The knock-on effects of the subprime crisis have not yet reached the corporate sector. Its time will come, but at least it can console itself with some welcome relief from sky-high rents, writes Courtney Fingar.

Job cuts come as engineering company announces $300m expansion in US and Singapore over the next five years.

Global deal volumes for commercial real estate will fall 17% in 2008 as a result of economic uncertainty caused by the credit crunch, according to new research.

China and India are the two most appealing FDI destinations, according to a survey of corporate executives.

A recent report titled ‘Fifteen Years of Transformation in the Post-Communist World: Rapid Reformers Outperformed Gradualists’ examines the privatisation experience of transition economies.

The newly minted Argentine government of Christina Kirchner faces a tough choice already; will the government agree to pay what could amount to billions of dollars in compensation to foreign investors affected by the country’s financial crisis?

The world’s largest cigarette maker, Altria, has announced a schedule for decoupling Philip Morris International (PMI) from its US operations to accommodate a shift in global sales.

Gray Construction has grown from a handful of employees building a barn to a multinational construction firm which has completed major projects for Toyota and Ikea. Lillie Guyer discovers how the family did it.

Volkswagen Group is moving its US headquarters to northern Virginia, an area which boasts one of the highest concentrations of Audi or VW owners in the country. Karen E Thuermer reports.

Bewildered by risk management? Duncan Martin has used extreme, life or death situations to formulate seven key rules which also have applications in the sometimes perilous environments in which international businesses operate.

South Carolina chosen for Jafza International’s logistics park due to its proximity to Panama Canal shipping routes.

New York is focusing on improving global competitiveness by poaching a top London regional development agency executive to head a business advocacy group.

Financial analysis firm Experian has opened its first Latin American office in Santiago, Chile.

The US dollar’s fall in value over the past five years and the more recent uneasiness in credit markets have combined to favour direct investment by operating companies over financial buyers. With the dollar’s plunge, euro-based production costs and pricing are seriously disadvantaged in the US market.

The governor of Puerto Rico talks to Lillie Guyer about his plans to cement Puerto Rico’s position as a leading hub of biotech, life sciences and aerospace, starting with a 20-year development project called Science City.

US universities are transferring some of their skills abroad by setting up medical schools. Karen E Thuermer reports on the benefits and risks.

California’s status as the undisputed leader for film location and production is under threat from rival states as well as countries such as Canada and the UK, reports Karen E Thuermer.

Coal shortages cause transport and power failures as China strains under the demands of its rapid growth.

Japan’s top government advisory panel has warned that the country must open its economy to foreign investment in order to boost growth.

South Korean president Lee Myung-bak has pledged to boost inward investment levels in the country, as they declined for the third consecutive year in 2007.

Branding a nation, location or city in Asia is not just advertising. Asia-Pacific cities must develop a global reputation of creating and adding value and yet concurrently command emotional resonance as part of their unique selling proposition.

Indonesia’s finance minister Dr Sri Mulyani Indrawati tells Neil Sen that she is aiming for sustainable growth and an end to corruption that will benefit the whole population.

Xiao Gang, chairman of Bank of China, talks to Stephen Timewell about the bank’s domestic and international strategy for the coming year.

Kosit Panpiemras, Thailand’s deputy prime minister, speaks to Brian Caplen about how Asean countries must transform their trade and investment policies by the time the association’s regional free trade zone is launched.

Beneath a broader debate about the merits of competitive trade liberalisation, Jeffrey Robertson finds local Korean business owners eagerly anticipating access to new markets.

In a bid to secure its competitiveness, Nokia is relocating its German production operations to eastern Europe.

Businesses go to where the markets and the best people are; and the development of the commercial property market follows where the businesses are going. Are businesses getting the best out of property in Europe? The economic growth experienced across Europe over the past few years has improved take-up levels, boosted investment activity and raised rental levels in many locations.

Half of the world’s freest economies are in Europe, reveals research carried out by The Heritage Foundation in conjunction with the Wall Street Journal.

The single euro payments area (SEPA) was formally launched in January with EU ministers recommending public authorities be the early adopters of the European-wide payments system.

Forget ‘dangerous’ China – the emerging Balkan countries are the markets with the fundamentals to offer high returns in the long run, global investment adviser Pravin Banker explains to Lillie Guyer.

North Cyprus’ untapped potential means that once-cautious investors are looking at the politically turbulent region with renewed optimism, says Nick Kochan.

Following a decade of marked economic growth and financial restructuring, the Russian economy is now in a strong position to capitalise on direct investment from foreign shores, reports Paul Forrest.

The Giurgiulesti Free Zone in Moldova helps investors slash costs and access the booming Danube corridor.

The tiny country of Moldova has its eye on the foreign capital flowing into neighbouring economies, and is hoping for a piece of the pie, writes Courtney Fingar.

Catalonia, and more specifically Barcelona, is one of the fastest-growing business destinations in Europe, combining a strategic location with an outstanding labour force.

Extremadura’s proximity to Madrid, Lisbon and Seville combined with its diverse range of industries, from R&D and IT to mining and biotechnology, has meant that investors can no longer ignore Spain’s rising star, says Jules Stewart.

Junta de Extremadura President Guillermo Fernández Vara tells Jules Stewart how the Spanish region’s plans for its industry and tourism sectors will finally shake off the negative stereotypes of its past.

Resilux established its inaugural overseas production unit in Extremadura, attracted by the region’s stable environment, significant export network and the pace at which local officials make decisions.

The UK sweeps the board in this year’s European Cities & Regions of the Future, with London and Scotland leading the rankings. Charles Piggott reports on the results.

Scotland excels in many fields, from financial services to life sciences. Such versatility makes the country a great place to do business. By Jim Mather, minister for enterprise, energy and tourism, the Scottish Government.

Experts warn that blackouts could cripple South African economy as mining sector faces suspension and ‘crisis’.

Africa is the one regional exception to the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) lowered forecast for global economic growth this year.

IMF economists say Africa’s continued growth, compared with sluggish growth in other continents, reflects high prices for commodities exported by African countries, improved economic polices and limited exposure to problems in international financial markets.

Professional services firm Ernst & Young has opened an office in Libya, where privatisation of government-owned enterprises is creating a better environment for private businesses.

Last year was another record year for FDI with a total of $1500bn, but it also showed, in light of Indian and sovereign funds acquisitions, that traditional patterns of FDI flow are changing. We may well be witnessing not only the end of the north-south divide, but its reversal.

Is the African renaissance for real? Or will the continent’s hopes for development again be dashed? Nigeria’s president gave his view at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

As the turmoil stemming from Kenya’s election crisis continues, investors are playing a waiting game, reports Harrison Mitchell.

Oil wealth is changing the spending patterns of governments, state-owned entities and private companies in the Gulf region. Stephen Timewell reports.

Far from solely relying on the hydro-carbons that have made the region so wealthy, some of the most innovative low-carbon initiatives are coming out of the Middle East through such projects as Masdar, says Gordon Feller.

How will the credit crunch affect the global commercial property market? Lara Williams reports on the fall-out region by region.

As oil prices rocket, the race to commercialise sustainable energies is becoming ever more frantic. Karen E Thuermer reports.

Investments have flooded into the Baltic region since the early 1990s, but how have they fared in the long term? Harley Johansen reports.

Despite strong growth from emerging economies, the US still has the largest volumes of commercial property turnover.

Three years of deep-seated reforms have unleashed a period of intense economic development in Egypt, one of the effects being an upsurge in property demand. Charles Piggott reports.

Ahmed El-Maghraby, Egypt’s minister for housing, utilities and urban development, tells fDi how the country is providing housing and services for the country’s growing population.

Egyptian development company SODIC is enjoying the boom in Cairo’s property market, and has now set its sights further afield, writes Charles Piggott.

Charles Piggott reports on ambitious plans that developers hope will usher in a new golden age for the city of Cairo

The individual input of the UK’s regions to the country’s overall FDI performance is crucial, as each area has its own specific strengths, writes Lara Williams.

With the world’s top two universities for science, it is no surprise that the UK is a favoured location for research and development. Vicky Waller reports.

Andrew Kirby, who runs a 100-strong corporate banking team at Barclays which services over 750 of the world’s biggest multinational clients, tells fDi how expanding operations into the UK need not be as daunting an experience as it first seems.

Wales’ growing reputation as a centre for international service businesses is well deserved, as the many global names that have set up shop in the nation will testify.

Foreign companies continued to flock to the UK in 2007. But to keep its strong showing in inward investment indices, the country cannot afford to rest on its laurels, especially with regards to skills levels, says Lara Williams.

Building on its prosperous history in fishing and oil, Aberdeen is looking to diversify its appeal to potential investors, writes Lara Williams.

Demand for updated oil technology sparked US energy firm Chevron to open a new research centre in Aberdeen. Lara Williams reports.

Councillor Kate Dean discusses how the city of Aberdeen will continue to thrive as oil reserves mature – and outlines plans to diversify into other sectors.

The UK immigration system and, notably, the work permit system can prove a sticking point for foreign firms setting up ventures in the country. Rita Shah explains current requirements.