Foreign Investment

It's a bit hard to believe, but news reports say it's possible: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez ordered an investigation of Toyota Motor Corp., saying the world’s largest carmaker “can leave” should it fail to meet production quotas and technology-transfer laws. Toyota has refused to make

From Reuters: Sweden 's Koenigsegg , a niche manufacturer of some of the world's fastest and most expensive sports cars, has struck a deal to buy loss-making Saab Automobile from General Motors, the companies said on Tuesday. In one of the most unlikely pairings in automotive history, the

The AP reports: China denied Coca-Cola Co.'s closely watched $2.5 billion bid to buy a major Chinese juice producer Wednesday, highlighting Beijing's rejection of foreign control over its top companies even as they step up acquisitions abroad. ... Coca-Cola's acquisition of Huiyuan Juice Group

When I mentioned the Fiat-Chrysler alliance the other day, and expressed a little surprise that a bailout of a "foreign" company would go through without protests by some members of Congress, this is the kind of thing I had in mind: Chrysler LLC should be required to return

From the FT: Chrysler declared its new alliance with Fiat would enhance its long-term viability yesterday in an apparent bid by the Detroit carmaker to strengthen its case for billions of extra dollars in US government aid. This is interesting.  When I saw the headline about Fiat's alliance

Claude Barfield worries about recent actions taken to restrict foreign investment: There is, however, one ominous sign of protectionism in an area that is mostly outside the scope of WTO trade rules: foreign direct investment (FDI). The leading advocate of investment protectionism is French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who has proposed

It was with great interest that I heard about a new "case" against the Government of Canada under the NAFTA, concerning the provision of health care services.  Granted, I had learned of the matter through a very small handful of press articles; NGO warnings; and personal messages from

The Economist has an interesting article on reactions to foreign investment in the United States.  It seems that on the one hand, individual U.S. states are making concerted efforts to lure foreign investors.  For example, officials from Alabama fly overseas to convince big manufacturers to set up shop in

There is talk of Anheuser-Busch being bought: Anheuser-Busch Cos., the nation's biggest brewery, received a $46 billion buyout offer Wednesday from a Belgian brewer that might be too good to refuse. The maker of Budweiser beer disclosed late Wednesday that InBev SA, whose brands include Beck's