From the state-of-the-art office opening in Shenzhen to upheavals across the Asian markets throughout the year, it has been a busy 2021 for FVP Trade. Today, Keith Walker tells us how he helped guide the firm through an unpredictable year and what his expectations are for 2022, The Year of the Tiger.
“Overall, this year’s been a great success even when faced with restrictions from Delta variant outbreaks across large parts of the continent. The cancellation of air travel in Q1&2 prevented us from meeting clients face-to-face, meaning we had to adapt quickly in finding new ways to connect with each other. Despite the challenges we faced, our strong customer relationships and corporate branding, helped us maintain a steady rate of growth. I think it has been a good test for us all, forcing us to innovate and adapt. At this point, we’re better equipped than ever to continue on our path to market dominance.”
Asia is known for its love of personal connections, which, in the past, meant we used to travel extensively. But since needing to adapt to ‘the new normal’, we and our clients have had to rely solely on online interactions. Even simple Zoom calls have allowed us to regularly keep in touch with our clients. Thanks to these tech innovations, we were able to do this effortlessly and maintain our high level of service.
When the pandemic first started in early 2020, a lot of our clients were uncomfortable with this digital approach. But their resilience and strength of character helped them become more at ease with this new style of mass online communication. It’s safe to say, the pandemic has forced the industry to transform, not only across Asia but the world as a whole.
Asia has a very diverse market. Trading preferences and styles vary from country to country, however, FVP Trade’s network is well equipped to find solutions and meet each of its clients’ needs. This tailored approach, along with a wide range of tradable options and features, has kept customer interest high, allowing us to maintain our stable rate of growth.
This led us towards the grand opening of our brand new, state of the art, 1.5 million dollar flagship office in Shenzhen, China. The launch of our Asian HQ was set to coincide with the beginning of The Year of the Tiger, to symbolise our strength and ambition.
With this in mind, we asked Walker to share some of his forecasts and expectations for the Asian financial markets in 2022.
“I’m expecting a dramatic recovery in most if not all markets across Asia throughout the upcoming year. Although the pace will differ across each region, I anticipate there will be some real progress by the end of Q2. South-East Asian countries have the potential for the biggest recovery, due to the degree they were affected by the pandemic and their imminent reopening. East Asia, particularly China, may reopen with more caution, but their economy is poised to resume its rapid growth once again. South Asia is another region with huge potential, which we will all be following closely. I am confident this will be the year that we reap the benefits of the mass vaccination campaigns, allowing us to return to our old ways of life very soon.”
“The Hang-Seng Index in Hong Kong experienced the most dramatic decline, contracting by nearly 17.5% in 2021, along with Korea’s KOPSI which fell by almost 14%. Other regions contracted less drastically, with the Japanese NIKKEI index declining by only 5.7% and the Shanghai Composite falling by just 2.6%. Most other key indices in Asia saw positive growth despite the pandemic, with India’s NIFTY50 index expanding by a remarkable 20%, and Singapore’s Straits Times Index growing 10%. This year I’m anticipating a strong recovery in most if not all of these markets, so investors should follow them closely, as an upturn in trade can only benefit financial sectors Asia wide.”
“FVP Trade has entered The Year of the Tiger in a formidable position, with our brand new HQ in Shenzhen recently opening, with more offices being launched throughout the year. I expect this to be an exciting year for us here, not only as a firm but for the entire continent.”
Away from finance, there has been a sensational turn of fortune for one of our key partners in Europe, with Blackburn Rovers F.C. currently occupying second place in their push for promotion to the English Premier League, their greatest performance in almost a decade. Keith Walker, who played a key role in making this partnership happen, is ecstatic at the prospect of seeing the FVP brand showcased in England’s top flight.
“When we agreed to sign a sponsorship deal with Blackburn back in July last year, the intention was to co-promote each others’ brands in Europe and Asia reciprocally. While they’re continually strong promotion candidates, this season genuinely looks like it could be their year, and we at FVP Trade are delighted to be a part of it!”
Back in December, Blackburn Rovers were kind enough to host some of our leading IB’s from the UK for a VIP Matchday Experience. This event was extremely well received, with IB, Jason Reeve, being full of praise for the hospitality on the day.
Walker finished up by saying:
“We have a full calendar of events planned for this coming year, and some exciting new partnerships in the pipeline that I hope to share with you, the FVP family, very soon.”
About FVP Trade
FVP Trade is an award-winning online global forex and CFD broker, known for delivering exceptional execution, client service, and customer service around the world. FVP Trade is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) and as a Money Services Business (MSB) with the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC).
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