The voluntary code of engagement that many UK institutional investors have been following is under fire, particularly as critics say that it is either being ignored or simply never worked in the first place

South Africa’s new president is more widely known for scandal than for any thoughts on how to stop the country entering its first recession in two decades. Luckily, he may be leaving the faltering economy to the professionals

Once a strong and determined economy, recent years have seen Thailand struggle for political and social stability

Piracy is big business in an area plagued by lawlessness, and insurers are paying the price. It is little wonder that the market wants to turn the situation around

One brush stroke stands for danger, whilst the other stands for opportunity: the Chinese symbol for crisis. Be aware of the danger, but recognise the opportunity

The announcement at the end of August that for the first time the authorities in Saudi Arabia would be letting non-resident foreign investors have access to the shares traded on the country’s stock exchange – albeit only through the medium of “authorised persons” who will actually own the shares on behalf of the overseas investors – heralds a new era in investment opportunities in the Middle East

Neil Hodge mentions the word that no one wants to read: stagflation

Japan is the second largest economy in the world, but Europe does more trade with Switzerland. It should open the doors to foreign investors

Multinational corporations have for years been subject to a blizzard of regulations on the increasingly contentious subject of transfer pricing – the rules relating to the inter-company trading across international borders. In the US alone we have seen a host of regulatory measures. But has it all been a waste of time?

The most worrying thing about the current credit crisis is the overwhelming sense of unknowing: who is going to end up taking the biggest hit? And how long will it last? No one seems to be able to offer a straight answer to either of the questions

The OECD says the cost of avoiding a global environmental catastrophe are affordable, but only if governments around the world act quickly

Companies are investing heavily to improve their internal controls, but is it doing them any good?

The UK used to claim it was at the forefront of efforts to tackle international corruption – not any more

Direct investment is approaching records levels, but which countries are attracting the most money?

A military coup has unsettled investors, but the economic outlook remains positive