Notwithstanding the impact of the global economic downturn and the resulting slump of exports, Southeast Asia is poised for a steady recovery, as the region is relatively well-placed to weather the global financial crisis, thanks to the greatly improved country finance and banking systems. Southeast countries have been swift in introducing stimulus measures to bolster their economies, underpinning both consumption and investment. Those ASEAN countries like Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines, with a growing population of middle-class, are markets for Hong Kong companies to diversify their exports.