The second half of 2010 will see London's Alternative Investment Market (AIM) bottom out with 1,200 companies listed, according to analysis by Deloitte, the business advisory firm. Following 30 consecutive months of declining numbers of companies on the junior market, Deloitte experts predict that the market will reach its lowest point before the end of the year but then start to grow again, kick-starting activity into 2011.

Surging exports helped power the German economy to record expansion in the second quarter. Exports were up by 8.2 percent compared to the first three months of the year.

There has been more mixed news on the euro zone’s economic recovery. The latest Markit Composite Purchasing Managers’ Index – which gauges activity in thousands of services and manufacturing companies – fell in August; it was down by more than economists had predicted.

Emerging markets (EM) hedge funds experienced a net withdrawal of USD1.5bn in the second quarter of 2010, according to figures released on August 19 by Hedge Fund Research (HFR).

Bahamas’ non-partisan, not-for-profit think tank, the Nassau Institute has warned that fiscal measures introduced by the Bahamas may be warding off potential investors to the detriment of tax receipts.

After a relatively quiet 2009, it has been all go in the investment company sector during 2010 with 10 new launches raising a total of GBP1.16bn (USD1.81bn) since the start of the year, according to the Association of Investment Companies (AIC).

The strength of Japan's economic recovery came under question on Monday as second-quarter growth figures came in sharply below economists' expectations.