Wells Fargo Funds Management Chief Portfolio Strategist Brian Jacobsen says global issues are creating bargain opportunities.

SHOWS: NEW YORK, USA (JANUARY 5, 2015) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

1. WELLS FARGO FUNDS MANAGEMENT, CHIEF PORTFOLIO STRATEGIST, BRIAN JACOBSEN, SAYING:

JOURNALIST ASKING BRIAN JACOBSEN: 'We have had a lot of issues in 2014, from Europe, China, Japan, of course all the oil dependent countries. What are you seeing that we are not?'

JACOBSEN: 'Well I think that is what actually creates the bargain opportunities here. When you are looking for sort of adding a little bit more upside potential to your portfolio I think you really do need to focus on those areas of the market that are most downtrodden in 2014. That really does call for I think looking at Europe. Now the key thing is whether or not they are actually going to be turning a corner because you don't necessarily want to catch a falling knife in these situations. And that is where I perhaps differ from the rest of the crowd, I think that countries or areas like the euro zone are indeed turning a corner. We are beginning to see a sign of the lending to the private sector in the euro zone actually beginning to turn positive and I think that could be actually a surprise upside to the growth outlook for Europe.'

JOURNALIST: 'What about other areas beyond the U.S.? I mean it just seems like there is a lot of risk out there?'

JACOBSEN: 'There is a lot of risk out there, but with risk comes opportunity and I think that is one of the things that a lot of people tend to forget is that risk, yes it is a four letter word, but it is not necessarily a bad word. What it means is that there is also the higher expected return. If you understand those risks there are areas of the world like let's say Latin America that I am not that keen on for 2015 because I think that they are going to continue to struggle through some very important embedded issues that they have, mainly of a political nature. But if you look at other areas like China I think that the financial reforms that they are beginning to implement are going to be tremendously positive for that country and for investors who are able to weather some of the ups and downs that they might experience as they invest there.'