Author’s Note

To those not inclined or prepared to jump on a plane and pay company visits to “kick the tires,” the best—and cheapest—sources of information on emerging markets are the general interest business periodicals, ranging from the Wall Street Journal to the Financial Times, the Economist, Fortune, Barron’s, and other publications geared to investors, which frequently publish special sections on regions, countries, and companies of interest to global investors.

Many people who actively invest also travel, so I cannot stress gaining on-the-ground experience too much, from paying an always entertaining and often instructional visit to the local stock exchange, to reading local periodicals, to speaking to people one meets in a café, over lunch, or even in line to change money at the bank. Company visits can sometimes be arranged through local brokers who may be interested in gaining even a small or novice investor’s business. More rarely, visits may be arranged through a company itself, although gaining entry to corporate offices is by no means guaranteed even to shareholders. Sometimes even to large shareholders.