I'm writing this while on a short holiday in Macau, Asia's booming Las Vegas. And let me tell you (again) — judging by what I'm seeing in Macau, there are very few signs of a slowdown in Asia! More than 1.5 million international visitors arrived in Macau in the first six months of 2008 — UP 47% over the same period last year. Mainland China visitors to Macau soared to a record 8.8 million, and in total, a record 14.92 million tourists visited in the first half of this year, handing Macau's government a whopping 51.4% increase in gaming tax revenues. Of course, that's Macau, and it may not represent the rest of Asia, right? Wrong. I am seeing the same vibrant economies wherever I go on my current tour through Asia. ...

The Coca-Cola Co. (KO) announced yesterday (Wednesday) that it will buy China Huiyuan Juice Group Ltd. for $2.3 billion (HK$17.9 billion) in an effort to diversify its presence in one of the world’s fastest-growing beverage markets. But the deal still requires government approval, which is anything but guaranteed. Coca-Cola’s offer of $1.56 per share (HK$12.20) is more than triple China Huiyuan’s recent closing price of HK$4.14 a share. It is the company’s largest overseas acquisition to date, and the biggest foreign takeover of a Chinese company ever. The deal values Huiyuan at 46.6 times this year’s estimated earnings, according to Bloomberg data. "It’s a sizeable offer, but certainly a very smart one," said Lou Basenese, editor of the Oxford Club’s Takeover Trader. "It’s better than building everything from ground zero. It’s a shortcut into a promising market." By 2025, ...

When I am in Asia, I'll talk to anyone I think can help me find the next home run stock. I have often learned a great deal by talking to bellmen, taxi drivers, sales clerks, or the lone diner at the table next to me. And some of the most useful information I've ever gathered comes when (and where) I least expect it. The latest example of this came during my recent trip to Beijing, where I spent a Sunday walking the Mutinayu section of the Great Wall of China. Most travelers to Beijing go to the much-closer Badaling section of the Great Wall, but I drove an extra hour to Mutinayu to avoid the crowds. Walking the Great Wall is truly one of the most memorable experiences of my life and is a ...