This new, fully updated sixth edition of Investors' Guide to the United Kingdom provides an authoritative and essential guide to the current investment climate in the United Kingdom. The Guide includes the principal sectors of opportunity for foreign investors, the grants and incentives available, the financial sector and the laws and business regulations that affect foreign investors, as well as guidance on taxation and financial accountancy . In its World Investment Report 2013, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) reported that global foreign direct investment (FDI) shrank by 18% in 2012. Against the trend, while FDI inflows to the USA declined by 26% and to the EU by 42%, the UK secured an annual increase of 22%, attracting US$62 billion. Independently, Ernst&Young and the Financial Times confirm that the UK remained the number one FDI location in Europe in 2012. Aimed at foreign businesses of all sizes, from multinationals to SMEs and private investors in the UK, this unique guide offers in-depth briefings on the technical aspects of investment as well as business start-up, covering topics such as: Grants and incentivesCompetition lawCompany formationFinancial reportingBusiness taxationBanking and FinanceCommercial lawIntellectual propertyImmigrationPensions and benefitsMergers&acquisitionsJoint venturesThe AIM market of the London Stock Exchange Investors' Guide to the United Kingdom is published in association withUK Trade&Investment and includes a Foreword from Michael Boyd, Managing Director Investment, UKTI.