As 2007 turned into 2008, investors were once again operating on unstable ground. Several years of bullish recovery from an early twenty-first century recession ended abruptly as the subprime market crisis pummeled the world’s leading financial markets. While the current account deficit of developed markets persists, emerging markets are enjoying a current account surplus. Persistently high oil prices are dampening hopes that the deficit might decline.
Despite significant obstacles, foreign direct investment (FDI) continued to rise in 2007, and global investors are optimistic about opportunities in the developing world. China and India continue to rank at the top of the FDI Confidence Index. Six of the top 10 countries in this year’s FDI Confidence Index are emerging markets. A seventh, Hong Kong, represents an access point to the largest emerging market, China. Frontier markets such as Vietnam, the Gulf states and South Africa also broke into the top 25 as targets for foreign direct investment over the next one to three years, with multinationals tapping into growth opportunities in fresh target markets. Developing countries, which are expected to account for an increasing number of large FDI deals, display special interest in frontier markets as first-time investment destinations.
In das Gespräch mit Experten aus Industrie und Wissenschaft fließen jüngste Erkenntnisse ein - ob beim Vortrag, in der Diskussion oder bei einer der A.T. Kearney-Veranstaltungen.
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