Asia has been the focus of strong investment and solid performance to boot this year as China, India and the ASEAN five continue to show strong economic growth.PARA_BREAK_SENTINEL_9f8e7d6c

Asia has been the focus of strong investment and solid performance to boot this year as China, India and the ASEAN five continue to show strong economic growth. According to the latest figures released by HFR, its UCITS-compliant HFRX Asia ex-Japan Index has returned 10.17 per cent YTD. Against this backdrop, Citywire reported this week on the industry’s rising stars, outlining its top ten newcomer managers. Here, Hedgeweek outlines the top five. Coming in at number one is Soo-Hai Lim, manager of the Baring ASEAN Frontiers fund. Lim started in August ’08 and the fund has generated returns of 43.86 per cent over the year ending October ’10. Number two is Samantha Ho, co-manager of the Invesco Asia Consumer Demand A Acc fund who started in March ’09. Ho provides research on China, picking stocks for the China section of the fund, which has returned 30.95 per cent over twelve months. China Life Insurance, at 2.70 per cent, is the fund’s largest stock holding. Manager number 3 is Makiko Zuercher-Hosaka who started managing the Clariden Leu (Lux) Asia ex-Japan Equity Fund B in December ’08. The fund, which invests in the equity of major Asian companies, has returned 30.27 per cent YTD. Ahn Lu comes in at number four, having started managing the T Rowe Asia ex-Japan Equity fund in April ’09. And lastly, Mayur Nallamala comes in at number five. Nallamala has been managing the JF Asia Alpha Plus fund since October ’09 and has generated total one-year returns of 26.52 per cent. Well done to all these managers in what has been a testing year.