Asia investors put aside trade war fears to bet on reflation

Singapore

THE initial reaction of Asian stock investors to Donald Trump's election victory was clear: sell, on worries his protectionist trade rhetoric could hurt the region's export economies.

Long-term investors have since started to trade on Mr Trump's promises of tax cuts and higher infrastructure spending that will stimulate US growth and pull the world economy along, or the reflation play.

Asian emerging stocks have risen more than 11 per cent from a Dec 23 low, above November's pre-Nov 8 …