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India among Asian nations optimistic about economy in 2004
By siliconindia
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Friday, 02 January 2004, 20:30 IST
HONG KONG: Three countries from the Asia-Pacific region, including India, figure among the 10 nations most optimistic about their economic prospects for 2004, a survey showed.
Hong Kong residents are the most optimistic of Asia-Pacific nations for 2004, joined in the club by India and Australia, found a TNS and Gallup International survey, the Hong Kong branch of the group said in a statement.
The survey, of more than 65,000 people between November and December in 60 countries, showed that generally people across the world were slightly more optimistic about the prospects for 2004 compared to last year, it said.
In Hong Kong, optimism that the territory's economy and jobless situation would continue to improve in 2004, after the devastation caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) crisis, rose 32 per cent to 76 per cent.
The other most optimistic places in Asia were Australia and India, which polled 68 per cent and 67 per cent respectively, with the three Asian territories in the top 10 most optimistic places in the world.
In stark contrast, the Philippines, South Korea and Japan were the most pessimistic Asia-Pacific nations with only 28 per cent, 27 per cent and 26 per cent of respondents expecting the next 12 months to be better than 2003.
But overall, the poll found that optimism for a brighter 2004 increased around the world.
In the United States, 69 per cent of those polled expected to fare better in 2004 than 2003.