Barclays Wealth Says Equities, Developed Markets Still Good Bet

And its currency suggestions, according to Kevin Gardiner, head of global investment strategy, stems from contrasts between the two countries. In a statement, he said, "The divergence between two non-euro economies—Sweden and Switzerland—gives rise to a stand-alone investment idea: namely, buying the krona and selling the franc." He added, "The Swedish economy continues to grow and interest rates are rising, while the overvalued Swiss franc is likely to dampen that country's economic growth and keep interest low."

Benjamin Yeo, head of research, economics and strategy, Asia, said in a statement, "In anticipation of lower inflation rates and a successful 5-year plan, we recommend both short-term and long-term investors accumulate Chinese stocks, especially on any market weakness. However, effective stock selection is key."

Strategic industries that are targeted by Barclays in the 5-year plan are:

• Energy saving and environmental protection (clean coal/natural gas, energy-efficient products)
• Alternative energy (bio-energy, solar, wind and nuclear power and related equipment)
• Alternative fuel cars (hybrid/electric/fuel cell car and related technologies)
• Advance materials (rare earth, high-performance materials/engineering plastics)
• New-generation IT (advanced software, microchips; cloud computing)
• Biotechnology (pharmaceutical drugs; medical equipment)
• High-end equipment manufacturing (aerospace equipment/aircraft; passenger trains).