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Tuesday, October 27, 2009

It's all about you



It's all about you
At Barclays Wealth International we look closely at what kind of investor you are before recommending the investment solutions that most closely suit your needs and aspirations.
Our advice can cover:
Offshore investments
Global investment
Savings rates
The effects of shifts in international and sterling interest rates
Euro investment opportunities and much more.
Barclays Wealth International offers a diverse range of actively and passively managed investment solutions. For example, three of our popular investment products are:
Enjoy up to 6% pa/AER¹ with the Barclays Wealth Investment Bonus Deposit
Your money will be invested in a 3 month term deposit earning a guaranteed rate of 1.5% pa/AER¹ with the potential to earn a bonus rate of 4.5% pa/AER¹ if, prior to maturity of the 3 month term deposit, you choose to invest your balance into a Barclays Wealth investment², but bear in mind you will not have ready access to your money during the term of the investment.
Available for deposits from £25,000 to £1 million
Investments will commit your savings for a term of typically 3 to 5 years and the value of your investment may fall as well as rise
Available in sterling for new deposits to Barclays Wealth³
Investment optionsWe offer a comprehensive range of investment products to choose from when you reach the end of the 3 month term deposit, including structured deposits that guarantee the repayment of your capital and may also offer fixed annual returns. However a suitable investment product may not be available for everyone.
Multi-Manager
Barclays Wealth is the premier Multi Manager service in the UK and one of the top three in Europe. It can benefit you by offering you a ‘one stop’ international investment solution to a diversified portfolio managed by highly skilled investment managers. You gain access to a team of dedicated investment professionals who actively manage your investment, giving you the benefit of innovative and sophisticated investment thinking, modeling and research within Barclays Wealth.
Five multi-asset portfolios are available, to suit different client profiles. Each designed to provide different levels of return:
Income
Cautious
Balanced
Growth
Adventerous Growth
Active modification of asset allocations as market conditions change
The expertise of leading investment managers, chosen through sophisticated qualitative and quantitative selection techniques
Access to investment expertise not usually available to private investors
Regular monitoring and replacing under-performing managers
Diversification across asset classes, markets, sectors and investment styles.
In addition, exchange traded funds, or ETFs, can be part of the mix to allow you a more diversified investment strategy.
Global Beta
Global Beta offers a range of globally diversified portfolios that invest in exchange traded funds, or ETFs. These are index-tracking global investment funds traded on global stock exchanges and which allow a diversified investment strategy. Our Global Beta portfolios each hold a number of different shares to provide a balance of risk and return. And as they simply track an index, the returns are not reliant on the performance of an active fund manager.
ETFs are not suitable for everyone. Their value can fall as well as rise and you

Would an offshore bank account with Barclays Wealth International be right for you?



Would an offshore bank account with Barclays Wealth International be right for you? Almost certainly, if one or more of the following applies to you:
You live outside your home country
You're a UK citizen who lives permanently outside the UK
Your life involves moving from country to country
You are looking for a safe haven for your money
You would like the advantages of an international bank account.
Barclays Wealth International provide foreign bank account services that give you access to and control over your finances wherever your life takes you. Whether your account is located in London, the Channel Islands, Gibraltar or the Isle of Man, banking offshore with Barclays Wealth International is safe and easy, providing you with hassle-free cross-border banking.
For example, if your adopted country uses euros, our international bank account would function just like a euro bank account, enabling you to perform transactions such as paying bills or sending money home quickly and easily.
Barclays international banking gives you benefits such as:
An international offshore account in a safe environment
Discounted online international payments
Potential tax planning advantages
Accounts available in sterling, US dollars or euros
International Telephone and Online Banking1

Sunday, September 20, 2009

The importance of banking


THIS MONTH WE FEATURE our first commercial banker on the cover. And it's no small bank, but a mammoth financial institution. With US$14 billion in deposits, Banco Itau is the No. 2 private-sector bank in Brazil.
Also in this issue, we look at the proposed banking reforms now under consideration in Mexico. Again, these are no small considerations, but a transformation that should bring the Mexican banking system in line with the kinds of corporate governance and transparency common to much of the industrialized world,
Finally, we are pleased to run a Final Thoughts by Domingo Cavallo, the economic minister of Argentina. He offers his insight into what it will take to turn around Argentina's beleaguered economy Chief among his proposals is to lower the reserve requirements for banks, and thereby increase lending.
While these three pieces appear, at first glance, to be about different subjects, they all really revolve around one central idea: In order to stimulate economic growth, you need a strong, aggressive banking system. It's not merely about fiscal soundness. Witness Mexico, which has significantly refurbished its banking system since the Tequila crisis of a few years ago. Yet lending in 2000 was less than in 1999, a bad indicator for future development.
What Latin America needs is more liquidity and the ability for its financial institutions to lend more readily to everyone from established businesses to start-up entrepreneurs. Without a radical improvement in lending practices, the region will never attain the kind of growth rates needed to create a critical mass of wealth--enough to engender a real middle class, as well as pull a substantial number of citizens out of poverty.
This seems obvious enough. Then what is keeping a lid on higher velocity lending? It comes down to three things.
First there is the issue of credit worthiness. Until just the last few years, there were few comprehensive databases on consumer and commercial credit. Loans, when offered, were made on the basis of personal relationships, rather than objective criteria. When credit bureaus become omnipresent, then a whole world of lending--including mortgage banking --becomes possible.
Second, there is the issue of collections, which goes hand-in-hand with creditworthiness. In some Latin nations--Venezuela being a great example--it is almost impossible to collect on bad loans. Debtors can tie up claims in courts for years, and even then the penalties are mild. This culture of non-payment freezes the blood of even the most aggressive bankers, and must be fundamentally changed.
Third, Latin America must undergo a further evolution of its corporate mentality. The predominance of family-owned enterprises is slowly giving way to publicly traded corporations, as M&As, IPOs and ADRs continue to transform closed companies into transparent ones. When fiscal accountability becomes the norm, rather than the exception, banks will be far more likely to loosen their purse strings.
The tragedy is how much more rapidly Latin America could have grown with a vibrant banking system. The triumph will come when the real energies of the region are realized--and released--by a thoroughly modern financial network. The good news is that it's not too late.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Offers cardmembers a collection of family tailored travel benifits and ways to save



American Express has launched Destination Family, a program that provides money-saving benefits, and offers specifically tailored to family travelers. Reportedly, it is exclusively available to American Express Cardmembers when booking travel through American Express Travel.
American Express has claimed that the program offers family-focused benefits with renowned hotel, tour, cruise line and car rental partners, such as kids stay and/or eat free, up to 50% off second hotel rooms, on-board cruise credits, free car seats, and a host of other amenities.
Participating partners include: Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, Omni Hotels & Resorts, American Express Vacations, Royal Caribbean International, Norwegian Cruise Line, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Avis, Budget and Hertz.
Audrey Hendley, vice president of marketing and strategic partnerships, Consumer Travel, American Express, said: "Family vacations are an important tradition that even in these tough economic times people do not want to give up and now they don't have to. We're hoping that this collection of family-friendly benefits and savings will help our Cardmembers afford that family vacation and enjoy it even more with extra amenities."

Monday, September 14, 2009

The Next Step for Microfinance



In an article entitled ‘The Next Step for Microfinance: Taking Deposits’ in a recent issue of Time magazine [1], writer Ms Barbara Kiviat highlights the importance of deposit taking in the field of microfinance or what has been referred to by some development experts as the “forgotten half of rural finance.” Ms Kiviat, a staff writer for Time magazine, reiterates the point that whilst microloans are important, the service that a lot of the poor need ‘more than business loans, is a safe place to save their money’.
The article observes that whilst ‘in most parts of the world anyone can make a loan, including the non-profits that trek into developing countries to reach people traditional financial institutions have ignored’, the provision of savings accounts and other banking products (which are typically heavily regulated) has not been as widespread.
The fact that there is a greater need among the poor for a ‘safe place to keep their money’ rather than a business loan is a view that is supported by many participants in the microfinance sector. Bank Rakyat [2] in Indonesia, for instance, is quoted to have 10 savers for every one borrower. “Low-income people need a variety of financial services,” says Mr Bob Christen, director of the financial services group at the Gates Foundation [3], which has given tens of millions of dollars in grants to savings initiatives. Data from a survey by Bank Rakyat suggests that in 30 percent of cases, micro-borrowers use funds for consumables and household needs, like school fees, home repairs and holiday expenses. The issue, as pointed out in the Time magazine article, is not that poor people don’t have savings, but that they tend to save in ‘hard-to-tap assets, like livestock and jewellery’. To free up cash, the solution is often to pawn possessions-and to pay someone a significant fee in the process.
The article in Time magazine goes on to observe that efforts have been made to make savings a viable product for some MFIs and accounts less costly to maintain. For instance, ‘agent-based banking’ in which financial services are delivered though existing institutions-like pharmacies and newsstands-is one key area of research as is mobile banking. In Kenya, Vodafone’s M-Pesa [4] has seen significant headway with its mobile-phone-based banking system, which includes a way to save. A number of traditional MFIs, many of which have evolved into formal banks, are also assigning renewed importance to gathering deposits. Grameen Bank [5] was quoted as an example and it is stated in the article that the well-established MFI recently relaxed its rules on savings accounts to better accommodate clients’ saving needs.
Ms Kiviat also makes reference to recent efforts by Oxfam America [6] which is stated to have been creating savings groups in villages in Mali, Cambodia, Senegal and El Salvador since 2005. Each group has about 20 members, almost all of whom are women. The members contribute a small amount of money each week, and then, from this pool of savings, on-lend sums to members who need loans. The program is based on a model that is not uncommon n the microfinance world-such groups are called ‘tandas’ in India and ‘tontines’ in West Africa. The program is designed to promote group independence, with Oxfam eventually reducing its involvement over time. Mr Jeffrey Ashe, Oxfam America’s director of community finance was quoted as stating ‘we’re creating autonomous groups and defining sustainability in a whole new way.’ In many ways it’s microfinance back to its roots-small, rural and community-based. Whether this also represents ‘the next step forward’ in microfinance, as stated in the Time magazine article, remains to be seen.
The role of savings in microfinance was also the subject of a recent blog by Mr Nicholas Kristof entitled ‘Putting the Microsavings in Microfinance’ in the New York Times [7]. The blog has attracted a variety of comments. A comment by the publisher of Microcapital and Microcapital.Org, Mr David Satterthwaite, is noteworthy. Mr Satterthwaite reiterates the views of many micro-bankers that the ’local intermediation of funds’ or the use of local savings deposits is an effective funding strategy for microbanks. However, he cautions that articles that attempt to discuss the issue of micro-savings run the risk of presenting a ‘false choice’ between credit and savings. Microbanks cannot offer savings products to clients unless they are also effective at providing microloans. As Mr Satterthwaite stated, ‘you cannot have savings without credit’ as loans are the major source of income for micro-banks where deposits ‘are on the other side of the ledger’ and are essentially an expense. It is important to note that micro-banks must generate the revenue necessary to safely manage deposits

Friday, September 11, 2009

Advantages of e-Banking System





E-BANKING system of Credy Banka has been constructed in order to greatly speed up and simplify business activities. Advantages of e-banking related to classic one are:
lowering to costs of transactions
faster turn-over
safe executions of payment operations
saving time
possibility of executing transactions from the working space
constant overview on the account balance and list of transactions E-Banking system of Credy Banka gives to its users using of following project solutions:
Working through FX Application (off-line application);
Working through WEB Application (on-line application);
Getting statements through e-mail;
Overview of the account balance through voice machine (VOICE).
Overview of the account balance through SMS messages Using of the above mentioned services allows using others.Fees for the payment operations of Credy Banka, for the payment orders sent through e-banking, are 15% lower. The Bank is obliged to provide users with Users' Package which includes installation CD, smart card, reader for smart card and users' manual.All the information of the E-BANKING system of Credy Banka, you can get on the following telephone number: +381 34 337 153.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

When people think regarding online



When people think regarding online they consider regarding the viral videos on YouTube and videos on various other video sharing sites. At the same time as viral video can cause ample traffic, it’s not the single way online video can promote one’s business.
An online video on one’s can construct one’s trustworthiness, draw viewers, convey a sales message, and keep clients coming back. Here are some tips for making efficient utilization of online videos on one’s business website.
Bring the viewers something constructive. A lot of people go online for the reason that they’re searching for information. If a person can give it to them, one will harvest the rewards. Customers will consider the person as a specialist in their field, keep in mind one’s business name, and maintain some trust for one’s company—one will provide the impression that one cares regarding his/her customers.
If the person is a contractor then he should do a video series on home repair methods which can vary anything from putting up a ceiling fan to re constructing and redesigning a bathroom. If a person is in retail, do a video series on how to plan an efficient window presentation or floor sales methods.
ECA – stands for Ephedrine, Caffeine and Aspirin. These 3 products can work as a team to synergise and produce a thermal effect of genes which can raise the metabolism of the one who has consumed it. Due to better metabolism rate there is better chances and enhanced rate of fat burning. make the consumer more alert and suppress the consumers’ appetite and also it gives more energy to the consumer.
Now one can just wake up in the morning and feel energized to do all the required work. Now one can wake up in the morning and do all his required work outs.
This is made up of quite rare herbal extracts. They are namely- ma huang herb, caffeine is from kola nut and rare green tea leaves. Aspirin though is extracted from bark of the white willow. Some very popular method like using the citrus aurantium i.e. bitter orange. This works as a very fine appetite suppressant. These suppressant works as a fat burning by enhancing the metabolism.
Now a person can easily say bye to his high urge to eat the high calorie and high fat containing food items. Using diet pills that work can then easily get rid of all his excessive bulging of extra fat layers and can easily achieve his desired or dreamed about look in which he can get leaner and meaner. No need to get stared by stranger for your bad figure body.
Just relax and eat .
Now go ahead and grab your own ECA