Asian business sentiment hits seven-year high - Thomson Reuters/INSEAD

The latest survey conducted by Thomson Reuters/INSEAD showed that the Asian Business Sentiment Index, representing the six-month outlook of 67 firms, edged one notch higher to 79 for the January-March quarter compared with three months before.

The rise in the Sentiment Index marks the highest levels in seven years.

Antonio Fatas, a Singapore-based economics professor at global business school INSEAD, noted: “The improvement is not dramatic but with a historical perspective this is a good reading.”

The survey showed Thailand, the Philippines and Malaysia displaying robust sentiment, showing that many countries in Asia continue to benefit from accelerating global growth.