Nelson Mandella Bridge, JohannesburgThe US recovery is gathering pace, but the prospect of a messy Eurozone collapse threatens to pull the rest of the advanced economies down with Europe.

China's breakneck growth was briefly checked while inflation threatened to get out of control, although the rising superpower seems to have largely weathered the storm.

Economic forecasts make a fool out of the most accomplished economists, but there are some clearly discernable trends which might influence prospective business buyers who are open-minded about their choice of sector.

Here are my five tips for choosing a business to buy in 2012.

Cafes and coffee shops >>

As online spending continues to grow and the traditional high street flounders, many large retailers are closing some of their physical stores in recognition of their huge operating costs. Immune to the rise of online spending, however, food retail and food service industries could be a shrewd choice for anyone intent on serving customers on the high street.

E-commerce >>

Speaking of internet retail... low overheads, rising demand, the ability to work from home - e-commerce willl continue to grow in popularity in 2012, among consumers and those searching for business opportunities.

Businesses for sale in South Africa >>

Did you know that South Africa's debt is only 10-12% of GDP? We hear a lot about the rise of the BRIC (|Brazil, Russia, India and China) economies but thanks to exchange controls and minimising its exposure to European banks, the Rainbow Nation has plenty of cash to improve its infrastructure and be a dark horse in the coming years. Only last year the installation of the undersea Seacom cable improved broadband speeds across much of the country by a factor of 10. 

Care Homes >>

The populations of the Western world continue to age, so care homes are as sure a bet as you can think of when it comes to growing demand. Potentially lucrative, an investment in care homes is also an immensely satisfying one as you bear responsibility for providing a comfortable living environment for people in their final years.

Agriculture >>

The price of food, which is the ultimate recession-proof good, is rising along with global population. While the house-price bubble inevitably burst, the same won't happen for land prices, barring dramatic developments, so land is a pretty safe investment at a time when so many other investment havens are less reliable than previously.

The need to boost productivity in the face of climate change, and while improving animal welfare and environmental standards, means this is a challenging sector. But being at the forefront of a field so fundamental to the continuing success of humanity is undoubtedly an exciting prospect.