In The News

Kimberly-Clark Comes to Venezuela’s (Toilet Paper) Rescue

Benedict Mander July 2, 2013
Contrasting with the anti-imperialist stance of his predecessor Hugo Chavez, Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro is ready to accept US investment in the country. The oil-rich nation has a troubled economy, marked by nationwide shortages of basics, including toilet paper. Kimberly-Clark, a US company that controls 15 percent of Venezuela’s market for toilet paper, is planning to invest $37...

Get Ready for the Next China

Stephen S. Roach July 2, 2013
Foreign investors and governments must prepare to deal with China's new economic goals. Under new leaders, China is shifting toward a stable consumer-led growth model, away from production and rapid growth, writes Stephen S. Roach, Yale professor, author and former chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia. New policies emphasize discipline in politics and finance. Also, the country’s service sector...

Smoking Gun in Malaysian Hands

Rizal Harahap, Nurfika Osman June 27, 2013
Smoke drifting toward Singapore and Malaysia from Indonesian forest fires has started a tussle among the nations. Following a preliminary investigation, Indonesia’s environment minister suggested that eight Malaysian-owned palm-oil companies are at fault for using illegal slash-and-burn techniques, the quickest and cheapest way in the short term to clear land. Six other companies, yet to be...

Chinese Checkers

Nayan Chanda June 24, 2013
China, with double-digit growth in recent years, could be on track to becoming the world’s largest economy. But rising wages, possible real estate bubble and tight credit may hamper growth. The nation’s big customers, the US and the EU, have their own debt issues, and the domestic market cannot match their spending. Foreign and even Chinese investors worry about an authoritarian system that can...

Bermuda Refuses to Sign Up to Cameron's Tax Evasion Deal

Patrick Wintour June 18, 2013
Tax evasion threatens government budget and programs. As the G8 meets in Ireland, UK Prime Minister David Cameron hopes to persuade G8 and other countries to sign agreements against tax evasion. The pressure may have been counterproductive. Craig Cannonier, Bermuda’s prime minister, is refusing to sign the OECD international agreement on tax information exchange. Crannoir argues that Bermuda is...

Turkish Stock Market Falls 10.5% as Demonstrations Escalate

June 12, 2013
Following several days of intense protests in Turkey, the country’s largest stock index, fell 10.47 percent and the lira dropped to a 16-month low. The protests were originally sparked by plans to transform an Istanbul park into a shopping center, but have since expanded into concerns over government policies with a religious bent. Foreign investment in the country had received a needed boost...

China's Imperial New Consumers

May 2, 2013
The world’s most populous nation has 1.3 billion consumers and plenty of purchasing power – enough to buy one seventh of the world’s total products by 2015, reports the Asia Sentinel. Foreign investors should be aware of trends in the Chinese market, as identified by a study from the Samsung Economic Research Institute. Hundreds of millions of young Chinese have migrated from rural to urban...