The $1.2bn direct investment by Finnish company Metsa-Botnia in the Orion pulp mill in Uruguay seems certain to go ahead after the World Bank’s board agreed to underwrite the highly controversial project last week.

Blue jeans, DVDs, moisturiser and athletics shoes are among the US products that Chinese consumers desire most, according to a UPS survey of 1200 middle-class consumers in six Chinese cities.

As the leadership has shifted in the US Congress, one (perhaps unintended) consequence could be negative conditions for biotechnology development as a result of pressures and rules related to pharmaceutical pricing and immigration.

It’s a three-letter word ending in x and we think and talk about it a lot. It’s tax. A small word but a big subject, and there is a lot of tax action going on in Europe.

Global competition is leading more countries to chase growth through lowering tax, says KPMG International.

Glasgow has won three recent financial services investments – one new and two an expansion – that will create more than 1100 jobs in the next few years.

Research and development investment from the most active 1250 companies in the world is up 7% on the previous year and is now estimated to account for well over 50% of global business R&D, according to an international league table of R&D-active companies produced by the UK’s Department of Trade & Industry.

Small investments in small countries are a growing phenomenon, as illustrated by South Korean firm CS FiberTech’s investment in El Salvador. Lawrence Yeo advises small companies to size up the opportunities for growth overseas.

Legal challenges from the world of foreign direct investment.By Luke Peterson.

Despite its unsteady relationship with the EU, Microsoft Corporation has invested huge amounts in the region and stands to lose a great deal from the rampant software piracy in some EU countries. Silvia Pavoni reports on its anti-piracy offensive.

Low taxation, a healthy attitude to globalisation and a stable business climate are among the US state of Virginia’s assets, governor Tim Kaine tells Courtney Fingar.

Treasurer Peter Costello tells fDi how Australia has posted a decade and a half of continuous economic growth, even when other Asia-Pacific markets were rattled.

Colombia has been fighting to prove that it is a safe and worthwhile investment destination and has now put itself firmly back onto the investment map. Courtney Fingar reports from Bogotá and Medellín.

Francisco Santos, vice-president of Colombia and president Álvaro Uribe’s right-hand man, is reputed to be outgoing and informal, and on this score he does not disappoint.

Renault’s Colombian subsidiary, SOFASA, is committed to the brand’s campaign to maximise profitability. Its president, Germán Camilo Calle, tells Courtney Fingar how he intends to build on the carmaker’s considerable track record.

Japan’s Toyota is getting a firm hold on the US market with a range of vehicles from trucks to hybrids. And as Karen E Thuermer reports, the company is very positive about the future.

Co-operation between auto workers and management has improved output and attracted companies to the Toledo area, writes Karen E Thuermer.

Flanders’ car assembly cluster, the Kyoto Protocol and an EU directive have driven the growth of a ‘bioenergy valley’ at the Port of Ghent. Lillie Guyer reports on the research and development under way, and the demand for biofuels from automakers.

Andrey Kostin answers questions about the reasoning behind VTB Group’s rebranding plans.

The only declared candidate so far for next May’s presidential elections in Armenia is Artur Baghdasarian. He spoke to Tom Blass about reform, democracy and fair elections, and his opposition to self-promoting power structures in the country.

Manama is the top city in fDi’s Middle Eastern and North African Cities of the Future 2006/07 ranking. Charles Piggott reports on the leading performers.

fDi’s first Special Economic Zones of the Future award goes to Dubai Internet City. In the Middle East and North Africa region, Dubai dominates our SEZ rankings and other cities in the United Arab Emirates also excel. Charles Piggott reports.

The international framework for foreign investment in the Arab world is complex. Hamed El-Kady warns that attracting FDI must be weighed against a coherent strategy for investment that benefits the region.

Mid-sized Iraqi entrepreneurs, stymied by a lack of locally available credit, have no choice but to lobby international agencies. Benjamin Barrows explains.

US companies dominate the field in fDi’s first ever ranking of the fastest growing corporates in the world.

A strong currency and growing commercial prowess means Brazilian firms are buying up overseas. Jason Mitchell reports.

Fuelled by relaxed capital outflow controls and with an eye on European markets, Indian firms are snapping up UK stalwarts. N Chandra Mohan explains.

China used to roll out the red carpet for foreign investors, with tax breaks and low costs, but today it wants quality, not just quantity, FDI. Yuen Yuen Ang reports on an increasingly stringent set of requirements.

TS Chung, head of Invest Korea, tells fDi how South Korea is staying competitive in technology.

Although cost is a driving factor in choosing a location for outsourced services, it is not the whole picture. Karen E Thuermer looks at the trends that are slowing down growth of the industry in India and favouring new locations.

Will China upstage India and become the epicentre of offshoring? It has potential advantages and disadvantages over its rival, but there could be room for two at the top, writes Paul Morrison.

Offshore outsourcing is a tempting road to take for many UK companies but they may need help in understanding the legislation and regulations that will affect any deal, writes Ross McKean.

Companies are often ill-prepared to deal with the many issues that arise when offshoring, especially those related to human resources. Anupam Prakash and Avneet Jolly advise on how best to manage the process.

Rising premiums and terrorism exclusions in the commercial insurance industry are persuading many US companies to set up captive insurance companies; and choice of domicile can make a big difference, Erika Morphy reports.

High metal prices have made Peru a hot spot for investors. But mining firms are having to become more socially and environmentally friendly to win over indigenous inhabitants. Hugh O’Shaughnessy reports from Lima.

Evacuation planning requires a small investment and can have huge pay-offs in terms of saving lives and businesses. By Ameen Jan.

In the second part of their investigation into the perceived impact of political risks on investment in Asia, Tillmann Sachs, Robert Tiong and Daniel Wagner look at the variations in risk perception and PPP investment opportunities.

A survey of research and development incentives in EU member states shows that the use of tax credits is now more common than the use of tax allowances.

Research shows that western European big business aims to expand investment significantly.

With much progress already made, foreign companies now hope Malaysia will address labour shortages in key sectors, liberalise the protected auto and financial services sectors and raise transparency in government procurement. Gordon Feller explains.

Badlisham Ghazali, CEO of Multimedia Development Corporation, talks to Courtney Fingar about why Malaysia should be high on any outsourcer’s list of destinations, competing with the likes of India and China.

To keep up its impressive economic performance, Malaysia has set itself targets for 2020 that will require it to step up to the challenge of competing on equal terms with developed countries in a global economy. Y Siva Sankar reports.

Zeti Akhtar Aziz, governor of Bank Negara, Malaysia’s central bank, tells Courtney Fingar of the importance of maintaining across-the-board stability.

Port Klang Free Zone offers top notch advantages for Malaysia. By Karen E Thuermer.

Malaysia’s Port of Tanjung Pelepas has pipped Asia’s other major ports to the Lloyd’s List title of container terminal of the year. By Karen E Thuermer.

In Malaysia’s trade and industrialisation initiatives, as with its free zones, diversification is the key to success, fDi reports.

A downturn in oil production and prices is driving investment in overseas concerns and concentrating the focus on biofuel production from the country’s vast palm plantations. By Kala Rao.

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