U.S. companies see China as a market of near limitless potential, but plenty of big names have learned the hard way that the American way doesn't always sell in Shanghai. From Mattel to Home Depot, here are some notable attempts that got lost in translation.
What if they built a consumer economy and nobody came? That's the conundrum China is facing after constructing far more housing and retail space than its population can support. Check out these images from some of its massive -- and eerily empty -- shopping centers.
Asian markets plunged Thursday. In China the Shanghai Composite Index tumbled 2.9% to 2,678 and in Hong Kong the Hang Seng Index fell 1.7% to 24,004. Japan's Nikkei 225 Index lost 1.1% to end the day at 10,437.
Shanghai is planning a long-awaited Disney theme park expected to cost $3.6 billion. Plans call for a 1.5-square-mile park on an 8-square-mile resort. But will attendance be able to beat the lackluster performance at Disney's Hong Kong park?
After sagging in the global financial meltdown of 2008, property values in China's urban centers skyrocketed in 2009. Some economists believe Chinese real estate is now experiencing a bubble, and when that bubble pops, it could threaten the global economic recovery.
