South Korean companies have won on their side

Seoul - The Republic of Korea, ranked second-best among the 15 biggest stock markets this year, will continue to outperform as regional economies expand and the country's currency aids exporters, according to Federated Investors Inc.

"The South Korean currency still makes their products very competitive", even after recent gains, said Audrey Kaplan on Thursday. Kaplan is lead manager of the $825 million Federated InterContinental Fund that holds almost half its assets in emerging markets.

Asian economies are poised to grow faster than the rest of the world as corporate investment and consumer demand increase, she added.