Despite the Asia Pacific macroeconomy experiencing a slow start to the year, the region’s growth momentum is rising, with signs of strength expected in major core economies.

Asia Pacific investors continue to closely follow movements by the US Federal Reserve.

On the back of 7.7 percent year-over-year growth in China’s GDP during the first half of 2014, Chinese retail sales increased an impressive 12.1 percent year-over-year to US$2.02 trillion over the same period, and China is now expected to overtake the United States as the world’s largest retail market by 2016.

In October, both global and Asia Pacific real estate stocks rebounded from a tough September as the property markets were once again bolstered by a move to safe (and yield-orientated) assets amidst global growth worries and ever-lower interest rates.