[By NBC-1TV H. J Yook]The YPO Global Pulse (http://goo.gl/AOM2r9) Confidence Index for Asia climbed for the second consecutive quarter, gaining another 3.5 points to land at 63.6. Business confidence surged in China, Japan and India against a backdrop of stimulative government policy and encouraging economic data. Meanwhile, confidence in Southeast Asia moved in the opposite direction. Sentiment in the fast-growing Asian Tiger Cub economies (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand) has dropped 8.5 points over the past year to 60.1, its lowest level in the five-year history of the index.

“CEOs in the region are encouraged not only by the Bank of Japan’s quantitative easing programme, but also the economic reforms announced by China in November and signs of economic resurgence in India,” said Terry O’Connor, regional chief executive officer of Courts Asia and executive member of the YPO (www.ypo.org) Singapore Chapter. “At the same time, capital outflows, reduced liquidity and currency depreciation brought about by higher long-term interest rates in the United States continue to take their toll on CEO sentiment in Southeast Asia.”