For years, Kazakhstan’s vast natural riches and relative political stability have made the country a ripe target for U.S. investments. The current wave of protests, which has led to dozens of deaths, is now making those investments a riskier proposition.
Since 2005, the value of U.S. investment in the Kazakh economy has surpassed $45 billion, according to Kazakh authorities. Some 600 U.S. companies operate there, including Chevron Corp. , Exxon Mobil Corp. , Dow Inc. and DuPont Inc.
