iodic study from consultancy A.T. Kearney finds that managers at some of the world's largest companies are taking a more cautious approach to investing in other countries due to the economy. After hitting an all-time high of $1.98 trillion in 2007, foreign direct investment worldwide fell 14% in 2008 and an estimated 39% last year, according to the U.N. Conference on Trade & Development. Unctad predicts a gradual recovery this year and next, but executives surveyed by A.T. Kearney say they are postponing some investments due to continued market uncertainty and difficulty obtaining credit.