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Reader question: Please explain “hot point” in this sentence: The paradox of Africa at the moment is that, at last, it is where the hot money is going. My comments: I have no idea what that “paradox” is about, without being given more context. Fortunately, “hot money” is a straightforward enough term to explain. Here it points out the fact that Africa is attracting foreign investment because Africa is now a place where investors think a quick buck can be made there. “Hot money”, you see, is a business term referring to discretional money people invest in this and that in order to take advantage of emerging money making opportunities. Money making opportunities can sometimes be fleeting, and so, therefore, this money is moved very quickly from place to place, from one form investment to another. One day, it’s going to buying gold. Next month, as was once the case in China, everybody rushes in to stockpile garlic. Garlic, of all things, but why not? A profit is a profit - To hot money, all profit making opportunities are created equal. In short, hot money is the hot investor money. You may understand the “hot” in “hot money” as you understand “hot” in “hot spot” and “hot favorite”. “Hot spot”, of course, is where the activities are. “Hot favorite” refers to someone who is very hot, i.e. favored to win, say, a competition. Hot money, in other words, goes to people’s favourite areas where a quick buck is to be made. | 
