According to recently published United Nations Conference on Trade and Investment (UNCTAD) statistics for 2005, foreign direct investment (fdi) inflows round the world climbed sharply in 2005 to an estimated USD 897 billion, up 29% on the year before ($695 bn). UNCTAD comments that the four-year slump in investment flows to developing countries was sharply reversed. Fdi in the world's wealthier nations shot up an estimated 38% in 2005 to $573 bn from $415 bn in 2004, led by mounting...