EMERGING MARKETS

Arriving in Indonesia just a little over a decade ago, Belgium chocolatier Thierry Detournay was dismayed at the lack of quality chocolate on offer in the world's third-largest cocoa producer.

U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, has predicted rising inflation and a collapse of the dollar due to the U.S.’s fiscal and monetary policies, but roughly three years into the economic recovery, inflation remains moderate. And the dollar? It’s holding its own and may strengthen in 2012.

A paradigm shift regarding U.S. energy policy on oil has to occur. No, it won’t occur given the current make-up of the U.S. Congress, but eventually, for energy independence reasons, a paradigm shift is mandatory.

Tourism is a plague that threatens to destroy culture and society.

After breezing through the euro zone debt crisis for the past two years, Germany's economy could fall into recession as anxious businesses hold off on investment and exports wither.

Tokio Marine said it will buy U.S. insurer Delphi Financial Group for $2.7 billion and is eyeing other acquisition targets, as Japan's No.2 property-casualty insurer looks to expand outside its mature home market and diversify geographic risks.

At a time of daily stock-market seizures, weekly bank and sovereign debt downgrades and monthly central bank interventions, most people are seeing the glass half empty, and have forecasted bearish -- if not downright abysmal -- market conditions for next year. A look at some of the more salient predictions.

The U.S. housing market, once the epicenter of the global financial collapse that spawned today's European debt crisis, is on the verge of delivering some positive news.

Into just his fourth month as head of Sony's videogames unit, Welshman Andrew House has to plot a much-needed success story for the new PlayStation Vita handheld games device, negotiating a minefield of consumer gloom and competition from smartphones and tablet PCs such as Apple Inc's iPhone and iPad.

Coca-Cola Co (KO.N) is buying a stake in Saudi Arabia-based beverage company Aujan Industries for $980 million in what is seen as a bid to catch up with rival PepsiCo Inc (PEP.N) in the Middle East.

Target Corp's impending arrival in Canada, paired with Wal-Mart Stores Inc's expanding grocery business in the country, will help slow food inflation next year and keep established grocers under pressure, researchers said on Monday.

With European Union leaders implementing measures to stabilize government finances at a Galacial pace, what represents the best asset class in the event of a government default by Italy?

The defense budget is shrinking, but General Dynamics Corp still sees growing demand for its combat vehicles and warships, coupled with unprecedented opportunities to sell its popular Gulfstream business jets in China and other emerging markets.

Wal-Mart began an internal investigation within the last seven months to determine whether some overseas incidents violated U.S. federal law.

Citigroup began a round of layoffs among its London-based investment bankers this week after Chief Executive Vikram Pandit said the bank will layoff 4,500 employees as it attempts to trim costs.

As his peers in larger financial institutions are dealing with collapsing stock prices and laying off tens of thousands, the chief executive at boutique investment firm Lazard Ltd (NYSE:LAZ) said he believes smaller, more nimble investment banks like his are likely to benefit from trends developing on Wall Street.

The Bank of Canada kept its overnight interest rate at 1 percent on Tuesday, as expected, and gave no suggestion of an impending rate cut even though its view of the European debt crisis has clearly darkened.

If you don't have the time to scrutinize U.S. and Europe/Asia economic data points daily, but you still want to take the pulse of the U.S. economy, use the price of oil as a shorthand. Oil, the world's most vital commodity, also provides a quick-read on the U.S. economy.

If you can tolerate moderate-risk, Pepsi is a stock that offers that rare opportunity for a decent dividend with capital appreciation, according to one stock reviewer.

Forty-five percent of U.S. respondents reported that their organization had suffered fraud in the previous 12 months, compared to 35 percent in 2009. Economic pressures, incentives, and opportunities are a significant motivator for economic crime.

European shares rose on Tuesday as short-term traders helped boost the market following good demand at an Italian bond auction despite soaring borrowing costs, while BASF rose after lifting its sales target.