Business prospects: Boon or bane?

Hans Hanegraaf Country Executive ABN Amro Bank NV Singapore and Chief Executive Officer of ABN Amro Private Banking Asia & Middle East

WE believe the fear of global recession is overdone, as the Fed is expected to hold rate hikes and central banks worldwide continue to support growth, with plenty of fiscal and monetary policy levers available. We are also confident that Singapore's economy will remain resilient and sustainable.

Against this background, ABN Amro's views are that investors can consider rebuilding their equity holdings with selective investments in sectors with defensive characteristics, such as healthcare and information technology. We are also of the view that investors can consider maintaining a diversified investment portfolio that can withstand short-term volatility, yet be flexible in capitalising on emerging opportunities in 2016.