MarketWatch, like many other business media which publish various ranking stories, isn't generally involved in advising companies about future location decisions.

Other data: http://www.economicindicators.gov/

"Traditionally, the U.S. government did little to solicit foreign investment, instead banking on its inherent appeal as the world's largest market. That approach worked when half the globe was economically isolated because of communist rule in the Eastern Bloc and China or policy choices in places such as India.

In a global economy, where capital can seek out opportunities worldwide, the U.S. needs to be more aggressive. In March, the Commerce Department said it would begin trying actively to attract more foreign investment through its commercial attachés in U.S. embassies abroad and by working with state and local economic development agencies here.

The Commerce Department initiative - dubbed Invest in America - comes as the pool of foreign capital potentially at stake is set to grow. Asian central banks that have been investing their enormous stockpiles of foreign exchange in low-yielding government securities are creating investment funds that will steer some of that cash into investments offering higher returns. Some could wind up in equity investments."

News for the topic of this page is summarized in this column with links to relevant websites and contacts for the original news or press release, or to useful articles related to this topic as suggested by contributors.

Explanation - fDi Atlas

CEO Survey 2002-2007 Results

The sidebar graphics point out that "cross-border trade, commodity prices, and per capita GDP have all soared to historic levels - and nowhere have things been growing faster than in the emerging world.  What's grown fastest of all are international flows of capital and direct investment."  There was the usual emphasis on the "BRIC" countries - Brazil, Russia, India and China - but now Turkey and Middle East locations such as Dubai are attracting attention too.

We just won't waste our time by linking to all of the advertorial content or superficial rankings because after 15+ years in this business, we have never met a single executive with decision authority for a major project (out of contact with thousands of them) who cared to see them.