The US has the world's best corporate governance practices, according to a rating agency that assesses corporate accountability and transparency. GovernanceMetrics International announced revised ratings of more than 2,500 global companies, with US groups showing the best average performance. Canada had the next best ratings with the UK, often seen as the world's governance leader, in third place.

Japan has the worst performance among the largest industrialised nations, with Greece, Belgium and Portugal coming at the bottom of European countries.