By Deutsche Bank on Asia, Asia, Capital markets, Capital markets policy, Demographics, Fiscal policy, Macroeconomics, Prices, inflation, Tax policy Heisei, "lost decade", banking crisis, Kobe, internet bubble and global recession - these are the buzzwords of Japan's recent economic history. What do all these crises have in common? Government debt...

What can I say? It's Valentine's weekend. Some stocks are widely appreciated and their prices are too high. These beauties get all the attention. But there is also big potential in the wallflowers, the under-appreciated value stocks. But which ones are they and how does one find them? Here with some answers Steve Block, CFA and Portfolio Manager with Phocas Financial Corporation, a subadvisor to Wells Fargo Advantage Funds.

From being a rounding error a decade ago, the financial clout of China now trails only that of America. By market capitalisation, it has three of the four largest banks, the two largest insurance companies, the second-largest stockmarket and a lengthening list of investment funds.

The international financial position of the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) has improved beyond recognition, reflected largely in their large official FX reserves. However, as of 2008, only China and Russia were creditors in terms of their net international investment position.

Anne Murphy, lecturer in history at the University of Hertfordshire and associate director of the Centre for Financial History at Newnham College, Cambridge, talks to Romesh Vaitilingam about her new book ‘The Origins of English Financial Markets: Investment and Speculation before the South Sea Bubble'. The interview was recorded in London in January 2010

Michael Belongia talks about the role that power and politics play in Federal Reserve decision-making and how various Fed chairs used their power to suppress dissent within the Fed that was critical of Fed policy. He argues that the Fed faces an unresolvable dilemma when asked to achieve the multiple goals of full employment and price stability using only the federal funds rate as a policy lever.

Authors Susan Lund and Charles Roxburgh examine how the crisis rolled through the global financial system-and discuss the implications for the future.

An unprecedentedly low level of interest rates in the advanced economies has triggered a massive surge in capital flows to emerging markets. In order to stem further currency appreciation, Brazil has stepped up FX intervention and introduced a tax on capital inflows.

Peter Nulty sat down with Thomas C. Ognar, CFA, and Anthony Cragg in October 2009 to discuss the current state of the growth and foreign equity markets. Plus, they answer Peter's questions: Is diversification and asset allocation dead? Is buy-and-hold dead? And what would happen if China called in their loans to the US?

Credit Suisse researchers have collected 10 top investment ideas for 2010. "Next year is likely to be a bumpier ride than 2009," says Giles Keating, head of Global Research, "but it's definitely going to be a good year for both equities and commodities."