Silicon Valley’s status as the ultimate tech haven is under threat. Anna Deacon looks at the countries threatening to take its place at the top, and the measures they’re taking to get there

Europe is at the mercy of scrupulous credit ratings agencies while Brussels scrambles with the introduction of suitable regulations to combat their lethal effect

The construction sector went into freefall in 2007, with losses amounting to $450bn. Recovery has been sluggish, but a construction boom is set to gather pace, with China, India and the US leading the way

India’s economy has not been immune to the turbulence felt in other markets lately. Inflation has raged, its stock market has performed badly, and allegations of bribery are never far away. However, analysts have identified areas of interest, worth considering as a sound long-term investment option

A brave new post-crisis world of white-label forex is upon us – and Saxo Bank is leading the way. Selwyn Parker reports

Looking at schemes to improve project economics shows what
governments can do to realise the potential of renewable energy

As the effects of the global economic downturn subside and investment and growth pick up, countries around the world are competing to attract more FDI. Companies are looking for new deals and new markets to increase their presence and lower their costs – yet vast differences exist in the treatment foreign companies receive in countries around the world. Pierre Guislain, Kusisami Hornberger and Peter Kusek report

In 2001 Indian outbound investment was less than $1bn. By 2006 it had reached $10bn and in 2008 India had made $24bn of outbound acquisitions

The recent UN resolution to implement trade and financial sections against Libya has stoked memories of previous embargoes – none of them wholly successful. One thing is certain: Gaddafi isn’t suffering personally with the latest trade slap down. But what of other states?

Since recognising the need for greater transparency and oversight of derivatives markets, acute differences have emerged between the US and Europe over derivatives reform, prompting a top US official to warn of the risk of “enormous regulatory arbitrage.”

The long term effects of unemployment on the individual go beyond the need for money. The loss of self-esteem, identity and social contact have led to a series of protests across Tunisia, Egypt and elsewhere

Women may have won the right to vote, make up a significant proportion of the workforce, and be making good progress towards equal pay in many countries, but in the majority of organisations, the boardroom remains a resolutely female-free zone

It will be a long fight back for respectability in the markets

The ‘forgotten country’ is making a belated comeback, writes Selwyn Parker

Bond markets lost some of their sheen in 2010 as European governments backed bailouts of member states while investors decided to bet against them or dump them. Recovery in developed markets may still get off to a slow start in 2011, but there might still be opportunities for smart investors. Neil Hodge reports