Case #1: Frontier Markets The main strengths of investing into frontier markets are that there are huge opportunities. A lot of these frontier markets have shown substantial growth recently. The nations in Africa, Middle East, Eastern & Central Europe have been growing at 6% annually. This is more than the United States for example. When a nation known for its great markets and business opportunities starts to slow down, investors then need to look outside of the US and that is why these frontier markets are a great opportunity. With proven growth as well as recognizing the amount of natural resources available, these frontier markets will continually be sought out by investors. Add in the low cost of labor and you realize that these places are capable of being great opportunities for businesses around the world. Africa for example is a continent with many countries and if these markets are taken advantage of, investors can expect above average returns. However, frontier markets aren’t all positive. While the strengths of the possibilities of investing in these frontier markets is great, there are still many weaknesses that lie within these nations. Some of the main weaknesses include unstable economies, political systems and social outlooks. These types of things need to be monitored carefully before approaching frontier markets. With plenty of natural resources, the opportunity is there but it could be a roller coaster ride based on what is going on within the country. Another weakness is that there aren’t enough skilled personnel in these countries as the education isn’t as strong as in the US for example. If experienced men and women are brought in to train the people in these countries then it would be a good way to bring knowledge and build the skills necessary for these markets to succeed. Frontier markets are attractive investment opportunities