Asia has often been viewed as a long-term growth story, but its role in global markets is becoming more immediate. The region now represents a significant share of global GDP and listed companies, while operating across distinct economic and policy cycles.

In this episode of The Bid, Oscar Pulido speaks with Aarti Angara, Head of Global Product Solutions in Asia Pacific at BlackRock. They examine why Asia is gaining more attention from investors and how opportunities are developing across equities and fixed income.

The conversation highlights the region’s diversity across countries, sectors, and growth drivers. It also explores themes such as AI-related manufacturing, domestic consumption in emerging markets, Japan’s shift in corporate behavior, and the role of Asian bond markets in diversification

Key moments in this episode:

00:00 Introduction

02:23 How Asia’s scale is influencing its role in global portfolios

04:20 Why policy and economic cycles differ across the region

07:10 Why Japan’s corporate and inflation dynamics are drawing attention

08:36 Where AI-related manufacturing is concentrated

10:20 How domestic consumption is developing in India and Southeast Asia

12:47 How Asian fixed income behaves differently from developed markets

14:35 How to Allocate in Asia

17:42 Singapore Travel Tips

18:50 Wrap Up and Disclosures

Sources: Bloomberg May 12th 2026,

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Asia investing, APAC markets, Asian equities, Asian fixed income, Japan economy, AI supply chain, emerging Asia, portfolio diversification, Asia equity markets

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261: Why Are Global Investors Looking to Asia As An Investment Destination?

The Bid - An Investing Podcast from BlackRock

261: Why Are Global Investors Looking to Asia As An Investment Destination?