Despite turmoil in the global economy, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development's Global Investment Trends monitor reported a value increase for FDI inflows in 2011, to $1510bn.

India's commerce minister has stated that the country is investigating the possibility of allowing global multi-brand retail outlets to do business in the county.

Latest IMF World Economic Outlook signals that developing Asian economies will continue to dominate the global recovery.

A HSBC report predicts that global growth will increasingly be powered by emerging markets until 2050.

The cost of prime office space in Beijing increased by 75% in 2011, making it the third most costly city for office space in Asia behind Hong Kong and Tokyo.

China and India top AT Kearney's 2012 FDI Confidence Index, while the US drops to fourth.

China has long been the most popular destination for FDI in the  Asia-Pacific manufacturing sector. However, figures from 2011 show that  interest in the country is dwindling, as new destinations such as India,  Vietnam and Indonesia are attracting record numbers of projects in  their growing manufacturing sectors.

In the first 11 months of 2011, China was the number one destination  country for FDI retail projects, following a significant 40% decrease in  the number of projects in Spain, the number one destination country for  retail in 2010.

In a bid to encourage investment in areas such as high-end equipment manufacturing, green businesses and bioechnology, the Chinese  authorities have released an updated version of their foreign investment guidance catalogue.

Data from both the State Bank of Pakistan and fDi Markets shows that FDI into Pakistan is in decline. But there is hope, with plans in the pipeline for large investments from companies in South Korea and China.