World equity markets may be going through a difficult period, but the leading stock pickers in the FT/StarMine awards – recognised for their achievements in 2007 – can still find plenty of companies to enthuse over when asked for their 2008 selections.

There is plenty of optimism, perhaps unsurprisingly, in Asia. Hornghan Low, of Citi Investment Research, picks SembCorp Marine and Keppel Corp as his 2008 stockpicks: “The demand for oil rigs will extend beyond 2010, underpinned by high oil prices and a push towards deepwater exploration and production,” he says.