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Investors cautious about taking risks; Concerns over US economic policies and banking system; Buffett seen as best assessor of financial markets

Global investors and analysts are concerned about taking on more risk due to skepticism over US economic policies and its banking system despite an eight-month 68% rally in the global stock markets, according to the Bloomberg Global Poll, a quarterly survey of economic, financial and political attitudes among Bloomberg Professional service users worldwide.

The MSCI AC World Index of emerging and developed markets has risen by 68 percent since March.

Nearly 75 percent of those surveyed see the world economy improving, up from just over 60 percent in July, while 40 percent of respondents say they are still cautious about taking on risk, and 31 percent see investment opportunities. The majority of investors polled also view the US. as the weak link in the world economy, with its markets among the riskiest, and 37 percent say the dollar should not continue as the world's reserve currency in 10 years.

Investors' confidence in US President Barack Obama and his economic team dropped sharply in the last three months despite the soaring US. stock market with 57 percent of investors polled responding with a favorable opinion of Obama, compared to 73 percent in July. In contrast to Europe and Asia, US. investors disapprove of Obama, with two-thirds holding an unfavorable opinion of him.

Nearly 44 percent of investors surveyed in the Bloomberg Global Poll see Asia as offering investors the most opportunities, compared to only 18 percent for the US. and 11 percent for Europe. Investors and analysts in Asia are also the most bullish. Only a quarter of those surveyed in Asia say they are cautious about investing, compared to 51 percent in the US. and 35 percent in Europe.

More than 23 percent of investors surveyed regard Warren Buffett, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, as the best assessor of the financial markets. The closest runner-up was Bill Gross, co-chief investment officer of Pacific Investment Management Company, with 16 percent. Fewer than 8 percent cited Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and only 3 percent picked his predecessor, Alan Greenspan, according to survey results, which are available here.

The Bloomberg Global Poll interviewed a random sample of 1,452 subscribers to the Bloomberg Professional service, a universe of more than 300,000 decision makers in finance, the markets and economics. It was conducted by Selzer & Company, whose survey of Iowa Caucus voters in 2008 was the only one to accurately predict Barack Obama's victory. The firm has conducted surveys for more than two dozen major newspapers in the US., and was named the best of 32 polling firms ranked by polling Web site FiveThirtyEight.com.