The International Monetary Fund has revised its economic growth forecast for the Middle East and north Africa.

Global FDI took a big hit in 2012, with developed nations suffering the full brunt of continued economic fragility.

A downturn in demand from Asia-Pacific is likely to lead to a slowdown in the previously unabated growth of the Australian mining sector, according to accounting and consultancy firm Nexia Australia.

China's economy has evolved to a point where foreign investors can no longer rely on it as a cheap destination for manufacturing and must turn their attention to other, more domestically focused operations, according to accounting and consulting firm Nexia China.

Terrorism, conflict and resource nationalism are among the most significant political risks that will face investors in 2013, according to risk analysis company Maplecroft.

In a recent ranking of global destinations for infrastructure investments, the UK was placed outside of the top 10, a potential blow to the country's plans to seek investment in a new high-speed railway network and nuclear facilities.

A global connectedness index compiled by logistics company DHL shows that growth of international flows is slowing.

South Korea is challenging the status of Hong Kong and Singapore as Asia's leading financial hubs, with the launch of its own international finance centre in Seoul.