Category Archives: Investment

Investment

Checking & Savings, Financial, Financial Information, Financial Services, Investment, IRA, Money, Personal Finance, Retirement

Standard Life Announces That Economic Climate Could Force Retirement Rethink

Standard Life, the savings and investment specialist, has published new insight that suggests that the UK could be heading towards a perfect retirement storm; one in five (21%) of 45-65 year-olds who have financial plans in place to provide for their long term future no longer feel that their financial plans will support them into the future. Six per cent in this age group who aren’t already retired don’t think they will ever be able to retire, equating to over three quarters of a million people.

Of those who have financial plans in place to provide for their long term future, 64% of 45-65s feel confident that their financial plans will support their future post retirement. Twenty-one per cent of these adults no longer feel their plans will support them into the future, with a further 10% having never felt confident. Thirty-seven per cent of 45-65s have no financial plans in place for their long-term future; yet 72% of people currently aged between 45 and 65 who aren’t retired think they will retire between 61 and 70 years old.

John Lawson, Head of Pensions Policy at Standard Life said: “The current financial crisis has brought into sharp focus the need to make and review appropriate plans. This will clearly be challenging but there are many things you can do to make your retirement years as secure as possible.”

As part of the Changing Face of Retirement research, Standard life has published a list of top tips to help people re-engage with their financial planning, which includes seeking professional advice, continually reviewing financial goals, making a clear plan, reviewing investments, considering deferment of the state pension and increasing savings. Also included in Standard Life’s top tips is to claim tax-relief, as Standard Life estimates that 300,000 people are not claiming this currently.

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Standard Life Reveals Inflation Can Reduce A Retiree’s Purchasing Power By 68%

Standard Life, the savings and investment specialist, has warned that the effects of inflation can seriously damage one’s retirement wealth. New data released today shows that a 90-year-old who retired in 1981, when petrol cost 35p a litre, would have seen the purchasing power of a £10,000-a-year level pension income fall to just £3,207 today.

John Lawson, Head of Pensions Policy at Standard Life said: “Inflation can have a huge impact on the purchasing power of your retirement income. As people are living longer, retirement income needs to go that much further, with a 60-year-old man retiring today living on average for another 26

years.

“Our research shows that 57% of people do recognise that an income keeping pace with inflation is attractive. But currently, and somewhat inevitably, the majority go for the higher starting income of a level annuity, leaving only 3% choosing an inflation linked annuity. This is perhaps understandable given that annuity rates have reached record lows and level annuities start at a higher rate than their inflation linked alternatives.

“People approaching retirement need to consider their own personal inflation rate may be higher in the future than that of the average person in the UK due to the types of products and services they will consume. After 10 years in retirement, a 60-year-old man who had purchased a RPI linked annuity with a fund of £100,000 could achieve a higher annual income than someone who had purchased a level annuity.”

An example provided by the data shows the purchasing power in today’s money of a £100,000 pension fund being used by a 60-year-old man retiring in October 2011 to purchase a level or RPI-linked annuity. Various rates of inflation are shown over a 30-year period. If inflation averaged 7% over a ten-year period, the then 70-year old man would begin to receive a higher annual retirement income than if he had purchased a level annuity.

Please note in this example the level annuity receives a higher starting income than the RPI-linked version. At year 10, with inflation at 7%, there is a crossover when the RPI-linked annuity annual income exceeds the level annuity annual income. At year 22, the total payments from the RPI-linked annuity exceed the total payments from the level annuity.

Lawson concluded: “Low inflation has persisted for the last 15 years or so, but there is no guarantee that it will continue. Rising world demand for food and fuel, without a similar increase in supply, has seen prices for the basics rocket. People retiring today need to consider that they will still need to pay for food, fuel and other essentials for a long time into the future and that these basic items are likely to cost a lot more in 10 year’s time than they do today.

“There are many options to consider at retirement which could minimise the impact of inflation on your income, so seeking financial advice is vital.”

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Business Monitor International Highlights The Risks Of Turkey’s Tough Stance Towards Israel

Business Monitor International (BMI) has released the latest special report, “Turkey: A Decisive Break from the West?” analysing Turkey’s profound transformation as it adopts an increasingly assertive role in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean.

With Turkey’s position as one the world’s most strategically important countries and a major emerging economy, its evolving political dynamics are of global importance. A shift in Turkey’s foreign policy and a move towards authoritarian rule is strainings its relationship with Israel and could, potentially, damage those with its NATO allies at a time when the attraction of EU membership – a cornerstone of government policy for close to a decade – is clearly waning. According to BMI, Turkey’s tough stance towards Israel is clearly aimed at winning support from Arab countries as the country’s leadership looks to establish its position as a key player in the Middle East. Although Turkey is unlikely to leave NATO, it will increasingly be viewed as an unreliable ally in European capitals.

On a global basis BMI recognises Turkey as best-positioned among the non-BRICemerging market economies to become a major power over the coming years, thanks to its large economy, population, and military, growing ties with the Middle East and Russia, and its critical strategic location between continents. The report analyses potential strategic partnerships of the future if Turkey was to move away from its traditional Western allies and compete more directly with Iran and Egypt.

Moreover, “Turkey: A Decisive Break From The West?” assesses the impact of a new foreign policy on already strained relationship with the European Union and the probability of Turkey’s potential EU accession in context of Ankara’s attempts to nurture greater political and economic influence in the Middle East and irreconcilable relationship with Cyprus.

BMI’s portfolio of products provides comprehensive analysis across Turkey’s industries and enables global investors, emerging market strategists and decision-makers across the corporate spectrum to assess and evaluate global political and economic risks and aid strategic planning activities over the short, medium and long term.

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Who Buys Masterseek.com?

The B2B search giant has been in the news recently as rumors are ripe that it will be acquired by another technology company. There are rumors that Masterseek lies in negotiation with Yandex, the Russian search engine giant, recently listed in Ney York Stock Engine for more than 5 billion USD. There has been no official announcement as yet either from Masterseek or from Yandex about this supposed acquisition of Masterseek by Yandex. But trade analysts believe that a partnership between these two companies will be mutually beneficial for their business interests and also to the share holders.

Masterseek has a market value of over $ 275 million in terms of equities and trade analyst believe that acquiring it will give the share holders of a company, $ 300 million dollars in profit. This has made it interesting as many IT companies, venture capitalist, both in US and outside the US, are competing to acquire it for increasing their share values and also for getting a firm grip in the US search engine market.

Masterseek founded in the year, 1999 in Denmark, by Rasmur Refer. Their current headquarters is at Ney York City in Wall Street. It is believed to handle ninety thousand B2B searches on a daily basis. Also, on 30 th of October, 2008, Masterseek announced that they have acquired the B2B search engine Accoona, which has been quite successful in the countries of US and China. It was initially launched in 2004 and at that time, the former US president, Bill Clinton was its spokesperson. This acquisition has helped Masterseek in improving profitability of the shareholders and since then it has attracted many potential buyers who are looking to enter the US market.

“It is correct that we are open for bids but are in no hurry as we can make an alternative IPO as early as Q1 or Q2 2012,” says Rasmus Refer, the CEO of Masterseek. Experts in the financial environment had estimated that Masterseek can get a market capitalization of up to 450 million USD at an IPO on Nasdaq. So, they are in no hurry to get into a deal with any company, they are looking at their options and thinking if they should consider bids for acquisition or strengthen their business module through IPO. Due to the recent success of Linkelin IPO, we think that they might go for an IPO if they do not get any favorable offers. In all conditions and circumstances, we do feel that their share holders are bound to make a decent amount of profit in the long run.

If any company or venture capitalists want to buy Masterseek, they will need to offer a business deal that the management at Masterseek cannot resist and we feel that Yandex does have the ability at this moment to offer such a deal. Due to the success of their IPO recently they have a lot of surplus cash and they have hinted that they are looking at acquisitions option to capitalize on it.

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Saxo Bank Reveals Leaders And Laggards Of The Q3 Earnings Season

Saxo Bank has released a new video examining the leaders and laggards of the Q3 earnings season.

With more than 20 percent of the benchmark S&P 500 companies having reported their results, the new video with Peter Garnry, Equity Strategist at Saxo Bank, not only looks at the leaders and laggards of the season but also what common threads, if any, there are across sectors.

The new equity video particularly focuses on the far reaching consequences of the Eurozone crisis on banking and financial entities plus the apparent invincibility (at least for now) of companies in the energy and technology sectors to the slowing economic growth of several key economies around the globe.

Peter Garny said: “We have said several times that we’re in favour of technology and energy stocks and this earnings season so far has proven that those two sectors are the fastest growing in terms of sales and profits.

“Going forward, we’re still positive on energy and technology stocks and relying on those two sectors due to their flexibility in terms of their operating model; they generate a lot of free cash flow and they have a very flexible balance sheet because they have a very low debt-to-equity ratio and the prices are very favourable.”

In the video he also looks at the biggest earnings surprise so far from Caterpillar, which is benefitting largely from a mining boom driven primarily by China’s demand for industrial metals and other mined materials used in manufacturing.

Peter likens the overall lack of expression and visibility concerning 2012 earnings outlooks as akin to radio silence with very few companies daring to speak up, and some actually even avoiding guidance on the fourth quarter despite relatively reliable revenues.

“Most of the companies are unable to give investors any guidance on where they see even the fourth quarter going. A lot of the companies are reporting very close to zero visibility on how their sales are coming in and we saw that Pepsi Co. couldn’t even say anything about 2012; they deferred and said they would give guidance on 2012 in mid-December. That’s a consumer stable company – they have pretty stable sales so that says a lot about the environment we live in now.”

Peter concluded by saying the industrial sector will be one to watch over the next quarter, as well as re-affirming the strength of the energy and technology sectors.

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Business Monitor International Analyses Russia’s Record-Breaking Year Of Oil Production

Business Monitor International (BMI) has published its latest Russia Oil & Gas Report, which highlights the record-breaking year of oil production. Following a post-Soviet oil output high of 10.3mn barrels per day (b/d) in September 2011, Russia maintained its position ahead of Saudi Arabia as the world’s largest oil producer. Although oil production has risen rapidly in recent years, BMI evaluates whether Russia will be able to surpass the 11mn b/d mark any time soon.

According to BMI, Russia will remain the world’s largest gas exporter for the foreseeable future, but an increasing share of production will have to come from outside the country’s traditional gas heartland of West Siberia, with output from new fields offsetting declining volumes from existing areas.

The report provides key forecasts and in-depth analysis of the Russia oil and gas market including major indicators for oil, gas and LNG, covering reserves, production, consumption, refining capacity, prices, export volumes and values. The report includes full analysis of industry trends, prospects and projects, oil and gas infrastructure and changes in the regulatory environment. It also features a competitive landscape of the oil and gas sector focusing on key national and multinational companies in Russia.

Although Russia will continue to dominate oil supply in the region, backed by huge and under-exploited reserves, BMI expects Caspian states to increase their contribution significantly. The acceleration of new production capacity offshore Azerbaijan and, especially, Kazakhstan will cement the region’s importance to efforts to expand global oil output to meet rising demand from Emerging States.

BMI’s portfolio of products and services provides comprehensive analysis of the global oil and gas industry and enables industry professionals, strategists, sector analysts and investors to identify key market opportunities and avoid market risks wherever they operate.

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Gold Can Help You Overcome Financial Problems

Items made from gold and other precious metals such as silver and platinum could be some of the most valuable resources you have in these troubled financial times. Unlike stocks, bonds, mutual funds, 401Ks, real estate and other collectibles these items are actually gaining in value while everything else seems to be in decline.

Prices are Better than Ever

Gold is increasing in price both as a commodity and as a raw material for jewelry and other uses. In fact the demand for gold as a raw material is higher than ever so a wide variety of companies are paying more for it than ever before. This why it is now very easy to sell gold in Oceanside, NY, the buyers know that they can get a good price for it so they will purchase it.

This means that a person should be able to sell any sort of gold that he or she has in his or her home including scrap gold, bars, coins, jewelry, broken jewelry, chains, antiques and collectibles. It also means that it is now possible to sell even lower grade gold such as 10 karat items for a good price.

It is also easier than ever to sell gold long distance. There are several companies including Gold Cash that now pay a very high price for items sent in.

The higher prices also mean that it is easier than ever to pawn gold . Pawnbrokers are willing to loan more on it because the amount of the pawn loan is usually 60% of the item’s value. If the item is worth more you will receive more when you pawn it.

Anybody who is facing any sort of financial difficulty should check his or her home or safety deposit box for items made of precious metals like gold. This can include a wide variety of items including antiques, collectibles, coins and watchcases. Items that contain diamonds will be worth more than plain jewelry.

If you are unsure whether an item is made of gold bring it in or send it in. The professionals at companies like the Gold Standard will be happy to examine it free of charge and tell you what you have. That way you can put a little extra cash in your pocket or your bank account.

Remember you run now risk when you visit a pawnbroker or gold buyer they will keep your visit confidential and they might be able to help you with the extra funds that you need. We all know that extra money will come in handy these days.

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Standard Life Plc Joins Top 10% Of Companies In The World

Standard Life plc is pleased to announce it has earned a place in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) for the first time, joining the ranks of the top 10% of sustainable companies in world.

This placement in the Index reflects a strong and steady increase in Standard Life’s sustainability credentials over the past few years. Membership of the DJSI World Index is widely recognised as being an impartial and definitive measure of sustainability. Membership shows a good performance across a wide range of sustainability measures. However, Standard Life’s score was particularly strong in the areas of stakeholder engagement, corporate citizenship and philanthropy, brand management, labour practice and for its environmental management system.

Last year Standard Life plc entered the Dow Jones Sustainability European Index for the first time. Several new initiatives over the last 12 months – to strengthen relationships with customers, further reduce Standard Life’s environmental impact and to invest in the community – have now earned it a place among the best in the world, alongside companies such as Roche, BMW, Pearsons and Swiss Re.

Graeme McEwan, Group Director of Communications at Standard Life, commented: “Sustainability is vital to Standard Life and something we take very seriously. So we are proud of this achievement – we’re one of only 16 companies in our sector, from across the world, to have made it into the 2011 World Index.

“One of our most improved areas was around customer relationship management. In the past year we have set up a website, Standard Life Listens, to provide a forum to exchange views and help our customers learn more about Standard Life. Listening and responding to customers is at the heart of our business strategy and our brand, so it’s great to achieve an improved score in this area.”

Having a trusted, differentiated and preferred brand is also vital to Standard Life. It is a strategic business imperative and the way the brand is being managed has also contributed to a strong sustainability score.

McEwan explained: “We support customers by regular analysis of their needs, the choices they make and how our products are working for them. Through this insight we are able to develop relevant and innovative products, and ensure we communicate their benefits in a way that our customers easily understand. This is something we are now doing across our group.”

The work of the Standard Life Charitable Trust (SLCT) – an independent charity established by Standard Life – also helped to increase Standard Life’s sustainability score. The vision of the trust is to benefit society by building capability and supporting independence. It is focused on supporting people most in need of developing skills to manage their finances. The Trust is currently working on three key projects; with the Royal British Legion to develop and deliver a new strategy that aims to improve financial capability within the Armed Forces; Shelter, the housing and homelessness charity, to fund three telephone advisers who can offer advice and support via Shelter’s helpline to anyone who is at risk of losing their home and Grand Central Savings, a Scottish Charity that offers financial services to people who are socially and financially excluded, by providing access to banking facilities and offering advice and assistance to people who cannot access or benefit from mainstream banking.

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Demand for Gold and Gold Jewelry Constantly Increasing

The demand for gold and gold jewelry is constantly increasing and that’s good news for average Americans who need extra cash. The reason it is good news for average people is that it means it will be easier than ever to sell gold in Oakland Gardens.

Even though the demand for investment or commodity gold and gold investments such as exchange traded funds is down the demand, for jewelry gold keeps increasing. It is really strong because people in India and China are buying more gold than ever. Much of the jewelry sold here is smelted down and sent over there. That’s good news for you because gold buyers can now afford to pay a better price than ever before.

Although the price of gold in the newspaper is falling, the price in your neighborhood could still be going up. The buyers still want to buy your jewelry and they’re willing to pay good price for it. New stores are opening all over the New York area and the mail-in buyers are paying more than ever before.

This means that now is a great time to clean out your jewelry box, safe or safety deposit box. Why keep paying to store what you don’t want when you could sell it for cash?

The huge demand for this metal means that buyers are willing to purchase items they would not have looked at just a few years ago. They are willing to buy scrap gold, gold dust, broken jewelry, chains, even old watchcases. Any item you have that you think might be made of gold, silver or platinum could be worth money. They are also willing to purchase lower karat gold including items that are 10 karats or less.

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Prudential Reports Britons Favour Spending On Holidays Over Saving For Retirement

Prudential has revealed that nearly three million working age adults will prioritise going on holiday over continuing to save for their retirement as their finances are squeezed.

The survey asked non-retired adults in the UK to outline their spending priorities when faced with a reduction in monthly expenditure as incomes are frozen for many and living costs increase.

Prudential’s research also found that an estimated 2.5 million Britons (or 10 per cent of those who have started saving for retirement would, if forced to make the choice, continue to spend money on nights out with friends and trips to the cinema ahead of maintaining payments into their pensions.

In a similar vein, more than 2 million would choose clothes shopping or going to the hairdresser ahead of payments into their retirement savings.

The figures highlight how saving for retirement is less of a priority for many in the current financial climate. Having previously revealed that more than 1 in 3 non-retired UK adults have no private or company pension, Prudential’s research has also found that almost a quarter wait until they are 31 years old before paying anything into a pension.

Vince Smith Hughes, Head of Business Development at Prudential, said: “Given the choice, many of us would opt for the immediate benefits of a holiday or a night out with our friends over saving for retirement. However, I’m sure we would all like to be able to continue topping up our tans occasionally or going out for meals after we have retired. So it is really important to strike a balance and keep building up a pension that can support the lifestyle we want to have in later life.

“As people tighten their belts it is important to think about the long-term impact of financial decisions and spending patterns. Those looking to maximise their retirement income should start saving as much as possible as early as possible in their working lives. Even small contributions can make a significant difference to a pension if invested early. And a consultation with a professional financial adviser will help you make the right long-term and short-term financial decisions.”

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Business Monitor International Warns Of China’s Economic Slowdown

Business Monitor International (BMI) has released the latest special report, “China 2012: From Miracle To Meltdown” outlining a case for a severe growth collapse in China driven by declining money supply growth rate, accelerating inflation and external slowdown with a threat of a double dip recession in the US.

According to BMI, the bearish outlook for China’s economy is more credible now than at any point in recent history. With China’s housing market exhibiting characteristics typically seen at the end of a bubble, a steep drop in house prices as developers offload inventory would pose a risk of a cash crunch to businesses operating in China, especially property developers and small and medium enterprises (SMEs). As the repayment capacity of loans given to local government investment vehicles increasingly comes under threat, BMI also expects a pronounced correction in investment spending and instability in China’s banking sector.

From banking sector exposure and weak fiscal and monetary position, the report also focuses on China’s consumer market and its ability to shoulder the burden of growth should Chinese export growth fall due to a weakening US dollar and lower import demand from the US and Europe.

Moreover “China 2012: From Miracle to Meltdown” assesses the impact of a Chinese hard landing on the regional economy. While no country would be immune from a Chinese hard landing, BMI argues that Australia is most precariously positioned to suffer the consequences of this severe economic slowdown. A Chinese hard landing would push the Australian economy over the edge, likely ushering in a recession and potentially triggering a financial crisis.

Given the importance of China to the global economy, the report enables global investors, strategists and decision-makers across the corporate spectrum to identify business growth opportunities, avoid market risks and aid strategic planning activities over the short, medium and long term.

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Prudential Reveals More Than A Third Put Their Pension Savings On Hold

Prudential has revealed new research which shows more than a third (35 per cent) of British adults who are yet to retire have stopped paying into their pension pots.

The results of the nationwide study show that one in three (33 per cent) of those who have put pension payments on hold have done so because they are out of work, while over a quarter (27 per cent) say that they can no longer afford the contributions.

More than two-fifths (43 per cent) of those who have stopped paying into their pensions do not plan to start again, despite the long-term impact it will have on their retirement income.

Prudential’s calculations show that irregular contributions could reduce the values of savers’ pensions by thousands of pounds. In fact, a saver who misses a year of gross contributions of £2,400 could see their final pension fund reduced by £7,000*.

Vince Smith-Hughes, head of business development at Prudential, said: “Tightening your belt when times are hard is sometimes necessary, and putting pension contributions on hold might seem an easy way to save money; however, neglecting pensions today means throwing money away tomorrow, as savers will miss out on perks, such as tax relief and employer contributions.

“Abandoning your pension pot really should be a last resort when times are tough. By getting into the routine of saving into a pension as early as possible, savers will be able to ensure the comfortable retirement that they deserve.”

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Standard Life Reveals Financial Commitments As Significant As Key Emotional Relationships

Financial commitments are as significant as key emotional relationships for people in the UK, according to research from Standard Life. It found that many would liken the majority of their regular financial commitments to the kind of relationship they have with their partner or spouse. Over three quarters (81%) of people paying into a pension view their relationship with their pension in this way and almost half (47%) of gym-goers liken their membership to a ‘husband or wife’ relationship too.

Standard Life’s full ‘Your Commitments, Your Future‘ report can be found at www.knowyourcommitments.co.uk and defines how financial and relationship commitments change during a lifetime. It also investigates the different attitudes people have to different kinds of commitments. It found that while most consider their regular financial commitments, such as paying bills or contributing to a pension, to be significant, on average people spend much more time thinking about their relationship commitments instead.

Other findings include:
– Over three quarters of men (77%) who pay a mortgage are most likely to liken the relationship to the same as with a spouse, rising to four out of five women (83%).
– Three in five men (59%) who have paid-for TV admit that they view their subscription as most like a ‘husband and wife’ relationship.
– While the longest relationship people in the UK have tends to be with a partner or spouse, their longest financial commitment is held for just two years less on average over their lifetime.
– The longest relationship for adults aged 18 to 24 is with a financial product, (two years and ten months, six months more than their longest relationship with a partner).
– Men and women who have a partner spend just 50 minutes a day thinking about their partner and just over half an hour (37 minutes) a day thinking about the financial commitments we listed.

John Lawson from Standard Life commented: “Our financial and relationship commitments change throughout our life and understanding how they are linked is essential when planning for the future. Our research found that although our financial commitments are significant, we devote less time and attention to them than our emotional relationships.

” We’ve identified three core commitment life stages, so people can see where they are in the financial and emotional commitment cycle. In that way, they are in a better place to plan their finances for the future and feel confident about what lies ahead.”

Psychologist Professor Janet Reibstein who worked with Standard Life on the report said: “An interesting aspect of this research is that people regard financial and emotional commitments as separate entities to be treated differently. Yet if people understand that financial and emotional commitments are linked, then they will be able to align their commitments with their aspirations.”

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How To Sell Gold In Floral Park

Now is the best time to sell your gold since the prices are at a record high. Because of the high prices of gold today, there is also an increase in the number of gold buyers. Also contributing to the increase in number of gold buyers is the fact that it is easy to join the business these days. With the proper licenses, you can just set up show anywhere you like. You only need to have a license as a pawn broker or as a second-hand dealer to get started in the business.

But while it’s a good time to sell your gold – be it jewelry pieces or coins – there are gold buyers out there who are only out to make fast and easy money on you. Gold is an expensive item, and people will do anything to have a piece of it. Many gold buyers don’t have your interest in their mind. If you want to sell gold in Floral Park, be sure you know where the legitimate gold traders are.

The gold buy-and-sell business is simple and quick. Just go there and sell your piece of gold, get paid and leave. But that’s only when you don’t aim for the highest value for your gold piece. If you want best possible selling price of your gold, invest time and effort, don’t allow yourself to be taken for a ride.

One golden piece of advice you should heed is to avoid falling for infomercials that promise to make it easier for you. A tragic mistake many people make is to believe in these infomercials as if they are gospel truths and deal his gold without research into the prevailing prices of gold.

In fact, a piece of jewelry oftentimes carries a value higher than its gold content. A 100-year-old watch, for example, can guarantee you a price that is much higher than its gold content.

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Saxo Bank Continues International Expansion With New Office In Moscow

Saxo Bank, the online trading and investment specialist today announced the opening of a new representative office in Moscow in order to respond to growing demand by Russia’s sophisticated investor base.

The opening of the Moscow office is a strategic move by online trading specialist to strengthen and expand its position as a leading provider of online trading and investment solutions. The office will act as a broker boutique offering Russian investors a broad list of exchanges and instruments available through Saxo Bank’s award winning trading platform.

There have been promising developments in Russia this year, with retail sales growth accelerating in August reaching 7.8% year on year (y/y). Unemployment declined whilst real wage growth picked up to 3.9% y/y which has filtered through to every segment from discount to luxury. Consumers’ increasing maturity and sophistication has increased the HNW sector of the market and thus stimulated their risk appetite and desire for better returns, which fits Saxo Bank’s investor profile.

The Moscow office will be headed by newly appointed COO Igor Dombrovan, who said: “Sustainable success is driven by customer focus, and the new representative office will enable us to have greater access to clients in Russia. The Russian retail market has demonstrated solid growth rates over the last several years, making the sector one of the most actively developing markets in the economy. This has been fuelled by growth in the overall economy, growing consumption and an increasingly organised marketplace. The new office will enable us to further support and educate this growing market with its highly sophisticated investor base.”

Kim Fournais and Lars Seier Christensen, co-founders and CEOs of Saxo Bank, said in a joint statement: “While opening an office in Moscow is a strategic decision to support our European expansion and growth strategy, it has always been a priority for Saxo Bank. Russia has always been a good market for Saxo Bank because Russian clients are highly sophisticated investors. The new office will enable us to provide a more comprehensive on-the-ground service to clients and potential clients in the region.”

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ForexTrading.net Releases New Videographic on the Forex Market

ForexTrading.net, a new online forex magazine is aiming to keep users updated with all the latest happenings in the world of forex trading, through a videographic that has been published on the site.

The new videographic will give users of the site an overview of the forex trading market, and can even be embedded into users’ personal websites or blogs where it can be shared with other interested internet users.

Recent years have seen a number of changes in the forex trading market; not only has the number of people who trade in this manner shot up, but the way in which trading occurs is constantly evolving as well. For instance, in 2010 alone, cross-border trading transactions constituted 65% of trading activity. This implies the power of technology and its effects on the forex market.There has also been a rapidly growing disparity in algorithmic trading versus manual trading. In 2004, algorithmic trading only ranked at 2% of all trades, however in 2010 it comprised 45% of the trading share. Similarly the global foreign exchange market turnover was 20% higher in April 2010 than in 2007, with average daily turnover of 4 trillion USD compared to 3.3 trillion USD. As such, it’s very important for forex traders and internet users who follow the market to keep updated, and ForexTrading.net videographics will allow users to learn about forex in a manner that’s informative yet fun, and share their findings as well.

Nanna Arnadottir, editor at ForexTrading.net said: “The forex trading industry has some great news and commentary sites, but it can be a bit starved of interesting blogs with real quality content. That’s what we’re aiming for with ForexTrading.net, that and a bit of personality, which I think the videographic really provides.

It’s a fun way to take in a lot of facts and you can share it or post it on your own blog, so everyone is a winner.”

Via EPR Network
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TradingFloor.com Releases New Video Commenting On Eurozone Crisis

TradingFloor.com has released a new video featuring Steen Jakobsen, chief economist at Saxo Bank, warning that solutions to the Eurozone debt problems need to be found before the Cannes G-20 Summit in November.

The new video highlights the sense of urgency for a solution to Eurozone problems, which has increased with market reaction clearly indicating intolerance with the current pace of progress, especially of late concerning the ratification of the 21 July changes to the European Financial Stability Facility and a solution for Greece.

Jakobsen mentions that there are some significant steps to take these days like key Eurozone member votes on EFSF ratification. Despite previously strong opposition to further rescue measures for troubled Eurozone members, anything but ratification is unlikely, says Steen. The Slovenian and German parliament has already given its thumbs up with Finland and Austria expected to follow suit by the end of the week. Though once approved by all member states this supposed knight in shining armour will not be able to ride easily to the rescue of failing nations. Unanimous (not majority) votes are required for decisions – like expansions of the facility – to be passed.

Meanwhile, talk about the concept of a European Investment Bank leveraging on the EFSF to ring-fence European banks from any fallout from the EU debt crisis, is hardly seen as a band aid but rather a ploy which will hardly solve anything, according to Steen.

Steen likens Greece’s attempts at new austerity packages as an attempt to save the troubled nation at the goal line. With 99 per cent probability of default then talk of saving Greece is actually quite comical, he says. Meanwhile, austerity fatigue is apparent as evidenced by more strikes across Athens. Ultimately Greece needs debt forgiveness and a clean slate but a free-ticket to safety would hardly go down well with other troubled Eurozone nations. Nevertheless, Greece has become kind of a scapegoat due to increased talk of contagion (which is not an economic concept but rather a policymakers’ excuse for not doing what needs to be done domestically). Contagion or not, it doesn’t change the fact that there is no way out for Greece other than default, concluded Steen.

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TradingFloor.com Releases Video On The Federal Open Market Committee Meeting

TradingFloor.com, the home of Saxo Bank’s trading commentary, financial research and analysis, has released a video discussing the Federal Open Market Committee meeting (FOCM).

With the deterioration in the US economic outlook being further cemented by recent disappointing macro data, there is now mounting expectation that the Federal Reserve will once again come to the rescue and kick-start the world’s largest economy. Therefore, all eyes are set to be on the latest Federal Open Market Committee meeting and what will or won’t be decided in terms on new monetary stimulus.

The latest FOCM meeting has been extended to a two day meeting to allow for further discussions. The last meeting saw an extension of low rates until 2013, and Steen Jakobsen, chief economist at Saxo Bank, believes that the next step will be an Operation Twist Light.

Back in the 60s, The Operation Twist, meant that people sold short term bonds and bought long term bonds, which was seen as a twist, hence the name. This time this will not be possible, because the rates have already been lowered. This means only the long end part of the equation will be executed, with long term bonds being bought. However, Steen doesn’t think this will be a lot for the market in the long term.

This alone is not going to be enough to turn it around. Steen believes that the market always likes to be promised something new, which means President Obama will need to balance the delivery of the Operation Twist Light and throw in something new as well.

Steen also comments that the situation in Europe will have an effect on the timing of any announcements from the US. While it is clear that the US realise the situation in Europe is not good for the US, Steen believes that the Federal Reserve will ultimately do what is the best for the US.

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Prudential Reveals One In Three UK Workers Don’t Have A Pension

Prudential has revealed that more than one in three (35 per cent) workers in the UK admit that they don’t have a pension, meaning that they will have to rely on the State Pension and any savings in retirement.

The survey of 1,600 working adults also found that those who do contribute to a company or private pension pay in an average of 6.2 per cent of their annual incomes. Women are far less likely to save for their retirement with 41 per cent saying they do not have a pension, compared with 29 per cent of men.

To make matters worse for those who do not save into a pension fund, as well as facing a sharp drop in income at retirement, they are also missing out on significant tax relief during their working lives. Office of National Statistics figures suggest that the average worker in the UK earns nearly £1 million over the course of their working lives. An individual making the average pension contribution of 6.2 per cent of this income could receive a total of more than £15,000 in pension tax relief.

While the average tax relief on pension contributions is £334 per year for a person paying the basic rate of tax, higher rate taxpayers stand to lose substantially more by not paying into a pension scheme.

Vince Smith-Hughes, head of business development at Prudential, said: “Failing to save into a pension means not only having to rely solely on the State Pension in retirement, but also missing out on the ‘free money boosts’ which come with pensions, such as tax relief and employer contributions.

“Making regular pension contributions is a vital part of securing a comfortable retirement. Although saving for retirement may not be a priority for young people, the more money which is stashed away from an early age, the more likely that significant rewards will be reaped later in life.

“When coupled with the benefits of any additional employer contributions or gains through fund performance, a pension is the best way of saving for retirement, for many people. In order to maximise pension benefits, to understand the impact of tax relief, and ultimately to secure a decent retirement income, it’s important to seek professional financial advice.”

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ATX GROUP Announces Expanded Focus On Ultra Wealthy Clients

Following the successful launch of its special trading facilities, ATX GROUP today announced it will look to grow its advisor population that focuses on ultra-high net worth clients through a dedicated effort branded under the ATX GROUP Private Wealth Management name.

ATX GROUP’s well established Private Wealth Management division creates a strong platform for individuals and families of significant means. These clients have highly specialized wealth management and private banking requirements which we are uniquely positioned to fulfill,” said Joseph Black, President of ATX GROUP.

Led by Alexander Hutton, Managing Director, ATX GROUP Private Wealth Management will bring together approximately 25 highly trained private wealth advisors who will deliver a unique range of wealth management, asset management, private banking, capital markets and investment banking services to ultra-wealthy individuals and families in Asia, The Americas, Europe and Australia.

“The firm has been committed to providing a differentiated client experience, superior market intelligence and access to innovative solutions from leading investment specialists from around the world. Our organization will give us even more resources that we can bring to bear as strategic partners for our clients,” Mr. Hutton said.

ATX GROUP, a global leader in wealth management, provides access to a wide range of products and services to individuals, businesses and institutions, including brokerage and investment advisory services, financial and wealth planning, credit and lending, cash management, annuities and insurance, retirement and trust services.

ATX GROUP is a leading global financial services firm providing a wide range of investment banking, securities, investment management and wealth management services. The Firm’s employees serve clients worldwide including corporations, governments, institutions and individuals from four continents.

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