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Health & Fitness

International Investing - Showbiz

The world is a big place – there are over 190 countries and 7 billion people in the world, which really boggles the mind if you sit down and think about it. In addition to being an interesting intellectual exercise, this fact can also have broad implications for your investments and your financial future. It is easy to stay focused on U.S. firms, news, and events during the day-to-day grind, but it is always important to be aware of your surroundings – especially when it comes to your investments. With that in mind, this series of articles will focus on countries and investment opportunities outside the United States that you might not usually hear about.

As always, be sure to consult a financial services professional familiar with both the potential investment and your unique financial situation before embarking on any investment program.

Show Business

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This week, instead focusing on a specific country we will focusing on an industry that touches virtually every aspect of the global economy.

Entertainment, hotels, and broadcast media are industries that are ubiquitous. Present on every continent, every country, and every region of the world, these industries connect people in a way that very few others can. By enabling people to communicate, enjoy themselves, and travel in comfort, these industries appeal to a basic desire of people to have fun sometimes. In addition to filling a basic need that every person has, these industries also happen to be 1) extremely profitable, and 2) growing at a rapid clip. With the United States and Europe continuing to lead the way, other areas of the world are rapidly catching up, expanding media and entertainment offerings, and enabling the industry as a whole to continue to grow.

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According to a recent report by Pricewaterhousecoopers (PWC), one of the “Big 4″ accounting and consultancy firms, the market for entertainment and show business will generate in excess of $2.152 trillion by 2017. The report, which is included below, outlines that while the composition of the entertainment industry is changing, the growth story will only continue. Now, while this report focuses exclusively on traditional “Hollywood” entertainment, industries such as hotel & motel, casino and gaming, and broadcast media are also part of the global entertainment industry.

Some of the largest and best-known companies in the largest entertainment industry (including casinos, hotels, motels, and broadcast media) are as follows.

1) Comcast
2) Walt Disney
3) Viacom
4) Las Vegas Sands
5) MGM Resorts
6) Wynn Resorts
7) Marriot International
8) Shenzhen Overseas
9) Wyndham Worldwide

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