lenovo Group. PC manufacturer Lenovo generates more than $40 billion a year in sales, compared with the $13 billion expected this year for Xiaomi.  Could the privately held smartphone company conceivably be worth that much? Yes, if you look at its sales trajectory and growth potential in emerging markets.

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Gulf States Weather The Emerging Market Storm

Capital outflows from the Gulf states have reached around $780m (£484.7m, €614.5m) since May last year, far less than the amount of money that has left other emerging markets, according to a new report by the International Monetary Fund.

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Emerging Market Currencies Higher on Global Turmoil

Some emerging-market currencies pushed higher on Wednesday as investors bet that renewed tremors in global markets would delay a rise in U.S. interest rates.  Stocks and bonds in the developing world have been rattled in recent weeks as money managers expected that a recovering U.S. economy would push the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates next year. Higher U.S. rates create an incentive for investors to cash out of emerging markets in search of the higher returns promised by dollar-denominated assets.

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Emerging Markets: Where to Go, What to Avoid

This year has been something of a roller-coaster ride for the emerging markets, but one of the most renowned investing minds says it’s time to hop on the ride. Burton Malkiel, professor emeritus at Princeton University and author of A Random Walk Down Wall Street, argues that U.S. stocks are pricey, and that emerging markets offer higher long-term returns. He points to the CAPE ratio, popularized by economist Robert Shiller, which averages 10 years’ worth of earnings adjusted for inflation, instead of the more common price/earnings ratio. (CAPE is an acronym for cyclically adjusted PE.)

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BlackBerry Needs To Focus More On Emerging Markets

BlackBerry looks ready to increase the pace in its turnaround - the company has launched its new handset, Passport, and the recent earnings announcement has also impressed. BlackBerry has been able to register gross profit from its handsets segment for the first time in the last five quarters. Although the management is focused on making this company into a services provider only; handsets business remains vital to the overall operations of the company as a major portion of its services business is dependent on the sales of handsets.

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