Inward investment would fall, companies would stay away, other would leave, jobs would go.
In the developing world, only China has received more inward investment than the Mexican border region.
Government statistics on inward investment in 1997 will not be published until late next year.
Government officials are at a loss to understand why inward investment has dried up.
In 2010 the borough council pledged a five-year plan to fund inward investment agency Forward Swindon.
Inward investment picked up, big stores moved in and small businesses were encouraged to grow.
He also stressed that increasing direct flights to Wales would increase the inward investment offering.
He said skills were the most important thing Northern Ireland had to attract inward investment.
Mr Crawford's problem is that, when he joined in 2000, the inward investment boom was busting.
But long-term, it is inward investment on which many in Northern Ireland have pinned their economic hopes.
Inward investment to the island had been jeopardised, he said, because of poor leadership and destructive conduct.
Inward investment was such a big part of Welsh economy with the demise particularly of heavy industry.
"The executive is committed to offering an open and welcoming environment for inward investment, " said Mr Robinson.
Serrell says they have been trawling far and wide for the inward investment the club desperately needs.
Inward investment, which Britain has been enormously successful at attracting for the past five years, has suddenly slumped.
In Wales, despite the loss of jobs in mining and other traditional industries, there was record inward investment.
But if you look at a European level you have cities cooperating in regions to bring inward investment.
To that end, Liverpool Vision (the council's inward investment arm) has set up a dedicated office in Shanghai.
But some in the property sector argue that London should not be preventing inward investment during a recession.
There is some disillusionment with traditional policies, which focused on prestige building projects and eye-catching inward investment schemes.
Many of the new jobs from inward investment are in call centres, some of which demand skilled labour.
First Minister Alex Salmond described the announcement as "yet another example of Scotland's increasing success in attracting inward investment".
However, supporters believe the economic boost to Northern Ireland from inward investment would outweigh the cost to the public purse.
We are doing all we can to strengthen the Scottish economy, to stimulate growth, support business and attract inward investment.
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He said this was because Invest NI was actively promoting inward investment and companies were looking for available and knowledgeable graduates.
Questions also covered inward investment in Wales, support for the Welsh language and reducing the administrative burden for businesses in Wales.
EMU, they insist, plays only a small part in such decisions, as does the government aid offered to lure inward investment.
The ending of the tax break in December has increased the need for inward investment by foreigners to finance the external deficit.
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The ambition was to develop centres to become a 'virtual Wales' offering, a focal point for international trade, inward investment and tourism.
Mr Monti, who plans a roadshow to promote Italy, said that the latest reform would clear away the last obstacles to inward investment.
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