India is one of the most attractive markets in the world now because of its high domestic demand and economic growth, Merrill Lynch Chairman and CEO John A Thain said on Thursday.
"If you consider opportunity vis-a-vis risk, India is one of the most attractive markets in the world," Thain said in Mumbai.
Because of its high demand, growth in economy, strength of corporates to go global and huge spending on infrastructure, India would be less affected to the US slowdown, he said.
Thain, however, said that a combination of falling home prices, rising food and energy prices and higher unemployment would result in a pull back of the US economy in the next six to 12 months.
Stating that Merrill Lynch believed that "genuine opportunity would come from outside the US," Thain said he was bullish about China, Russia and Brazil as well.
"China is also a very attractive market for us. But, China is more coupled with the US and that will have much more impact on the Chinese economy," he said.
"The degree of impact (of US slowdown) is different from different countries," Thain added. Merrill Lynch, which recorded about four times top-line growth in India in