bne
Fri, 3rd Feb -- To help investors gain exposure to the under-invested agricultural sector, GAIA Capital Advisors has devised a new index that offers investors exposure to global food producing companies, many in emerging markets, which will be the basis for the launch of an exchange-traded fund.

bne
Wed, 1st Feb -- Georgia's success in fighting corruption illustrates that it is not an "inevitable" product of particular environments, and shows other countries that it is possible to deal with, a new report from the World Bank says.

Clare Nuttall in Almaty and Ben Aris in Moscow
Mon, 30th Jan -- After BTA Bank was taken over by the Kazakh state, the government made every effort to engage investors and run a transparent bailout process. However, some investors claim the rescue effort has become opaque as the assets become a pawn in political power struggles.

bne
Thu, 2nd Feb -- bne's second annual investment bank survey for CEE shows that investment banks in the region managed to hold their own against the deteriorating conditions. However, it's an open question whether 2012 promises to be a further step back towards the nadir hit in 2009 or the base from which a recovery in business can be built.

bne
Thu, 26th Jan -- As the country attempts to mend the damage to its international image, Kazakhstan's investigation into the violence that erupted in December in the town of Zhanaozen is to put individuals from amongst both the rioters and the authorities on trial.

bne
Wed, 25th Jan -- Both the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and International Monetary Fund warned January 24 that the sovereign debt crisis in the Eurozone will take its toll on economic growth in Emerging Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States this year.

David O'Byrne and Nicholas Watson
Thu, 26th Jan -- The Russians, Turks and economic reality are killing the EU's gas pipe dream.

bne
Mon, 23rd Jan -- Gazprom's South Stream gas pipeline, designed to ship Russian gas directly to Southern Europe circumventing Ukraine, looks to have stolen a march on the rival EU/US-backed supported Nabucco pipeline.

Molly Corso in Tbilisi
Tue, 24th Jan -- Long before it was famous for roses, revolution and reform, Georgia was known for its gold. But today the country's antiquated laws could be pushing potential investors away - to Armenia.

Oliver Belfitt-Nash in Ulaanbaatar
Fri, 20th Jan -- In 2010 Mongolia had the best performing currency in the world, but in 2011 it had one of the world's worst, with the togrog falling 11% against the dollar. When the large-scale resource exports begin, few doubt the currency will resume its rise.

Clare Nuttall in Almaty
Mon, 16th Jan -- Two smaller parties won seats in Kazakhstan's lower house of parliament alongside the ruling Nur Otan party in the January 15 parliamentary elections. The result has been hailed as the start of a multi-party system in Kazakhstan, but international observers say the election fell short of democratic standards.

bne
Mon, 16th Jan -- EU officials reacted with anger over the weekend to the downgrade of nine Eurozone countries announced by S&P on Friday, January 13. While the ratings agency stuck to its guns in reiterating the market's lust for the EU to build a big bazooka to shoot down the debt crisis with cash, analysts suggest the move could raise the political obstacles to concerted action.