Foreign direct investment

World Bank studies the business environment for FDI in various nations

Investment flows to the world's four biggest emerging economies -- Brazil, Russia, India and China -- slowed slightly in the first half of 2010, but growth rates and the pace of dealmaking remain strong, data shows.

China's move to allow greater currency flexibility will raise pressure on exports in the short term, but will be good for competitiveness in the long run, state media on Monday quoted a Commerce Ministry official as saying.

U.S. technology companies hope a preliminary World Trade Organization ruling expected on Friday will persuade the European Union to drop tariffs on three products at the center of the dispute.

Jim Owens, chairman and chief executive officer of Caterpillar Inc., is concerned that the U.S. is not on a path to sustain the global economic competitiveness our country has sustained for a long time.

Plans by Carrefour, the world's No.2 retailer, to open its first cash-and-carry outlets in India are a sign of optimism in the country's $450 billion retail sector, but foreign investors and some officials want more -- an easing of the country's tough investment rules.

President Barack Obama launched a vigorous defense of his economic agenda on Wednesday, rejecting critics who say it amounts to socialism and insisting his policies would boost U.S. competitiveness.

China will make it easier for foreign investors to start businesses in the country, especially in its western provinces, the government said in a statement on Wednesday.

Troubled lender Amcore Financial Inc posted a seventh straight quarterly loss, hurt by higher provisions, and said it was significantly undercapitalized, sending its shares down 42 percent.

SHANGHAI, Sept 15 (Reuters) - China's key stock index ended up 0.2 percent on Tuesday supported by improved August FDI data while tyre makers jumped after saying the impact of the U.S. decision to impose special duties on Chinese tyre exports would be limited.

Switzerland knocked the United States off the position as the world's most competitive economy as the crash of the U.S. banking system left it more exposed to some long-standing weaknesses, a report said on Tuesday.

A Chinese firm has signed a $3.6 billion investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (IPPA) with Zambia in copper exploration and mining industry, a senior investment official said on Wednesday.

Beijing has found a new culprit to blame for China's asset bubbles -- foreign hot money. China's official reserves are rising again, breaking the $2 trillion mark in April, and unexplained inflows are once again coming under the critical microscope.

China will research into policies that will allow domestic listing of overseas firms, in efforts to secure stable foreign direct investment, Jian Chen, Vice Minister of Commerce, said on Thursday.

Hong Kong's economy recession worsened from the previous quarter with continuous drop of GDP & GNP, marking a fourth straight quarter it felt the impact of the global economic downturn.

The Norwegian government said on Wednesday it would assess the impact of climate change on financial markets and urged global investors to join forces.

The world's largest retailer, Wal-Mart, has inked a 50-50 joint venture with Bharti Enterprises for a wholesale cash-and-carry business in India that will roll out ten to fifteen such outlets over the next seven years.

The USA has dropped from being the most globally competitive country in the world to being the sixth in a report by the World Economic Forum released today.

The United States fell to sixth place in the World Economic Forum's 2006 global competitiveness rankings, ceding the top place to Switzerland, as macroeconomic concerns eroded prospects for the world's largest economy.