Real Estate Listing in 237 US Cities, Value Starter Homes at $1 Million or Higher

affordanle starter homesZillow, the tech-based US real estate marketplace recently reported that typical starter homes in around 237 cities in the country are valued at $1 million or higher. The prices are way above the amount that an average American homebuyer can afford to pay for a starter home, which Zillow categorizes as a real property in a given region that is priced in the lowest third of house values.

More than half of the 237 US cities with $1 million worth starter homes are situated in California. New York and New Jersey have respectively 31 and 24 cities with pricey starter homes.

The new Zillow report states that the cost of houses has been rising ever since the pandemic as a result of growing demand, housing shortage and increasing inflation. According to Zillow, between 2019 and 2024, starter homes valued at $1 million were listed for sale in 84 US cities only. Today, more than 200 US cities have pricey starter homes valued at $1 million or higher. As a result, many first time, median income buyers had to shelve plans of buying even a starter home that Zillow describes as having a comfortable and affordable price of $196,611 on a national level.

Increase in Home Inventory Can Hold Down the Real Estate Market’s Median Price

increae in number of affordable homesU.S. realtors are saying that changes are about to take place since smaller and comfortably priced homes up for sale in the market have been growing in numbers. After all, rising inventory can help hold down the median price of real estate, since buyers will have more negotiating power by having more options.

France Avoided Recession as Services Sector Surged and Quelled the Economic Contraction

money French economyLast year, France faced threats of recessions due a 0.1% economic contraction in the first 3 months of the 4th quarter, but was able to quel the recession before year 2023 ended. According to a survey report released by Bank of France, the country was able to narrowly dodge the recession after the services sector resulted in a 0.1% Gross Domestic Product expansion during the final month of the last quarter.

The French Central Bank’s survey report also indicated that the nation can expect economic growth in 2024, as inflation levels are expected to go down in the coming months ahead. However, France is still anticipating risks that can impact economic growth in light of the growing social unrest and of the ongoing Ukraine war.

Nevertheless, the government is taking proactive steps in reforming the economy to help boost and sustain long term increases in production and services, while utilising fewer resources like human labour. That way, the country can avoid another contraction that will adversely impact its potential economic growth.

Facts about France’s Economic Sectors and How They Helped the Nation Return to Growth

In light of France’s successful rebound to economic growth, the nation still holds the world record for being the 7th largest and also the 2nd largest economy in Europe. The country’s main services industries include transport, financial services, health care, wholesa;e and retail trading, education and real estate.

ThFrance's service sectorsose industries make up the biggest service sectors of the French economy, which account for 79% of the total Gross Domestic Products. Other industries like agriculture and tourism account for 19 percent.

Actually, France’s agricultural sector accounts for only 2% of GDP. Yet the value of the country’s agricultural exports is substantial as France still ranks 2nd as one of the world’s top exporters of agri-products.

Tourism is another significant services sector as the country is recognised as the world’s most visited country. It owes its reputation for being the leading tourist destination across the globe for more than 30 years, to its rich natural resources and the legacies of its national heritage; particularly the French Gothic architectural style of its buildings.

Not to forget to mention among the country’s main tourist attractions include the endearing hospitality and impeccable lifestyle of the French people.

How Individual Spending Shapes Economic Realities?

Undoubtedly, economic dynamics are intricate and technical. The financial destinies of the economy are significantly influenced by the spending choices of individuals, serving as a guiding map. In this complex landscape, various methods to make money such as the one offered at Therealworld.net.in play a crucial role.

The Impact of Every Purchase

how spending affect the economy

On the surface, our daily spending may seem like mere droplets in the vast ocean of the economy. However, when viewed collectively, these seemingly insignificant transactions create a powerful tidal force sweeping the nation’s financial ecosystem. From routine visits to the local coffee shop to indulging in online retail therapy, each expenditure becomes crucial economic interdependence.

Understanding the collective impact of these daily financial decisions highlights the interconnected nature of the economy, where each individual’s choices contribute to the larger symphony of economic activity.

The Pulse of Consumer Confidence

A decade of astute observation has underscored the role of consumer confidence as the lifeblood of any flourishing economy. The certainty individuals feel in their financial standing propels them to spend, setting a cycle of heightened demand for goods and services in motion.

Mirrors of Societal Values

Understanding why people choose to spend on certain things helps policymakers make decisions that match the values and priorities of the community.

For example, policymakers might focus on environmental policies if there’s a growing interest in eco-friendly products. By paying attention to spending patterns, policymakers can better connect with the needs and desires of the people they serve.

Economic Downturns and Responsible Spending

In times of economic uncertainty, communities that strategically allocate their resources, support local businesses, and prioritize sustainable consumption contribute significantly to revitalization.

The ripple effect of such collective efforts is far-reaching, as increased consumer confidence and spending stimulate demand, subsequently fostering job creation and business growth. These examples demonstrate communities’ resilience and underscore individuals’ potential to act as catalysts for positive economic change during challenging times.

Investments and Future Financial Wellness

A nuanced exploration of the symbiotic relationship between personal investments and economic growth reveals that informed investment decisions fortify individual financial futures and infuse businesses with capital, fostering innovation and advancement.

With this awareness, individuals have the tools to navigate the ever-changing economic landscape responsibly. They actively contribute to cultivating a more robust and resilient national economy by making informed and mindful financial decisions.

Recognizing spending habits empowers individuals to align their choices with broader economic goals, fostering a collective sense of responsibility that plays a vital role in shaping the nation’s economic health.

Importance Of The Financial Area Of A Towing Company

The financial area of ​​a company plans and manages its economy. It is ensuring that it can access liquidity in a sustainable manner. In this department, the technologies have also taken shape.

A clear example is accounting software and electronic signatures for contracts. Both innovations represent a solution to the large levels of information that are managed for better use in decision-making.

The financial area of ​​a towing company: What are its functions and roles?

Finance departments come in all shapes and sizes, but there are 4 key roles they must take on. None of these exist in a vacuum. They will definitely need to communicate and collaborate with each other.

towing company san jose

Recording

This is a company-wide finance function that involves reviewing, categorizing, and entering all transactions for an organization.

Both bookkeepers and accountants perform this activity. For Towing Company San Jose, accountants must keep accurate financial records of the company.

Common recording functions

  • Accounts Payable – Reports of money owed to company vendors.
  • Accounts Receivable – Report any short-term liquidity or financial assets owed to the company.
  • Payroll – Keep business compensation data up to date and process monthly payments.

Comptroller

This role oversees the company’s registry to ensure that the books of account are accurate and comply with financial regulations. A financial controller will generally be responsible for tasks such as:

  • Accounting Team Management – Overseeing the accounting and bookkeeping team to ensure timely and up-to-date reporting.
  • Inventory accounting – monitoring, evaluation, and tracking of inventory assets.
  • Revenue Recognition – Creation and application of controls for monthly financial reports to ensure compliance.

Planning and financial analysis

Financial planning and analysis involve collecting relevant financial data to synthesize it into digestible trends and forecasts that can inform business decisions. Among the activities that analysts carry out:

  • Data Visualization – Creating easy-to-understand images that help business managers understand business performance.
  • Budgeting and Forecasting – Developing departmental and company-wide financial goals to guide the business month-to-month.
  • Price analysis – determination of the optimal price for the organization’s products.

Managerial role

This is the role that a Business Manager or CFO is likely to play. It is an executive level that has an important role in making strategic decisions and in the elaboration of the financial strategy in general and its guidelines.

Additionally, this role oversees the entire finance area at a company and uses the big data collected through financial planning and analysis to communicate with internal and external business stakeholders.

Understanding the Significance of the Open Banking System

Nowadays, the modern approach to conveniently access different financial services is known as open banking system, which makes dealing with banks hustle-free.

What Exactly Does Open Banking Mean

Open banking is a system that allows the involvement of third-party financial service providers to render its services in a secure but interoperable network of financial institutions operating in the banking industry. The system allows the platforms of third-party financial service providers to access bank data by way of a program known as Application Programming Interfaces or API.

Through the API of third-party organizations, processing of financial transactions is quicker, when compared to the banking system of before. Traditionally, customers have to physically fill up and hand over forms for bank processing. Today, the open banking system empowers bank customers to transact anywhere in the world while protected by a secure and managed environment

Is the Open Banking System Foolproof?

Open banking runs on a series of technologies, regulatory requirements and service protocols by which fintech developers innovate with new banking models, offering new services and other online capabilities. Fund transfers are no longer limited to establishments that belong to the same financial institutions. Similar to accreditations, the API provides the technological link that allows customers to pay online, use QR Codes or simply swipe to transact with various establishments.

The security technology of APIs involves rigid authorization and authentication capabilities in providing support to the open banking system. However, the system is not completely foolproof as there is always the possibility of payment service providers mishandling customers’ accounts either inadvertently or purposely.

Leaders Urging Their Citizens to Leave Ukraine as Diplomatic Efforts Seem Futile

Washington is ready to face either aggression or diplomacy from Moscow, regarding a final action of invading Ukraine as an act of war against the NATO alliances. This was the message conveyed by U.S Secretary of State Antony Blinken after Western nations have alerted that a war might arise at any given moment in Ukraine. Apparently, the continuing diplomatic talks including between POTUS Joe Biden and Russian President Putin is not expected to change the current status quo.

Blinken told reporters in Fiji that If Putin wants to resolve the standoff in a diplomatic manner, Washington is more than ready to fulfil its role.

However, the US would impose swift economic sanctions if Moscow pursues its plan of invading Ukraine. Nevertheless, the US State Secretary said he hopes Putin will choose dialogue and diplomacy, because US government along with the NATO alliance are prepared if he decides otherwise.

In the meantime, the U.S and allied governments are persuading their citizens to leave Ukraine as Moscow still plans to invade the country anytime soon. Over 100,000 Russian troops have amassed around the Ukrainian border but will have to clash with NATO allies already dispersed in neighboring European countries. NATO continues to reinforce its eastern side according to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. A longer presence is also being considered in the Black Sea region. U.S troops are being deployed in eastern Romania, as its show of support in upholding the security of European countries against invasions.

EU Member Countries are Optimistic Their Economies will Rebound by Year 2022

The European Union is optimistic that EU countries will be rebound soon since the results of the first quarter economic activities had surpassed expectations. Moreover, the second quarter, which started with enhanced health situation has allowed the economies of member countries to get back on track; making the near-end-of-year prospect appear much better than what was originally forecasted.

Eurostat’s Preliminary Flash Estimate had earlier suggested that there would be a great decline of GDP during the 2021 first quarter.On the contrary the decline was milder, due to the reduced numbers of new infections and hospitalisations, the progress in vaccination, and effective implementation of containment strategy,

That being the case, EU Member States agreed to reopen their economies in order to improve the welfare of service sector businesses.

GDP Growth in 2nd Quarter Expected to Continue in 2022

Survey results and data tracking mobility reports show positive indications that a bounce back in consumption has already begun. The EU believes that the trend will continue and will strengthen in the following months.

In total, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) forecasts for this year is expected to increase by 4.8% and by 4.5% next year, in both the Euro area and in EU countries.

In the Euro area, inflation is expected to average 1.9% this year, and by 1.4% in 2022. Despite the high uncertainty and risks surrounding the growth interpretation, the overall outlook is that everything looks balanced.
However, if the supply constraints persist the pressure will result in price increases that will likely be passed on to consumers. In that would be the case. inflation rate might be higher than what the EU foresees.

US Commerce Dept. Reported Increases in Consumer Spending Despite Price Inflation

While the US Labor Dept. reported increased employee-hiring in June, the US Commerce Dept. reported that consumers boosted retail sales for the month. Even more interesting is that the increased consumer spending took place despite price inflation, in which prices of goods rose by up to 5.4% coming from last year’s prices of consumer goods and services.

The June spike in retail sales indicated a strong demand for consumer goods, as the Commerce Dept. reports show that spenders have also shifted to paying for services, which accelerated the growth of retail sales in the 2nd quarter of 2021.

Inflation was said to be triggered by the motor vehicle market’s inability to meet the consumers’ growing demand due to global shortage of semiconductors. Nonetheless, the lack simply directed the vehicle-buying public to the used-cars market, and as a result boosted the sale of used trucks and automobiles.

Much to the delight of many retailers they are seeing a rebound in their business, despite the raised prices. In store traffic increased despite the higher prices of commodities displayed on store shelves.

Commerce Dept. Reported Increased Consumer Spending in the Certain Retail Sectors

According the Commerce Department’s June 2021 report, retail sales spiked by 0.6%, which was the opposite of the department’s May 2021 report. The previous month’s retail sales fell by 1.7%, slightly higher than the expected decline of 1.3%.

When compared to last year’s June report, last month’s retail sales surged by 18.0%, which has in fact surpassed the pre-pandemic level.

During the pandemic, consumer demands had shifted to electronic goods and motor vehicles, as millions of Americans had to work from home, while others wanted to avoid commuting by way of public transports.

The June 2021 increase in consumer retail spending indicated a renewed thrust toward paying for travel and entertainment related services. Economists attribute the trend to the fact that at least 160 million US citizens are now fully immunized against the COVID-19 coronavirus.

Aside from the huge spike in travel and hotel spending, other services that saw an increase in retail sales in the second quarter, include education, healthcare and restaurants as well as bars.

When compared to the June 2020 report in which restaurant and bar sales were limited to take outs and orders for delivery, the June 2021 sale of food and beverage products in restaurants and bars increased by 2.3%. Based on last month’s figures, sales in restaurants and bars in June 2021 grew by 0.6%.

As far as consumer goods are concerned, the clothes retail sector experienced a 2.6% increase in sales. Appliance and electronic outlets saw sales surged by 3.3%. About 1.2% of the June 2021 growth retail sales were accounted in online retail stores.

Macron Announces 3rd Lockdown as Rise in COVID-19 Deaths Occurs in France

President Macron announced 2 weeks ago that France will be undergoing an overdue third national lockdown, which he insisted on delaying sometime in January. Back then he contradicted the recommendations of the country’s health officials and party opposition leaders, preferring to impose strict national measures. Now that the country is experiencing setbacks in COVID-19 vaccine rollouts, a third wave of a coronavirus has been causing more deaths.

President Macron had banked on the vaccine immunization as a means to slow down the infections. However, the opposite happened as the number of ICU patients in the country has exceeded the 5,000 mark even before the new lockdown restrictions were announced. As it is, ICU units in the greater Paris area, Provence-Alpes-Côte-D’Azur, and the northern Hauts-de-France are too saturated and cannot take any more patients.

Overview of France’s Third Lackdown Mandate

The French leader stated that the current restrictions that previously cover ⅓ of the country will now be implemented nationwide for four weeks. Schools have been closed to last for about three weeks. Other restriction measures include limited travel outside the house if not for a professional reason and be confined to a radius of 10km if for practicing sport or getting fresh air. There is no time limit as long as it is done before curfew hours of between 6 am and 7 pm.

The stricter restriction measures also include temporary closure of non-essential shops in the country; of which around 150,000 shops would be affected. However, music stores, bookshops, car dealerships, florists, Easter oblige, chocolate shops, and hairdressers are allowed ro open.

British-Owned NatWest Group to Brand All Debit Cards as Mastercards

The majority British-owned NatWest Group, recently announced that all its banking brands will be converting and issuing debit cards using the Mastercard label.

The move indicates Mastercard’s drive in ramping up its operations not only across the UK, but also in Scotland and Northern Ireland. The NatWest-Mastercard agreement will cover approximately 16 million debit cards already issued by NatWest Banks, the Royal Bank of Scotland, Coutts snd Ulster Bank.

Although Mastercard is generally known as a credit card company, the firm prefers to be recognized for its technology and capability to provide global payment services.That being the case, it continues to work with financial and banking institutions that in turn offer the Mastercard brand to clients and customers through issuances of credit, debit and prepaid cards.

Mastercard Deemed as a Perfect Match for the NatWest Group

Since the Natwest Group offers both personal and business banking brands as well as insurance and corporate financing, Mastercard’s global payments technology can strategically connect NatWest banks and its brands, to different institutions transacting with consumers, merchants, government offices and other financial organizations.

Mastercard’s popularity led to the growth of its global base; building a vast network of merchants, settlement banks and financial institutions whose end users have expressed satisfaction. The global payments company takes pride that the seamlessness of completing a Mastercard transaction is due to the fact that processing takes only mere milliseconds.

Car Crash Injury Claims in France : How French Magistrates Decide on Lawsuits

In France, claiming compensation to recover medical expenses and costs of damages as a result of a car collision is largely based on the theory of negligence. However, since French laws require all motor vehicles to have at least third party liability insurance coverage, the insurance provider assumes responsibility in the payment of such claims.

That is why in France, any dispute over claims for personal injury cost-recovery involves the car insurance provider as the party responsible for all personal injury claims.

When the amount of damages being recovered by the aggrieved party becomes an issue, the matter may be brought to the local Tribunal d’Instance. If an appeal is made, further legal actions are filed with the regional Tribunal de Grande Instance (TGI). These judicial courts handle the civil lawsuits filed by private individuals in relation to assertion of civil rights.

However, the French judicial system works differently in hearing civil litigation over personal injury claims. No oral testimonies are required in determining the negligence on the part of the driver, as police investigations have already established the party at fault in a car collision. In personal injury lawsuits, only the amount of compensation is resolved in court. If a car crash resulted in death, litigation of the driver at fault will take place in another judicial branch in charge of handling criminal cases.

How French Magistrates Decide on Personal Injury Lawsuits

In settling the settlement dispute, the Magistrate assigns a medical expert who is neutral to both parties, to evaluate the nature of the bodily injuries suffered by the plaintiff from the car crash. On claims of compensation to recover cost of damages, other experts are designated to assess the economic issues related to the damaged property.

The court-appointed experts will then submit reports to the Magistrate, while both parties may also submit their comments and observations to point out possible discrepancies. Based on the Magistrate’s own assessment of the expert-reports and of the observations of both parties, awarding the amount being claimed by the plaintiff will be decided. Not unless the Magistrate finds it necessary to assign another set of neutral experts before making a decision.

Generally, insurance companies negotiate for a settlement before the case is actually brought to court as a way to avoid hefty litigation costs. Yet some insurance companies may regard threats of litigation as mere intimidation that will not follow through, especially if the claimant does not have the economic means to do so.

Still, in such cases, a personal injury claimant can obtain financial support from any of the best companies for lawsuit funding doing business in France. After all, lawsuit loans do not require putting up a collateral or require payment of front-end fees. No monthly amortizations are collected either.

Full settlement of the loan plus interests will be taken from the proceeds of the settlement once the Magistrate awards the amount. If by some stroke of misfortune the Magistrate decides otherwise, the lawsuit lending company will not collect payment from the plaintiff.

Today’s Consumers Consider Fintech Apps as Trustworthy

The pandemic and the need to stay quarantined prompted many people to search for mobile banking applications to use in the first 4 months of the year 2020, As the COVID-19 worsened, the demand for smooth and easy-to-use digital applications intensified; while the number of people using fintech apps have increased worldwide by more than a hundred percent.

Today, it has become apparent that consumers are becoming more trusting of fintech companies. Mainly because their apps are more focused on the delivery of satisfactory digital experience when providing the needs of mobile app users. The successful fintech companies nowadays, are in fact more keen on investing on innovations to improve their products and in instituting transparency in their services.

That being the case, these companies are well-prepared in satisfying the needs and expectations of their customers. Financial experts consider it noteworthy that decision-makers in the traditional financial industry are now embracing the use of disruptive technologies introduced by fintech companies.

Two Examples of Successful Fintech Apps that Focus on User Convenience

Below are two key players in the fintech industry who have achieved great results in their approach of focusing on user convenience and experience:

Grupo Financiero Actinver – Dinn App

While Grupo Financiero Actinver is already an established traditional bank in Mexico, the company still looked for ways to attract the new generation of customers who haven’t tried their hand at investing. The company’s marketing team recommended that the best way to achieve such a goal is to create an app that would give the smooth experience tech-savvy consumers look for in mobile banking apps.

In 2018, the company created a financial services app called Dinn, which targeted the younger generation of investors who have yet to learn how to effectively invest whatever little money they can spare. Using Google’s acquisition tools, Actinver was able to cost effectively build a financial services app designed to help the new breed of young Mexican investors.

The bank’s investing services required lower funnel actions as they reduce the number of options for their first-time investors, in terms of bonds, stocks, and mutual funds. Since Dinn is a digitally native financial brand, it is well positioned to meet the expectations of Mexico’s new breed of customers.

In the U.S., the most successful developer of this disruptive type of financial application is the Robinhood Markets fintech.

Greenlight

Greenlight is the consumer application focused on enhancing digital experience for children, by educating them early on about managing personal finances. The Greenlight app allows parents to monitor their children’s allowances and on how much they have learned from knowing the essentials of properly handling personal finances.

The company made sure that the app is greatly focused in providing user analytics, decision-making tools, and data infrastructure by harnessing Google Analytics. Moreover, observance of privacy regulations is assured as the Greenlight app was developed using Google’s comprehensive app development platform Firebase.

As a note, early success denotes that by word-of-mouth endorsements and exposure to the public, fintech apps are regarded as trustworthy. Nowadays fintech apps recommended by family members or relatives are regarded as 1.6x more reliable that those received as financial advice from other consumers,

POGOs Also Experiencing Financial Difficulties Due to Global Economic Crisis

Several Southeast Asian countries that invested in land based casinos to boost their tourism industry suffered from fallouts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic Yet one Southeast Asian country that benefited from the turn of events is the Philippines. Mainly because several years prior to the pandemic, the country had established itself as a regulatory haven for Asia-facing online gambling operators, officially known as POGOs (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators).

Through its economic zones and gambling regulator, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), the Philippine government allowed numerous existing providers like Playtech and Realtime Gaming to establish their base of operations on Philippine soil so they can better serve their Asian customers. The move also encouraged numerous Asian entrepreneurs to invest in online gambling products, services and technologies.

Playtech and Real Time Gaming, by the way, provide the online casino games offered by a popular Asian online casino which mainly operates by way of downloadable mobile phone applications

At the height of the global pandemic lockdowns, several POGOs were able to obtain PAGCOR’s approval in allowing them to operate and keep their online casino sites running. PAGCOR’s grant of approval however, depended on a POGO’s compliance with the health and safety measures and more importantly, on up-to-date payment of regulatory fees and tax obligations. After all, the ensuing lockdown measure imposed globally was an opportunity that POGOs could not let pass, as Asian gamblers were showing increased interests in online gambling entertainment.

Success of PAGCOR POGOs Spurred Calls for Increased Taxation Among Philippine Lawmakers

In 2019, the Philippines had established itself as a world leader in regulated online gambling, for being able to collect as much Php 8 billion (USD 164.3 million) in revenues from POGOs. In seeing the profitability of the POGO industry, several Philippine lawmakers called for proposals to increase the tax rates imposed on offshore online gambling operators.

However, the move elicited warning from PAGCOR President and Chief Operating Office, Alfredo C Lim, for the government to refrain from overtaxing POGOs as doing so would drive away offshore gambling operators. Mr. Lim asserted that in addition to taxes on offshore gaming revenues, the Philippines is also benefiting from rentals of high-end commercial space and availability of local employment opportunities.

PAGCOR and Its POGOs are Currently Dealing with Declining Revenues

True enough since the economies of neighboring Asian countries have been hurt by the pandemic, even POGOs are experiencing decline in revenues. PAGCOR’s latest report stated that POGO revenues had plummeted by as much as 80%. That is why only 111 of the 218 accredited POGO firms operating in the country were able to secure clearance from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

A BIR clearance denotes that all fees and taxes due, including the monthly regulatory fees collected by PAGCOR, have been settled. PAGCOR continued to require it as a condition before they can resume operations, after the government eased down on lockdown orders for nonessential businesses

Moreover, Jose Tria, PAGCOR’s AVP for Offshore Gaming Licensing, reported that as many as 42 online gambling service providers have withdrawn their PAGCOR accreditation, another five (5) POGO licenses were canceled, while five (5) other licenses are currently suspended.

As a result, the monthly regulatory fees collected from POGOs that usually amounted to Php 600 million (US$12.4 million) is now down to nearly half, or Php 300 million (US$6.2 million). As several POGO offices are now closing down, even the related income from real estate leases and other businesses that benefited from POGO foreign workers, are reporting declines in revenue.

Fintech Lenders : When the Need for Extra Funds is Immediate

It is now apparent that the stimulus loans offered by the government are not as readily available and/or workable, as funding options for needy entrepreneurs.

While the Payroll Protection Program (PPP) of the CARES Act immediately grants $10,000 to successful applicants, many encountered difficulties in preparing and obtaining documents required for speedy and successful processing of their stimulus loan application.

When it became apparent that as the 2020 health crisis will drag on, it became clear for many entrepreneurs that the fastest way they can secure a loan is through fintech lenders. Small businesses have come to realize that in order to survive, they need to immediately bring their business online, incorporate e-commerce technologies as well as launch promotional and marketing campaigns.

However, they need to have additional personal financial resources, if they need to spend extra on restarting their business online.

The PPP charges only 1% of the unforgiven loan balance in case business owners do not meet the requirements to qualify for the forgiveness of loan balance. Yet for entrepreneurs whose need for funding is immediate, competing with the multitude seeking to obtain a PPP loan can be a long and arduous task. That is why many turned to fintech lenders instead.

Who are the Fintech Lenders?

Fintech lenders are companies that utilize Artificial Intelligence, big data, the power of the Internet and partnerships with traditional financial institutions in offering personal or even mortgage loans. Through innovative technologies, fintech lenders have eliminated the need to process loan applications using outdated and complicated methods.

Some examples of today’s leading fintech lenders include:

TALA – Santa Monica, California

Through a consumer-lending app, TALA underwrites loans based on data provided by app-users’ smartphones or smart devices. Examples of data used in determining a Tala loan-applicant’s credit-worthiness include bill payments, social media connections and activities. So far, TALA reports that the company has assisted more than 3 billion new users in obtaining personal loans that will help them build their credit. .

AVANT – Chicago, Illinois

Using its fintech technologies, AVANT offers consumers the Avantcard that enables customers to obtain credit for small shopping purchases or larger loans for emergency needs, home repair or a vacation trip.

BRAVIANT HOLDINGS – Chicago, Illinois

Like TALA and AVANT, Braviant Holdings uses technology and big data analytics in verifying and processing applications that allow the company to make quick decisions. Unlike other fintechs, Braviant Holdings cater mostly to under-banked people, providing them with credit cards to use like Balance Credit and Chorus.

Fintechs Provide Tools to Help SMEs, Gig Workers

While financial technology companies are themselve getting hit by the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, yet several UK fintech innovators are helping small businesses stay afloat.

In recent years and all across the globe, fintech companies have been developing new applications or financial resources to help consumers and small entrepreneurs organise and improve finances. They have managed to ruffle the feathers of traditional banks and other lending institutions, by providing consumers and business startups with agile technologies and solutions for obtaining funds.

Although financial technology companies are not immune to the disruptions caused by the current coronavirus health crisis, some have shown concern on the impact of the current crisis on small businesses in the UK. Many fintechs are currently focused on providing quick solutions that can help small players obtain the government funding relief they need in the fastest and surest ways possible.

Solution Provided by Fintechs to Gig Workers and Independent Solo Entrepreneurs

UK fintechs, many of them volunteers, have been developing new tools aligned with economic relief programs that the UK government launched in helping consumers, gig workers and solo-proprietors of small businesses. Below are some examples:

Starling Bank

Starling Bank, a UK licensed and regulated bank that operates digitally and only by way of mobile devices, recently rolled out the “Connected Card.” It works as an emergency debit card that enables a Starling Account Holders restricted by orders for self-isolation, to extend the use of his or her account, not just to family members but even to carers and friends, so they can purchase essential items on the account holder’s behalf.

The Starling account holder is protected by limiting the Connected Card balance to £200; whist allowing him or her to track and manage use of the extended card, by way of a related mobile app.

“Covid Credit”

Several dozens of UK fintechs came forward to render volunteer work in helping build an application that enabled gig workers, freelancers and self-employed individuals to self-certify their lost income. The certification, being a document required by the UK government in processing applications for economic relief.

“Coronavirus Calculator”

Developers at Countingup, touted as the leading provider of agile solutions for banking and accounting needs of small business in the UK, came out with Countingup. This app enables self-employed individuals to immediately determine how much financial relief they could obtain from the UK government’s coronavirus funding program for small businesses ran by solo proprietors.

“Coronavirus Furlough HMRC Claim Calculator”

Pento, creator of automated payroll tools specifically for use of startup small businesses, created the “Coronavirus Furlough HMRC Claim Calculator.” This tool helps startup entrepreneurs determine how much they can claim as financial relief from the UK government under the “Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.” The government program intends to help employers of small businesses keep workers employed instead of making them take a leave of absence.

What are Fintechs? Why are They Creating a Buzz in the Financing Industry?

Fintech is short for financial technology now used in referring to companies that harness advancements in financial technologies, in providing financial services that were traditionally provided only by banking institutions.

Actually, fintechs are now at the stage where they are competing with banks in delivering fast and easy to avail financial services, which ordinary consumers can access by way of smartphones and mobile banking systems.

Many startup fintech companies made waves in 2005, 2006 and 2011 when they ventured into offering student loans. Those were the periods when the general public started to lose trust in banks.

To date, several fintech companies like Lending Club, Prosper and SoFi have expanded, furnishing not only student loans. Currently, they are also offering personal loans, home mortgages, equity loans, as well as offer savings,retirement and trading accounts and investment options.

Already servicing several millions of customers between them, these fintech companies can fund as much as $3 billion to $11 billion worth of loans to the general public on a yearly basis.

Yet that would make you pause and ask, “If they are technology companies, are they licensed to offer loans in accordance with government banking regulations?”

“Are their savings and investment offers backed by insurance agreements like those under the traditional Federal Deposit Insurance Coverage (FDIC)?”

Moreover, “Who provide the funding that fintechs loan out?” After all, fintech companies do not have the same business models as banks, in which the latter lends funds as a way of investing deposits placed by customers.

Forbes Conducts Its Own Investigations on How Fintechs Work

Last December 31, 2019, Forbes Magazine published an article that explains how fintechs operate and who provides the funding. The investigation zeroed in on an FDIC-insured and licensed charter bank called Cross River.

Apparently, Cross River also started out as a traditional bank, which financial technology company called Greensky resuscitated when the bank started failing as aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis.

At that time, Greensky, while still a financial technology development company, was already offering no-interest loans. Greensky offered those loans to property owners who wanted to add home improvements to make heir property highly vendable in the real estate market.

Greensky owner David Zalik later approached Gilles Gade, a French immigrant who until now serves as the CEO of Cross River Bank. Through the charter bank, Gade provided funds for loans originated by GreenSky. At that time, the general public had lost trust on bank-funded loans, while financial technology companies like Greensky offered alternatives.

Sure enough, Cross River became one of several charter banks that grew, by funding loans underwritten for fintech companies. After all, financial technologies now include artificial intelligence (AI) in determining, assessing and managing the risks involved in loan operations.

Many call the funding provided by licensed charter banks as peer-to-peer funding. However, Andrew Marquardt of Middlemarch Partners and former New York Fed told Forbes that investors look at fintech companies as banks. Marquardt corrected this view by saying

”They are just tech companies that leverage technology in furthering an old-school bank solution known as business or consumer lending

Brazil’s Congress Set to Undertake Deep Probe of the Country’s Cryptocurrency Market

Cryptocurrency news website Cointelegraph, reported that Brazililian lawmakers have overwhelmingly voted to approve a resolution to launch an investigation into the country’s cryptocurrency market.

Congressman Aureo Ribeiro, instigated the request to formally task the Parliamentary Inquiry Commission (PCI) to conduct the probe. The request came as a result of the widespread proliferation of cryptocurrency related fraud transpiring in Brazil. Congressional support for Ribeiro’s resolution is overwhelming, as the document was signed by 234 Congressmen, which exceeded the required minimum of 63 votes.

According to Cointelegraph, the approved resolution specifically named cryptocurrency operators Atlas Quantum and its CEO Rodrigo Marques, Trader Group and Zero 10 among many others, as needing thorough investigation.

The growing number of complaints put forward by people coming from all over Brazil, indicated that the proliferation of cryptocurrency-related fraud throughout the country, has reached epidemic proportions.

Congressman Ribeiro, who also authored a bill proposing for the regulation of Brazil’s cryptocurrency operations, wrote in the resolution that

”The lack of regulation and vigilance over the crypto market in Brazil presents potential risks to investors and users, as its operations combined with high levels of anonymity, abstraction, cross-border transactions and other peculiarities inherent to the cryptocurrency technology.”

The Brazilian congressman also explained in the resolution, why Atlas Quantum, once purported as the biggest cryptocurrency company in Brazil, calls for a deep probe.

The Main Problem with Atlas Quantum

Homegrown Brazilian cryptocurrency company Atlas Quantum, is currently facing financial problems and legal issues.

Last September 18, 2019, Atlas Quantum released a video to present itself as a robust company with more than $54 million in bitcoins to its name. However, Atlas made further claims that the exchange company HitBTC has frozen 1,862 BTC ($15.3 million) and over $5.4 million in stablecoin Tether (USDT) that Atlas allegedly maintains in three crypto accounts.

On October 05, 2019, HitBTC denied Atlas Quantum’s claim by informing investors that the said crypto-investment company does not have any value stuck in the HitBTC platform. HitBTC further stated that the video released by the alleged Atlas Quantum team is fake, as exchange company noted the non-standard placement of amounts to show the purported balances of Atlas Quantum’s account.

Moreover, HitBTC asserts that it has not received any request for assistance in connection with the supposed frozen accounts. .

The video came at a time when numerous investors expressed fears that the crypto-investment company will not be able to fulfill its obligations to meet all requests for withdrawals. The case attracted wide media coverage, to which Atlas Quantum responded by presenting an audit report allegedly attesting to the veracity of the amount of Bitcoins and other altcoins held by the beleaguered company.

The audited statement though is regarded as contentious, as many of Atlas’ investors doubt if Atlas Quantum has sufficient cryptocurrency resources to honor its commitments.

Ponzi-Scheme and Other Investment Scams on the Rise in the Cryptocurrency Market

Many cryptocurrency owners are forgetting the primary advantages of using digital money for their transactions, which is that of circumventing the red tapes and charges imposed by traditional financial institutions.

Recently though, not a few have been lured into investing their virtual money into Ponzi-schemes and other similar investment scams using the blockchain technology.

Enticed by the prospect of amassing cryptocurrency without having to mine or earn them as profits in conventional trade transactions, victims easily forget that fraudulent investment schemes can easily circumvent an unregulated financial system.

Ponzi-schemes are the most viable because scammers need only to promise cryptocurrency owners profitable returns. Over time, millions of cryptocurrency owners were lured into becoming members by using the Plus Token app, which they were led to believe as legitimate e wallets.

Unknowingly, Plus Token was also transferring small amounts of digital money to e wallets created for purposes of laundering the money collected from members.

Although Plus Token members may have seen increases in their e-wallet balances, there was no guarantee that such increases were real or had been entered in the blockchain system.

In a real-money Ponzi scheme, profits given to subscribers do not come from real investments, but are only skimmed from contributions of new members. In the blockchain platform, this can be verified only by those who are savvy enough to decrypt the blockchain transactions entered by Plus Token.

How the Plus Token Ponzi Scheme was Unraveled

.Legitimate blockchain-based ewallet operators have actually given warnings about the incredulity of the idea of paying out profits just for using a blockchain-based ewallet.

 

Still, the number of Plus Token memberships reached 10 million in July 2019, which was the same time that Dovey Wan, founder of a legitimate cryptocurrency investment firm called Primitive Ventures, took notice that Plus Token was gradually but continuously selling off cryptocurrencies in small batches.

Ms. Wan immediately tweeted warnings about the Plus Token activities, whilst urging cryptocurrency exchange operators to blacklist the site. She also furnished them with ewallet addresses that appeared to have been beneficiaries of the cryptocurrency sell-offs.

After the alarms were raised and reached proper authorities, six Chinese nationals identified as members of the core team running the Plus Token Ponzi-scheme, were located in the island country of Vanuatu. The South Pacific island country later extradited the six to mainland China.

Token Analyst, a crypto-analytic firm located in London said Plus Token maintained e wallets that they used in laundering money once online mixing services have fused the Plus Token-held cryptocurrencies with other e wallets. That way, details of where the virtual money originated will become obscure.

Online mixing services are actually offering this type of work, which in an unregulated system of financial operation, can do so freely without fear of sanctions.

Other Methods Used by Scammers in Luring Investors to Ponzi Schemes

A promise of profit and fast-talking swindlers are not as effective in order to entice millions of cryptocurrency owners in a short span of time. Other methods are in use in order to make the Ponzi-scheme look truly legitimate;

Use of forum influencers, who take part in the website’s forum to attest to how their digital money has grown since becoming a member.

 

 

Paying recruiters, who also influence potential investors by showing off their newfound wealth at social media sites; when actually, the money they earned were commissions earned for every new member they recruited.

In today’s high tech advancements, there are now sophisticated software that can interact with Telegram, an Internet-based messaging system popular among cryptocurrency users. Tech savvy scammers find legitimate methods of responding to inquiries about ewallet account balances. That way, the lured investor will read what he or she is hoping for: the money promised already appears in one’s account.

Multi Level Marketing and Pyramid Schemes, Are They Different?

Multi Level Marketing (MLM) and Pyramid Scheme are in some ways different, but share one thing in common. The people who invest during the later part of the marketing operation or pyramiding scheme are the ones who end up empty handed. .

Back in the days when product brands like Tupperware, Amway, Avon, and The Pampered Chef were still popular, a lot of women found those MLM businesses as good sources of supplementary income. Yet the MLMs of before provided support by training sellers free of charge, and allowed members to sell only on consignment;

Why Today’s MLMs are Similar to Pyramid Schemes

The problem with today’s MLMs is that to become a seller, one must buy into the business by paying beforehand, a subscription fee. In return, subscribing members receive goods to sell equal in worth to the value as the subscription fee they paid.

In order to gain quick returns on their initial investment, they are encouraged to recruit members who will be their so-called “downliners” and earn a commission for every new recruit. In the same way, new recruits will invite friends and family members to join the MLM business, so they can also earn commissions.

The initial recruiter creates her own network of members and from every level, stands to gain a commission on each new recruit, down to the latest level of “downliners.” If they get to sell their inventory, the better; as it means they were able to get back their initial investment. In the meantime, if their network of members keep growing, money coming in as commissions from “downliners,” practically poses as profits realized from joining the MLM business.

This system works well for those who joined early on, but hardly compensatory for late joiners, since the market eventually becomes saturated. Even the product they were supposed to sell, will no longer be viable in a saturated market. That is why MLMs purporting themselves as legit businesses eventually operate the way pyramid schemes do.

How Do Pyramid Schemers Scam People?

Pyramid Schemes basically operate in ways similar to MLMs but are different in some aspects. While MLMs sell a particular product, Pyramid Schemes sell “dreams,” usually targeting people who want to strike it big in as little time as possible.

In a get-rich-quick-scheme, participants need only to convince a specific number of new investors, 3 at the least. The 3 recruits will likewise try to convince another set of 3, and so it goes with every new recruit in each level. In the process, the number of new investors multiply at the bottom line, forming a pyramid with the agents and the founders positioned at the top.

Since every recruiter earns a percentage from the money invested by the network of recruits, those at the top has a longer string of money to claim and collect as earnings than those in the middle and bottom levels of the pyramid. In the event that no more new recruits bring in fresh funds, the scheme collapses; leaving many of those at the lower level of the pyramid with nothing to claim at all, not even the money they invested.

Inasmuch as the founders and the agents are aware when their scheme is about to unravel, they have enough time to pack up and disappear. They will lay low for awhile in order to elude any ensuing investigations. Once the furor over the scam dies down, they will once again start a new pyramid scheme in another location.

Fundamentals of Investing and the Need to Develop Your Own Set of Investment Guidelines

If at the moment you have extra money to use for investment purposes, try not to be in a hurry. Avoid placing funds in some investment scheme that promises big returns with very little risks. More often than not, those types of investment offerings are not built on solid foundations, since “get-rich-quick” schemes have only one purpose, to collect as much money as they can from easy to convince and overly eager investors .

One of the most common misconceptions about investing on shares of stocks and marketable securities, is that it is all about making money by simply putting faith on the recommendations of a financial expert. You also have to think like a business owner who needs to protect a business investment by adhering to fundamental strategies and guidelines.

The Need for Guidelines or Strategies When Venturing into Investment Schemes

Successful investors do not just follow popular opinions, or get swayed by current buying and selling frenzies. They first filter out all the noise, rationalize and then make decisions by working within the framework of their investment methods and fundamental guidelines.

Others call such framework as investment strategies, but actually, most of them are principles or basic foundations of the investment system. They then serve as guidelines on how to manage the ins and outs in investing.

Fundamentals of Sound Investing Practices

Always think of risks when investing, and avoid being reckless, regardless of how much you plan to invest. Consider the following fundamentals of sound investment practices:

Evaluating the Strength of the Company

Always evaluate the company not only by reading the highlights of its financial reports. Dig deeper by looking into who is running the company, and for how long and how well it has withstood the challenges posed by economic conditions. Research about changes in leadership and take note of any improvement or failures that transpired during each tenure.

Make comparisons against price shares and earnings of its competitors as a way of gauging performance, as an investment prospect and as an ongoing business.

Evaluate Your Risk Tolerance

This matter all depends on your need for liquidity and also on your personality. Financial advisers call it investment horizons. It practically means determining the length of time you intend to park your money in an investment product, while considering your future financial needs. Consider funds you need for emergency purposes, or have to set aside for future expenses like money for a child’s college education or for your retirement.

If those factors have to be taken into account, then you have a low risk tolerance. More so if you are the type of investor who easily reacts to volatile conditions that you think will adversely impact your investment.

Keep Investments at Par with Your Level of Competence

Although it is wise to diversify, that aspect does not include extending your investments on businesses of which you have very little understanding. This guideline is important because a limited understanding of the business, also means limited knowledge of the factors and conditions that can influence your investment, either positively or adversely.

Although you cannot control the securities market, you can at least control the risks you face by knowing how to evaluate your choice of investments.

Maintain a Long Term Perspective

Short term goals are great as it gives you assurance of getting returns on your investment in the quickest time possible.

However, do not forget that there are also benefits to long term goals especially if you have already raised your finances to a comfortable level. Every return on investment earned, garners a corresponding tax payment. The tax rate bracket on short term income is higher than the tax rate bracket on long term investments.

Moreover, there is such as thing as compounded interest. This element works to your advantage, because as your invested money grows through addition of interests, the greater the equivalent earnings you will receive in due time.

Facebook Likes as a Barometer for Economic Trends

businessman on facebook

Facebook likes are more than just digital thumbs-ups. They can serve as valuable indicators of broader economic trends. Businesses and economists can use social media data to predict economic cycles and understand consumer sentiment.

The Relevance of Social Media Data in Economic Forecasting

Social media platforms like Facebook provide real-time data that can be crucial for economic analysis. Boost your business Facebook likes with Famoid. The engagement metrics on these platforms offer insights into consumer behavior and economic sentiment.

  • Consumer Confidence: The number of likes and engagement levels can reflect consumer confidence and spending behavior.
  • Trend Analysis: Social media trends can help predict shifts in the economy, such as changes in consumer preferences or emerging markets.
  • Immediate Feedback: Unlike traditional economic indicators, social media provides immediate feedback, allowing for quicker response and adaptation.

Examples of Economic Trends Reflected Through Facebook Activity

Several economic trends have been accurately reflected in social media activity. Here are some examples:

  • Retail Sales: Spikes in likes for retail brands often correlate with increased sales and consumer spending.
  • Real Estate: Engagement with real estate posts can indicate market interest and potential price changes.
  • Travel and Tourism: Increased likes and shares for travel-related content can predict upswings in the tourism industry.

How Businesses Can Use This Data for Strategic Planning

Businesses can harness social media data to make informed decisions and adapt to economic changes. Here’s how:

  • Market Research: Analyzing Facebook likes and comments can provide insights into consumer needs and preferences.
  • Product Development: Companies can gauge interest in new products or services based on social media engagement.
  • Advertising Strategies: Tailoring advertising campaigns based on social media trends can increase their effectiveness.

READ ALSO: TikTok’s Impact on Finance: How Social Media is Shaping Economic Trends

Conclusion

Facebook likes offer a unique and valuable perspective on economic trends. By analyzing social media data, businesses and economists can gain insights that help them navigate the complex economic landscape.

Understanding the Economics of Cryptocurrency Tumbling Services

3 Bitcoin chips

A cryptocurrency tumbling service, often referred to as a cryptocurrency tumbler or mixer, plays a crucial role in enhancing privacy and security in digital currencies. As we delve into the economic aspects of these services, it becomes apparent that their existence is intertwined with the broader dynamics of the cryptocurrency market.

1. The Need for Privacy:

Cryptocurrencies, renowned for their decentralized and pseudonymous nature, still face challenges when it comes to privacy. Every transaction on a blockchain is visible and traceable, raising concerns about the potential exposure of financial activities. This is where cryptocurrency-tumbling services come into play, offering users a way to obfuscate the origin of their funds and enhance financial privacy.

2. The Cost of Anonymity:

While the benefits of enhanced privacy are evident, users must consider the costs associated with employing cryptocurrency tumblers. Tumbling services typically charge fees for their services, and these fees can vary widely depending on the platform and the level of anonymity desired. Users must weigh the cost of anonymity against the perceived benefits and the level of privacy they wish to achieve.

3. Tumbling Mechanisms and Operational Costs:

The operational costs of cryptocurrency tumbling services involve the mechanisms they employ to mix or tumble coins effectively. These mechanisms may include utilizing multiple addresses, breaking down transactions into smaller parts, or employing advanced cryptographic techniques. The more sophisticated the tumbling process, the higher the operational costs for the service provider. These costs are then reflected in the fees charged to users.

4. Impact on Transaction Speed:

Another economic consideration is the impact of tumbling services on transaction speed. The process of mixing or tumbling coins adds an extra layer to the transaction, leading to a delay in the completion of the transfer. Users must weigh the trade-off between enhanced privacy and the time it takes for their transactions to be processed, especially in a market where speed can be of the essence.

 

ALSO READ: How Economic Factors Impact Coin Futures

 

5. Trust and Reputation:

The economic value of cryptocurrency tumbling services is also tied to trust and reputation. Users are more likely to choose tumblers with a proven track record of effectively mixing coins while maintaining the security of users’ funds. Reputation in the cryptocurrency space is invaluable, and tumbling services must invest in building and maintaining trust to attract users.

6. Legal and Regulatory Risks:

The economic landscape of cryptocurrency tumbling is influenced by legal and regulatory considerations. As governments and regulatory bodies around the world tighten their grip on cryptocurrency transactions, tumbling services may face increased scrutiny. Compliance with evolving regulations adds another layer of operational cost and complexity to these services.

7. The Role in Money Laundering Prevention:

Cryptocurrency tumbling services also contribute to the broader economic goal of preventing money laundering and illicit financial activities. By providing a mechanism for users to enhance their privacy, tumblers indirectly support the legitimacy and acceptance of cryptocurrencies in the wider financial ecosystem.

8. Market Competition and Innovation:

The economics of cryptocurrency tumbling services are subject to market competition and innovation. As demand for enhanced privacy grows, new tumbling services may emerge, offering more efficient, cost-effective, or innovative solutions. Competition in this space can drive improvements in service quality and efficiency, benefiting users in the long run.

Conclusion

The economics of cryptocurrency tumbling services are multifaceted, involving considerations of cost, speed, trust, and compliance with regulations. As users navigate the complex landscape of financial privacy in the cryptocurrency market, they must carefully evaluate the economic implications of employing tumbling services. These services, in turn, must adapt to the evolving demands of the market while addressing legal and regulatory challenges to maintain their relevance and effectiveness. The symbiotic relationship between users seeking privacy and tumbling services striving to meet these demands shapes the economic dynamics of this niche within the cryptocurrency ecosystem.

Mastering the Economic Chessboard: Navigating Finance, Trading Platforms, and Expert Broker Strategies

chessboards and trading

Expert brokers wield a set of strategic moves that mirror the intricate dynamics of a chessboard in the world of finance. Their prowess is not merely a result of intuition but a calculated dance influenced by market trends, economic shifts, and the tools at their disposal. Today, we delve into this intriguing world, exploring the strategic maneuvers of these financial tacticians and the indispensable role played by trading platforms in shaping their decisions.

The Economic Chessboard

The financial landscape is akin to a chessboard, where each move can be decisive. Trusted brokers are the players, employing astute strategies to navigate the complexities of this economic battleground. To embark on this journey, the first step is gaining access to an account with trusted brokers like Exness Broker, which serves as the gateway to the intricate game ahead.

Exness functions as a proprietary Market Maker, maintaining control over its trading book and independently establishing its pricing structures. Within this operational framework, Exness assumes the crucial role of acting as the counterparty to client trades. Simultaneously, the firm fulfills the essential function of supplying liquidity, thereby facilitating uninterrupted trading activities.

The Role of Trading Platforms

Trading platforms act as the chess pieces on this economic board, providing the necessary tools and insights for brokers to execute their moves. These platforms are not mere facilitators; they are indispensable allies, equipping traders with real-time data, analytical tools, and a comprehensive view of market trends.

  • Real-Time Data: In the fast-paced world of finance, timing is everything. Trading platforms offer real-time data, enabling brokers to stay ahead of market movements and make informed decisions promptly.
  • Analytical Tools: Understanding market dynamics requires more than intuition. Trading platforms come equipped with advanced analytical tools, empowering brokers to dissect trends, identify patterns, and forecast potential shifts.
  • Comprehensive Market View: A holistic understanding of the market is crucial for success. Trading platforms provide a panoramic view, incorporating diverse financial instruments and global market data to aid brokers in making well-rounded decisions.

Strategic Moves of Expert Brokers

With access to trusted brokers and the arsenal of trading platforms, expert brokers deploy strategic moves that set them apart in the financial arena.

  • Risk Management: Expert brokers understand the significance of risk management. They employ sophisticated risk assessment tools on trading platforms to mitigate potential losses and optimize gains.
  • Diversification: Like a seasoned chess player considers various moves, expert brokers diversify their portfolios. Trading platforms facilitate the exploration of different financial instruments, ensuring a well-rounded approach to investment.
  • Adaptability: The economic chessboard is ever-changing. Expert brokers showcase adaptability, leveraging the real-time insights provided by trading platforms to adjust their strategies in response to market fluctuations.
  • Continuous Learning: In the dynamic world of finance, knowledge is power. Expert brokers use the educational resources embedded in trading platforms to stay abreast of market trends, new financial instruments, and evolving strategies.

READ ALSO: Finance: Learn How To Invest In Forex Exchange

In Conclusion

Mastering the economic chessboard requires a symbiotic relationship between expert brokers, trusted platforms, and a commitment to continuous learning. As we traverse this intricate landscape, it becomes evident that success hinges on strategic acumen, data-driven decisions, and the ability to adapt to the unpredictable nature of financial markets.

In the pursuit of financial excellence, remember that your journey begins with the careful selection of trusted brokers and the seamless integration of powerful trading platforms. Equip yourself with the tools needed to make informed decisions, and soon you’ll find yourself making strategic moves with the confidence of a grandmaster on the economic chessboard.

Economic Resilience: Navigating Credit Cards in a Shifting Financial Landscape

economic resilience credit cards

In the dynamic realm of personal finance, Credit Cards like Destiny MasterCard play a pivotal role, acting as both allies and potential pitfalls. Economic shifts can significantly impact our financial well-being, making it crucial to adopt smart strategies for managing credit cards. Let’s delve into practical advice on building credit resilience, adapting to economic changes, and making informed decisions to weather the storms of financial uncertainty.

Understanding the Dynamics of Credit Cards and the Economy

  • Symbiotic Relationship: Credit cards are not isolated financial tools; they are intricately linked to the broader economic landscape. Changes in interest rates, inflation, and employment directly affect how we manage our credit.
  • The Power of Plastic: Credit cards offer a convenient and flexible way to manage finances, but their misuse can lead to debt traps. Striking a balance is key to harnessing the benefits without falling into financial distress.

Strategies for Credit Resilience

1. Know Your Credit Score

  • Regularly check your credit score to gauge your financial health. Services like Credit Karma and AnnualCreditReport provide free access, helping you stay informed and identify areas for improvement.

2. Create a Budget and Stick to It

  • Establish a realistic budget that aligns with your income and financial goals. Categorize expenses and allocate funds accordingly. This disciplined approach prevents overspending and helps you stay within your means.

3. Emergency Fund: Your Financial Safety Net

  • Build an emergency fund to cover unexpected expenses. This fund acts as a buffer during economic downturns, reducing the reliance on credit cards for unplanned financial challenges.

4. Monitor Economic Indicators

  • Stay informed about economic indicators like interest rates and inflation. Being aware of these factors allows you to anticipate changes and adjust your financial strategies accordingly.

Adapting to Economic Changes

1. Adjusting Spending Habits

  • During economic shifts, reevaluate your spending habits. Prioritize essential expenses and cut down on discretionary spending. This proactive approach ensures financial stability even in uncertain times.

2. Negotiate with Creditors

  • If faced with financial difficulties, don’t hesitate to communicate with your creditors. Many institutions offer hardship programs or temporary relief options. Negotiating proactively can prevent long-term damage to your credit.

3. Diversify Your Financial Portfolio

  • Explore diverse financial instruments beyond credit cards. Investments, savings accounts, and retirement funds can provide alternative avenues for financial growth, reducing reliance on credit during economic downturns.

Making Informed Credit Decisions

1. Read the Fine Print

  • Before acquiring a credit card, thoroughly read the terms and conditions. Understand interest rates, fees, and any hidden charges. Being informed empowers you to make decisions aligned with your financial goals.

2. Optimize Rewards Programs

  • Choose credit cards that align with your spending habits and offer rewards tailored to your needs. Whether it’s cashback, travel rewards, or points, optimizing these programs can provide tangible benefits.

3. Pay Your Balance in Full

  • Whenever possible, pay your credit card balance in full each month. This not only saves you from accruing interest but also positively impacts your credit score.

READ ALSO: Politicians Can’t Do Anything About Inflation — Economists Say

Conclusion: Navigating the Credit Card Landscape

In the ever-changing world of personal finance, mastering the art of credit card management is a crucial skill. By implementing proactive strategies for credit resilience, adapting to economic changes, and making informed decisions, you can navigate the complexities of the financial landscape with confidence.

Remember, credit cards are powerful financial tools when used responsibly. Stay informed, be adaptable, and approach credit management with a strategic mindset to ensure your economic resilience in any financial climate.

Overviews of Car Crash Lawsuits and Lawsuit Funding in Georgia

personal injury lawsuitA Georgia lawsuit funding is an option considered by a plaintiff as a means to pursue claims for damages beyond the amount offered as settlement by insurance companies. While a personal injury lawsuit can help a car crash victim claim compulsory damages in terms of economic and non-economic financial needs, the related proceedings could drag on and take longer to complete and conclude.

In the meantime, savings could dwindle while awaiting the lawsuit judgement, which makes taking out a lawsuit funding a viable solution. Actually, a lawsuit loan company will offer a cash advance of the pending settlement that the court will award.

Just like a typical loan, interest will accrue on the amount of settlement disbursed in advance. The term accrue means that periodic interest charges will be accounted at a certain rate, as additional charges due on the lawsuit loan.

In the event that the lawsuit settlement is awarded, the principal amount advanced plus the total interest charges accrued will be deducted from the proceeds of lawsuit judgement. However, if the actual lawsuit judgement did not meet expectations, let’s say none was awarded or fell short of the total settlement paid by the lawsuit company, the latter cannot demand payment from the plaintiff.

Now here’s the thing, care must be applied when choosing a lawsuit loan company because some are unscrupulous and apply a high rate of interest while at the same time compounding the interests charged on the lawsuit loan. Compounding is a method of calculating interest on a principal amount that already carries interests. Doing so causes the principal amount to balloon and reach great proportions.

Unfortunately many car crash victims fell for  this kind of ploy, they were surprised to find out that a great proportion of their lawsuit settlement were applied as payment of the lawsuit loan,

Impact of Georgia’s Motor Vehicle Fault Rule and the Modified Comparative Negligence Law

car crashIn Georgia, the victim of a car collision can file a lawsuit to claim damages only if he or she is not at fault for causing the collision. The At Fault rule bars the driver in a car collision from pursuing claims for damages if his percentage of fault exceeded that of the other driver.

Under the comparative negligence law, as long as the level of negligence or carelessness that a driver committed to have caused the accident did not exceed that of the other driver’s contributory negligence, he or she can exercise the right to file a lawsuit to claim damages.

The Current State of Cryptocurrency Markets: Trends and Analysis

Crypto trading strategies

Cryptocurrency markets continue to be a dynamic and evolving space, influenced by a myriad of factors that shape trends and drive major price movements. Recent reports and analyses from reputable financial sources provide valuable insights into the current state of these markets. In this exploration, we delve into the key trends, market sentiment influencers, and notable price shifts that are shaping the landscape. Let’s also explore crypto trading apps like the Ethereum ePrex App.

Market Trends Unveiled

  1. Bitcoin Dominance Remains Resilient
    • Despite the emergence of various altcoins, Bitcoin’s dominance in the market has proven to be resilient. Recent data indicates that Bitcoin continues to be a key player, influencing market trends and setting the tone for other cryptocurrencies.
  2. Altcoin Surge and Selective Adoption
    • Altcoins, or alternative cryptocurrencies, have experienced a surge in popularity. Notably, certain altcoins have gained traction due to unique features or use cases. Investors are becoming more selective, focusing on coins that offer innovative solutions and differentiate themselves from the pack.
  3. DeFi and NFT Boom
    • The decentralized finance (DeFi) and non-fungible token (NFT) sectors continue to experience significant growth. DeFi projects are reshaping traditional financial services, while NFTs are transforming the art and entertainment industries. These trends reflect a broader shift towards blockchain-based solutions.

Influencers of Market Sentiment

  1. Regulatory Developments
    • Regulatory developments have a profound impact on market sentiment. Recent announcements from regulatory bodies worldwide have contributed to both positive and negative market reactions. Clarity and regulatory support are increasingly seen as pivotal for sustained market growth.
  2. Institutional Adoption
    • The growing participation of institutional investors in the cryptocurrency space has been a major influencer of positive market sentiment. Notable endorsements and investments from institutional players contribute to a sense of legitimacy and stability within the market.
  3. Market Perception of Technology Upgrades
    • Technological advancements and upgrades within blockchain networks, such as Ethereum’s transition to Ethereum 2.0, have a direct impact on market sentiment. Investors closely monitor these developments as they can enhance scalability, security, and overall functionality.

Major Price Movements

  1. Volatility Amid Macro-Economic Factors
    • Cryptocurrency markets remain susceptible to broader economic trends. Recent fluctuations in global financial markets, coupled with inflation concerns, have contributed to increased volatility in the crypto space. Investors are closely monitoring macroeconomic indicators for potential impacts on digital assets.
  2. Market Response to High-Profile Hacks
    • High-profile security breaches and hacks within the cryptocurrency space can trigger significant price movements. Recent incidents have highlighted the importance of robust security measures for both exchanges and individual investors.

The Role of a Crypto Trading App like Ethereum ePrex App

In the midst of these trends and influencers, having a reliable crypto trading app becomes crucial for investors navigating the dynamic cryptocurrency markets. Platforms like Ethereum ePrex App provide users with intuitive interfaces, real-time market data, and advanced trading features. As the market evolves, such apps become indispensable tools for executing informed and timely trading decisions.

READ ALSO: Finance: Learn How To Invest In Forex Exchange

Conclusion: Navigating the Crypto Seas

The current state of cryptocurrency markets reflects a dynamic ecosystem shaped by trends, influencers, and major price movements. As investors continue to navigate these seas of opportunity and volatility, staying informed about market trends and leveraging user-friendly platforms like Ethereum ePrex App becomes increasingly essential.

TikTok’s Impact on Finance: How Social Media is Shaping Economic Trends

tiktok on economy

In today’s digital age, the influence of social media extends far beyond viral dance trends and lip-syncing videos. One platform that has taken the world by storm, particularly among the younger generation, is TikTok. TikTok views (if you are buying TikTok views, check out Famoid) have skyrocketed, making it a hub for entertainment, education, and yes, even finance. In this article, we delve into the ways TikTok is shaping financial behavior and decisions, from influencing investment trends to providing budgeting tips. We’ll also analyze the economic consequences of the viral financial advice circulating on this rapidly growing social media platform.

The TikTok Phenomenon

A Brief Introduction to TikTok

TikTok, often described as a short-form video-sharing app, allows users to create and share 15 to 60-second videos set to music or audio clips. Its user-friendly interface and algorithm-driven content recommendations have propelled it to the forefront of the social media landscape. With billions of downloads and active users, TikTok has evolved into a powerhouse for content creators, influencers, and everyday individuals seeking to share their insights, talents, and experiences.

TikTok and Finance

Redefining Financial Literacy

TikTok is not only a platform for entertainment but has also emerged as a dynamic space for learning and sharing knowledge, including financial literacy. Users are turning to TikTok for quick, accessible, and engaging financial advice. From explaining the basics of budgeting to demystifying complex investment strategies, TikTok creators are making finance more relatable and less intimidating.

Investment Trends in the Age of TikTok

One of the most significant ways TikTok is impacting finance is through its influence on investment trends. Financial influencers, often referred to as “FinTokkers,” share investment strategies, stock tips, and market insights to millions of viewers. This democratization of investment advice has led to increased participation in the stock market, especially among young investors. However, it also raises questions about the quality and reliability of the information shared.

The Viral Nature of Financial Advice

TikTok’s unique algorithm is designed to promote content that resonates with users, leading to the viral spread of financial advice. While this can be beneficial in spreading financial knowledge, it also comes with risks. Misinformation or overly simplified advice can lead to poor financial decisions and potentially harm individuals’ financial well-being.

Economic Consequences

The Rise of Memestocks

One notable economic consequence of TikTok’s influence is the phenomenon of “memestocks.” These are stocks that gain popularity on social media platforms like TikTok, often driven by viral trends and recommendations. The sudden surge in interest can lead to dramatic price fluctuations, creating both opportunities and risks for investors and market stability.

Challenges for Regulators

As TikTok increasingly becomes a source of financial advice and investment discussions, regulators and financial institutions are grappling with how to monitor and regulate this digital landscape. Ensuring that financial information is accurate and reliable while preserving the platform’s creative and free-flowing nature is a delicate balancing act.

Read also: How Economic Factors Impact Coin Futures

Conclusion

TikTok’s impact on finance is undeniable. Its ability to educate and engage users in financial matters is a testament to the power of social media as an educational tool. However, it also raises concerns about the quality and accuracy of financial advice in the digital age. As TikTok continues to evolve, it will be essential for users to approach financial content with a critical eye, and for regulators to adapt to this new era of financial communication.

In a world where TikTok views can shape investment decisions and budgeting habits, the need for financial education and responsible content creation has never been more apparent. As we navigate this dynamic landscape, let’s harness the potential of TikTok while staying informed and cautious about the financial advice it offers.

Hyderabad’s Glittering Jewelry Industry Shines Bright, Bolstering Economic Stability

hyderabad city of pearls

Hyderabad, the City of Pearls, boasts a thriving jewelry industry that not only mesmerizes with its exquisite craftsmanship but also plays a significant role in bolstering the city’s stable economy. The Hyderabad gold jewellery along with its pearl jewelries are among the most purchased. With a rich heritage of jewelry-making, Hyderabad has emerged as a hub for precious gems, traditional ornaments, and contemporary designs. This article delves into the ways in which the jewelry business in Hyderabad contributes to the city’s economic stability, supporting livelihoods and attracting enthusiasts from far and wide.

Employment Opportunities

The jewelry industry in Hyderabad is a significant source of employment, providing a wide range of opportunities for skilled artisans, gemologists, designers, and sales professionals. The city is home to numerous jewelry workshops, manufacturing units, and showrooms, employing thousands of individuals. These jobs offer decent wages, promoting socio-economic stability and uplifting the lives of many families in the region.

Exports and Foreign Exchange

Hyderabad’s jewelry industry contributes significantly to the nation’s foreign exchange earnings through its robust export sector. The city’s skilled craftsmen produce intricately designed jewelry pieces that are sought after globally. By exporting their creations to international markets, Hyderabad’s jewelers help bring foreign currency into the country, strengthening the economy and contributing to a favorable balance of trade.

Tourism and Heritage

The rich heritage and cultural significance of Hyderabad’s jewelry industry act as a magnet for tourists from around the world. Visitors are drawn to the city’s historic markets, such as Laad Bazaar and Charminar, known for their stunning collections of pearls, diamonds, and traditional ornaments. The tourism industry thrives on this attraction, as visitors spend on accommodations, dining, transportation, and other related services, further stimulating the local economy.

Skill Development and Training

Hyderabad’s jewelry industry actively supports skill development and training programs, ensuring the preservation of traditional craftsmanship and fostering innovation. Institutes and organizations collaborate to offer courses in jewelry design, gemology, and related fields, equipping aspiring artisans with the necessary skills to excel in the industry. This focus on skill enhancement ensures a continuous supply of talent, driving the growth and competitiveness of the jewelry business in Hyderabad.

Entrepreneurship and Small Businesses

The jewelry industry in Hyderabad provides a favorable environment for entrepreneurship, encouraging small businesses to flourish. Artisans and designers can set up their own workshops or boutiques, showcasing their unique creations and catering to niche markets. These ventures not only contribute to the local economy but also add diversity and vibrancy to the industry, expanding its reach and influence.

Infrastructure Development

The growth of the jewelry industry in Hyderabad has led to the development of specialized infrastructure to support its unique requirements. Jewelry parks, trade centers, and exhibitions serve as platforms for networking, showcasing products, and fostering business collaborations. These infrastructure developments not only benefit the jewelry sector but also create opportunities for ancillary industries, such as logistics, packaging, and marketing, further strengthening the local economy.

Read also: Two Ways to Contribute to the Improvement of the Economy

Conclusion

The jewelry business in Hyderabad stands as a shining example of how a thriving industry can contribute to economic stability. Through job creation, exports, tourism, skill development, entrepreneurship, and infrastructure development, the jewelry industry plays a pivotal role in supporting the city’s economy. As Hyderabad continues to preserve its rich heritage and embrace innovation, the jewelry sector is set to remain a key pillar of economic strength, keeping the city’s sparkle alive for generations to come.

How Economic Factors Impact Coin Futures

Crypto trading strategies

 

The economy and coin futures are closely intertwined, with changes in the economy often having a direct impact on the cryptocurrency market. In recent years, the rise of cryptocurrencies and the increasing popularity of coin futures in futures exchanges has made them an increasingly important part of the global financial landscape. Also, you should check out the coin futures exchange review (선물거래소 리뷰) to learn more.

This article will explore the ways in which changes in the economy affect coin futures and what this means for investors and traders.

The economy and market conditions

One of the most significant ways in which the economy affects coin futures is through market conditions. When the economy is performing well, there is usually more investment activity and higher demand for assets such as cryptocurrencies, leading to price increases. Conversely, when the economy is struggling, investment activity may slow down and demand for assets such as cryptocurrencies may decrease, leading to price decreases.

For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the global economy was severely impacted, leading to widespread market turbulence and a decrease in the value of cryptocurrencies. This had a significant impact on the coin futures market, leading to decreased trading activity and lower prices.

Interest rates and inflation

Another factor that affects coin futures is interest rates and inflation. Interest rates play a key role in the economy, as they can impact the cost of borrowing, the value of investments, and consumer spending. Inflation, on the other hand, is a measure of the rate at which the general level of prices for goods and services is rising, which can impact the value of money and investments.

When interest rates are low, this can lead to increased demand for investments such as cryptocurrencies and coin futures, as investors seek to maximize their returns. Conversely, when interest rates are high, this can reduce demand for investments such as cryptocurrencies, leading to decreased prices.

Inflation can also impact the value of cryptocurrencies and coin futures, as the general rise in prices may lead to increased demand for these assets, which are often seen as a hedge against inflation. Conversely, if inflation is high and the value of money decreases, demand for cryptocurrencies and coin futures may decrease, leading to lower prices.

 

ALSO READ: Importance Of The Financial Area Of A Towing Company

 

Conclusion

The economy plays a significant role in shaping the cryptocurrency market, and coin futures are no exception. Changes in the economy, such as market conditions, interest rates, and inflation, can all have a direct impact on the price of cryptocurrencies and the coin futures market. Understanding the ways in which the economy affects coin futures is important for investors and traders, as it can help them make more informed investment decisions and navigate the complex and ever-evolving world of cryptocurrencies.

How Much Does An SR22 Insurance Cost?

 

 

The price of SR-22 insurance may vary depending on the state you reside in as well as the insurance provider providing coverage. Here, we examine in detail what SR-22 insurance is, what it can cost you, how to obtain one, and how long you might require it.

What exactly is an SR-22?

A SR22 is a certificate of insurance issued by a vehicle insurance company.A financial responsibility file or a certificate of insurance are other names for an SR-22. It confirms that the insured has liability coverage that meets the state’s minimum standards. The insurance provider then sends a copy of the document to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) after it is granted.
If a driver wants to have their license reinstated after it has been suspended or revoked, they must submit an SR-22. If the DMV asks you to provide proof of financial responsibility in connection with any action, the certificate serves as acceptable proof of liability auto insurance.

When is an SR-22 necessary?

In a variety of situations, an SR-22 may be necessary. One instance involves people who have been caught driving or getting into accidents without having enough auto insurance or a proper license. However, it is typically necessary for those who have been found guilty of operating a vehicle while intoxicated or under the influence of narcotics. Anyone involved in any of these occurrences must have a current SR-22 on file with the DMV. Three years is the normal duration; however, it could go up to five.
If a driver is required to keep an SR-22, the certificate must state that the associated insurance policy protects all vehicles that are registered in the driver’s name and all vehicles that the driver regularly drives.
If a motorist does not plan to drive, he does not need to submit an SR-22. However, if the same driver owns a car or regularly uses a car, he would have to submit a non-owner SR-22 certificate. This provides coverage for the driver whenever he is permitted to operate a vehicle that is not his own.

SR-22 Insurance in Texas – What is it? How Much Does it Cost?

Different insurance providers charge different amounts for an SR-22. Depending on characteristics including personal driving history, age, driving experience, marital status, and place of residence, an individual can anticipate spending an average of $35 to $100. Insurance companies that do provide SR-22 coverage typically charge a high premium for it.
The expense is not just for the certificate itself. Clients of SR-22 insurance must invariably pay more for the bare minimum of liability coverage.They are now viewed as high-risk drivers, which explains this. High-risk drivers may even be required by some insurance providers to pay for the entire coverage period up front. For many people, this may represent a considerable financial commitment. A driver who needs an SR-22 may also forfeit their good-driver discount. For ten years following a conviction, Texas actually forbids DUI offenders from receiving a good driver discount.

insurance for SR22 automobiles

An individual will probably initially get in touch with their current auto insurance provider when first instructed to obtain an SR-22. Unfortunately, when that occurs, it notifies the provider that a big event has taken place. The insurance provider will then look up the driver’s DMV record to see why the certificate is required. The insurance provider will either revoke the existing policy or issue the certificate, depending on their conclusions. The driver will be obliged to find another option if the policy is terminated. The premium rates will probably rise if the certificate is issued.
The driver’s current auto insurance provider is not obligated to provide an SR-22. He is free to compare options and choose the best one. Every insurance provider is unique, and many of them don’t even provide SR-22 insurance. Before making a purchase, experts strongly advise doing your research. When purchasing insurance, it is important to take into account the company’s financial accountability, service, dependability, and reputation.
Fortunately for these drivers, auto insurance companies don’t just base premium rates on factors like a DUI or a suspended license. The majority of insurance companies will also consider your age, where you live, whether you’re married, and your driving record and experience.

What is the duration of an SR22 status?

An SR-22 must typically is kept on file for three years following a license suspension for a DUI. As long as neither the vehicle insurance provider nor the motorist cancels the policy, the original certificate will stay on file with the DMV. It is not necessary to re-file annually.
The DMV will receive notification if the insurance carrier cancels the policy or drops the motorist. The driver needs to get a fresh SR-22 from a different auto insurance provider right away. If this is not done, your license can be suspended once more. To put it another way, continuous SR-22 coverage is required for the DMV to approve the eventual removal of SR-22 status and full re-issuance of a driver’s license at a later time.

Selecting the Right SR22 Company

Finding the ideal insurance provider might be challenging for drivers who must comply with SR-22 regulations. They don’t want to argue with an insurance salesperson after having to deal with an arrest, court dates, and annoying DMV demands. It’s good to know that we have choices. There are organizations out there that can assist you in locating the best SR-22 insurance rates.

Finance: Learn How To Invest In Forex Exchange

The term foreign exchange refers to means of payment in a foreign currency such as the US dollar, the British pound, or the Swiss franc. Such foreign means of payment are required, for example, for vacation trips. This can be in the form of cash, i.e. coins or bills. However, most foreign exchange is not a means of payment in the form of cash, but credit balances in foreign currency.

Why invest money in foreign exchange?

Those who invest their money in foreign exchange can pursue various motives. Some are looking for protection against inflation. Other investors, on the other hand, want to diversify their portfolios with currency investments. The background is that exchange rates hardly or does not at all correlate with other asset classes such as stocks and bonds. That is, they develop independently of each other. According to modern portfolio theory, the overall risk of a portfolio can be reduced in this way. This is known as diversification.

Protection against inflation, speculation, and interest gains are the most important reasons for investing in foreign exchange. Thus, reading the forex broker review can provide you with vital information on how to be successful with forex trading in the long run.

Opportunity for currency gains

Most currencies fluctuate over time. As a rule, however, trends in the currency market are of a more long-term nature. That doesn’t mean, however, that there can’t be sudden distortions in foreign exchange.

There is always a chance of currency gains when the home currency devalues ​​against the foreign currency, i.e. becomes less valuable.

With currency investments, the chance of currency gains is offset by the risk of currency losses.

Fxview

Speculative motive

This investing, also known as forex trading, is particularly popular with risk-taking investors. The trader expects a specific, mostly short-term trend in a currency pair and relies on this development with leverage.

Anyone who speculates with stocks or currencies has chances of high profits but also losses.

The starting point is certain currency-relevant events such as central bank meetings or economic figures. But technical chart signals can also be the trigger for currency speculation. The aim of forex trading is to participate in the expected exchange rate development with little capital investment, i.e. with leverage. The instruments used for trading are usually leveraged products.

How do foreign exchange rates affect a country’s economy?

For countries with strong foreign trade, exchange rates are an important factor for economic development. An export nation like Germany, for example, benefits from a falling or weak euro because domestic products are becoming cheaper for foreign customers, which in turn increases demand.

Politicians Can’t Do Anything About Inflation — Economists Say

Lady accounting her expenses

 

Life in Germany is becoming more and more expensive – from shopping to refueling to heating. The inflation rate was almost eight percent. People have been struggling to keep their budget.

Finance Minister Christian Lindner has asserted that the fight against inflation is the top priority. However, there is not much the government can do to combat the causes of the expensive prices.

Politicians like to see themselves in the role of the energetic doer. Inflation is high? Then we cut a few subsidies, change a few laws and inflation subsides. But unfortunately, says the Dresden economist Joachim Ragnitz, this does not work. The Politicians can hardly do anything about the current inflation: “The high inflation rates we have are determined by factors that are outside the political sphere of influence. Above all, the supply chain problem and everything that has to do with Ukraine – such as rising energy costs, which are reflected there – cannot be solved by politics,” says Ragnitz.

As long as goods for half the world are stuck in China, as long as energy remains scarce because Europe deliberately refrains from Russian oil and gas supplies, inflation will remain. The FDP’s budget spokesman, Otto Fricke, also admits that the government’s options are limited: “If you were to say that we are trying to lower prices in general, for example by lowering VAT, then this means that the moment the tax is raised again later, inflation is back.”

Possibilities of the ECB

And yet there is one institution that has an influence on inflation: the European Central Bank (ECB). If it raises its key interest rates, it would be more attractive to invest money. Then the demand for goods would fall and with it the increase in prices.

However, the effect is not immediate, says Reint Gropp from the Halle Institute for Economic Research: “Just because the ECB raises interest rates, energy prices do not fall. At least not directly. Moreover, supply chains will not be improved by the ECB raising interest rates.” It is not so clear that the ECB’s toolkit – above all raising interest rates and stopping bond purchases – is now of any use.

 

ALSO READ: Cryptnomy: When Cryptocurrency and Economics Collide

 

No targeted measures against inflation

Gropp also sums up: The decisive problem is the lack of supply – for goods, for energy. The Federal Government could hardly influence both. However, it can give money to people who are in social distress due to rising prices: “It is important to avoid the watering can.” However, it is precisely such measures that have been decided in part. A reduction in the tax on gasoline would benefit everyone – even those who might not need it at all. “That’s just not targeted. This means that we are wasting a lot of money,” explains Gropp.

Economic researcher Ragnitz also argues that the government is currently not acting precisely. The fuel discount would perhaps help many motorists a bit. It is not even clear how much prices will really fall as a result. Because the discount in turn leads to more demand. “All these measures that are currently being taken are pure populism and that has no effect at all,” says Ragnitz.

The question remains: What helps against inflation? The answer in a few sentences: If production all over the world were to return to normal, if the transport of goods ran smoothly again, that would help. If Europe had plenty of energy available again, it would probably bring even more. But until then, it won’t get any cheaper.

Two Ways to Contribute to the Improvement of the Economy

You may have heard that the economy is not doing well right now. There are all kinds of reasons for this, but one of them is that there just aren’t enough people making things better.

For example, there aren’t enough engineers to design and build new roads, factories, and other types of infrastructure that could improve the economy. Similarly, there aren’t enough people coming up with innovative ideas for new businesses or products that could make the economy boom again.

How to Contribute to Your Economy?

Many people are worried about their financial future right now because they know the economy needs to improve. However, perhaps you are one of those people who just feels like you don’t have a way to help make that happen in any significant way. If so, you’re not alone.

Many people feel this way because they don’t know how they might be able to positively impact the economy. Fortunately, we can all do something about it! 

Stay in School

One way to help contribute to the improvement of the economy is to stay in school. In fact, it’s never been more important than it is now for people to stay in school and get the highest level of education they can.

This is because the economy is shifting rapidly and new industries and job opportunities are being created every day. And while these industries will create excellent job opportunities, they need educated people to fill them.

Learn a Trade

Another way to contribute to the improvement of the economy is to learn a trade. This could mean learning a new skill. Or, it could mean going back to school to get a higher level of education.

In fact, going back to school can be a great way to learn a trade. Many trade schools offer a variety of programs that can help people learn new skills or strengthen the skills they currently have.

Trade schools are also great for people who are looking to make a career transition because they can help you learn the skills you need to succeed in a new field. 

There are trade schools for literally any skill or specialty you want to be in. For example, you want to tap into trading, you can find several sources that are offering just that. They can also help you about doing a ment funding reviews and comparison when trading so you can make the right decision.

Cryptnomy: When Cryptocurrency and Economics Collide

Financial Management

Cryptnomy is an innovative form of digital currency that has been gaining traction in recent years. It is a type of cryptocurrency, which is a form of digital asset that can be used to facilitate financial transactions. As per Bitcoin360 review, Cryptnomy has several unique features that make it different from other forms of currency, such as its decentralized nature and its ability to provide secure financial transactions.

Investigating the Benefits of Cryptocurrency for Businesses & Consumers

Cryptocurrency is transforming the way businesses and consumers interact with each other. With the help of cryptocurrency, businesses can now accept payments from customers without having to worry about cash handling or high transaction fees associated with traditional payment methods.

At the same time, consumers can benefit from cryptocurrency as well. They can make secure and fast payments without worrying about their personal information being compromised or stolen. Furthermore, they can use crypto payments to purchase products and services online which may not be available in their local currency.

How Cryptnomy Is Disrupting Traditional Economics and Redefining Financial Landscapes

Cryptnomy is revolutionizing the way people interact with financial markets and economies. By leveraging the power of cryptocurrencies, It is redefining traditional economic models and reshaping the global financial landscape. Through its innovative technology, Cryptnomy provides users with a secure and efficient way to transact digital assets, allowing them to participate in the global economy without relying on traditional banking systems. By offering a variety of services such as payments and investments, Cryptnomy is empowering individuals to take control of their finances while also providing businesses with new opportunities for growth. This paper will discuss how Cryptnomy is disrupting traditional economics and redefining financial landscapes through its use of cryptocurrencies and its economic implications.

The Potential Impacts of Cryptnomy on Global Markets & Industries

Cryptnomy has the potential to revolutionize global markets and industries by providing an alternative investment option for those seeking to diversify their portfolios. With its decentralized nature, cryptocurrency markets are less susceptible to manipulation and fraud than traditional markets. Moreover, the use of blockchain technology offers a secure platform for transactions that increases transparency and trust in digital transactions. Cryptnomy also provides investors with more freedom and flexibility than traditional investments, allowing them to access global markets with ease. As a result, it has the potential to open up new opportunities for individuals as well as businesses looking to invest in different sectors around the world.

Understanding the Risks & Rewards Associated with Investing in Crypto Assets

Investing in crypto assets can be a lucrative way to make money, but it also carries significant risks. Understanding the risks and rewards associated with investing in digital assets is essential for any investor looking to capitalize on the potential of this growing asset class. In this article, we will explore some of the most common risks and rewards associated with investing in crypto assets. We will also discuss how investors can mitigate these risks and maximize their returns by making informed investment decisions. By understanding the risks and rewards associated with investing in crypto assets, investors can make more informed decisions that lead to greater success.

 

How to Save Money on Heating

Warm and cozy home

 

Saving on your heating can be done in countless ways. One example is hiring a local company that is an expert in heating can save you more money than not maintaining your heating system. With that said, here we listed all the saving tips for you. One tip is obvious, the other will surprise you. And even though some measures will cost you some money now, you will eventually save on your heating costs.

What is your consumption?

First, you need to know how high your consumption is. Is this high or low compared to an average situation? Do you want to know more about Energy Saving? Then take a look at the Knowledge Centre for Energy Saving, here you will find many relevant articles.

Saving on gas

Most saving tips are based on a gas central heating boiler. If you have a central heating boiler on fuel oil or wood, there are other measures to be taken. Most households want to save on their gas consumption. Gas consumption usually determines 2/3 of the energy bill, there is often still a lot of profit to be made. With an average household, you quickly talk about € 100 per year, regardless of the benefits for the environment. In addition, your house can get a more favorable energy label, which increases the appraisal value.

Saving on heating: burning natural gas

  • Choose a central heating boiler with sufficient capacity: a central heating boiler with too low power is working overtime to keep your house at temperature. If you opt for an economical boiler, it will do its job in peace – so with low gas consumption. On this site, you will find more information about calculating the right power.
  • Choose an (ultra-efficient) HR boiler: do you still have an old-fashioned central heating boiler hanging? Then the efficiency of your gas consumption is a maximum of 80%. With the latest HR boilers, an efficiency of 100 to even 107% is possible. With a UHR boiler (Ultra High Efficiency) you can even save more than that.
  • Have your boiler maintained: modern central heating boilers also become contaminated during consumption, which can reduce efficiency by up to 10%. If you opt for annual maintenance, the efficiency of your central heating boiler remains the same.
  • Save extra on heating with a solar water heater; by connecting a solar water heater to your heating system, you can drastically reduce gas consumption. How much you can save depends on many factors. Ask the installer for a calculation based on your specific living situation.
  • Save extra on heating with a heat pump; a heat pump, just like a solar water heater, ensures that gas consumption is reduced. In this case, the central heating boiler uses heat that is extracted from the earth or air to heat the water in the central heating pipes. How much you save depends on many factors. Ask the installer for a calculation based on your specific living situation.

Saving on heating: change your habits

  • Shower shorter: by showering one minute shorter per person, gas and water consumption quickly drops by 10% on an annual basis. And so is the energy bill.
  • Turn down the heating: if the average Dutch person sets his heating one degree lower than normal as a standard, 7% can already be saved on the energy bill. With that money, you can buy some nice sweaters.
  • Turn off the heating earlier: many people do not turn off their heating until they go to bed. Do this an hour earlier and snuggle under a blanket. An annual saving of 4%.

 

ALSO READ: 5 Tips On How To Improve Your Company’s Creditworthiness

 

Saving on heating: take measures

  • Double glazing: windows often cover a large part of the exterior walls. A huge amount of heat escapes through single glazing. Conventional double glazing already retains much more heat. If you really want to save money, choose HR++ glazing. This type of glass keeps heat inside and allows heat from the sun to pass through extra well.
  • Keep interior doors closed: do not leave doors of heated rooms unnecessarily open. Drafts are created immediately, which means that the central heating boiler has to work harder to keep the room warm.
  • Place water savers: in addition to heating, a combi boiler provides hot tap water. The less water that goes through the tap, the less your boiler consumes. So place water savers on your taps and shower heads. The water pressure remains the same, you do not notice it and you save up to 50% on your water consumption.

Saving on heating: did you know…

  • Breathing and perspiration make the air in the house humid. Ventilate your home for fifteen minutes a day (door or window open), so that dry outside air enters. Heating up dry air costs your central heating boiler less power.
  • Curtains form an extra layer of insulation for your windows. Closing the curtains earlier is not only cozy but also energy-conscious.
  • The curtains should be open when the sun shines on your windows. The sun’s rays heat your room(s) for free and for nothing.
  • Wind on your outside wall causes your home to cool down faster. Is there often wind on the same wall? Consider shielding it, for example with a fence or hedge. You will see that your house cools less quickly and your central heating boiler consumes less.

Extra tips for saving on heating

  • Insulate windows and (interior) doors with draft strips.
  • Place a draft brush or draft flap in front of your mailbox.
  • Place draft brushes under your interior doors.
  • Do not hang anything over your radiators, this lowers the heating capacity.
  • Buy special radiator foil and place it between the wall and the radiator, so that the heat does not go into the wall, but into the room.
  • If there is a curtain in front of the radiator, take a thermostatic valve with a remote sensor. This ensures more precise control of the temperature and thus savings.
  • Do you hardly use your attic or not at all? Make sure it is closed off from the first floor or provide extra insulation for the loft.
  • Insulate the visible hot water pipes with special foam covers. This keeps the water in the pipe at a better temperature. Per meter of insulated pipe, this quickly saves 10 m3 of gas per year.
  • Does your chimney not yet have a draft valve? Place these and prevent heat from escaping from your home.

3 Reasons Why You should Have Great Financing Plans before Building Your Home

If you’re thinking about building a new home, you might have some concerns about financing. It’s a big investment, and it’s natural to hesitate before leaping into something so costly.

However, great financing plans can make the process much easier. They won’t just help you find the money you need, but they’ll also reduce the stress involved with building a home.

Here are 3 reasons why you should have great financing plans before building your home:

Build a Better Understanding of what You can Afford

As you’re considering financing options, it’s important to understand how much you can afford. This means more than just knowing the amount you need to borrow. You also need to know what your monthly payments will be.

You can estimate this by using online tools that can help you get a rough idea of what you can afford. However, you also need to understand what income sources you’ll be relying on to make those payments.

Financing Helps Ensure Quality during Construction

Financing isn’t just helpful before building your home.

It can also help ensure that the construction process is completed on time and with high quality. The best way to do this is to make sure that your financing plan is as detailed as possible.

When you meet with lenders, be sure to ask any questions you have to really understand what the lender is expecting. This will make it easier to follow their timelines and meet their expectations.

It Helps You Find the Right Builder

As you’re getting ready to build your home, it may seem like financing is the only thing on your mind. However, it’s a good idea to take a little time to research good builders in your area. While financing plans are important, you should also determine who will actually be building your home.

A good builder can help you avoid many of the surprises that often come with home building projects. He or she can also help you avoid some of the biggest headaches.

If you find a builder who has a good track record, you use this to learn from their past projects. It is also better to purchase from one wholesale kitchen cabinets store so your builder won’t have to get confused about the different brands you are using to build.

The Best Ways to Improve Your Financial Management

Today’s economy has made it challenging for businesses to keep a tight rein on their finances. Since the cost of doing business continues to rise, the need for financial management solutions has grown in importance.

Whether you are just starting your company or you have been growing steadily for years, now is the time to establish good financial management practices to ensure that your business succeeds.

Here are some tips and tricks on how you can improve your financial management so that your company thrives under any circumstances.

Get a Grip on Your Cash Flow

A solid cash flow is the lifeblood of any business especially a special finance auto leads business.

Having a good handle on your cash flow can help you identify problems that could be keeping your company from growing.

A number of factors can affect your cash flow, such as seasonality, fluctuations in your supply chain, and unplanned expenses.

To get a complete picture of your cash flow, you’ll need to collect metrics and data from all areas of your business, such as sales and payment data, inventory and COGS (cost of goods sold), headcount, and more.

Always follow the Best Practices

A strong financial foundation requires that you adhere to best practices in all areas. If you are not sure where you stand in these areas, you may want to employ an accountant to audit your books and provide recommendations on how to improve.

    • Accounting: A strong accounting foundation will help you stay organized, and will also help you better understand your business. This, in turn, will allow you to make informed decisions and provide transparency and clarity to your stakeholders.
    • Capital structure: This is the makeup of your company’s debt and equity. A strong capital structure will help you to secure financing and enable you to take advantage of investment opportunities.
  • Liquidity: Liquidity refers to the amount of cash that is available to meet your short-term financial obligations.

Be Diligent when it Comes to Budgeting

For many businesses, budgeting is a necessary evil. Budgets are often seen as a hindrance to growth. However, if you want to be successful, you must be diligent when it comes to budgeting. To create a budget that works, you’ll need to determine what your company’s budgeted expenses are and create a clear budget for your next fiscal year.

Surefire Ways to Improve Your Loan Business

Loan business is a great way to earn money, especially if you’re not particularly interested in operating a physical storefront. It’s also an interesting and complex field of finance that requires the right mindset, analytical skills, and attention to detail. In short, it’s not at all like the dishonest loan brokers and loan shark schemes you might have heard about once or twice. You won’t find any shady individuals or back-alley meetings when dealing with this type of financial service.

Instead, as an online loan broker, you can work from home or anywhere with Internet access to help other people get the loans they need. If you already have the VA loan requirements for sellers and want to improve your loan business, check out these tips for improving it:

Provide Flexible Repayment Terms

The most important thing you can do for prospective clients is to provide the most flexible repayment terms possible. First and foremost, you’ll want to do this because it’s ethically the right thing to do.

Your clients will definitely appreciate not being burdened with a payment plan that has strict repayment terms. But there are also financial benefits to flexible repayment terms.

For example, you might be able to charge a higher interest rate on your loan and still receive the same amount of business from customers who will be able to pay back loans in a timely manner.

Update Your Customer Service Software

If you use customer service software to manage clients, it’s important to keep that software updated. This is especially true if you’re using a free service like Zendesk.

It’s important to keep tabs on these sites and make sure that their issues don’t affect you. If there’s an update you need to make, don’t be afraid to ask for help from the companies that provide these platforms.

Create a Rewards Program for Your Most Loyal Clients

This isn’t something that all loan brokers do, but it’s definitely worth considering. A rewards program will help you stay connected with your clients and keep them coming back to your site. You can choose to offer a wide array of rewards, or you can create a loyalty program that revolves around specific loan types.

For example, you might offer a 10% discount on all car loans or a free appraisal on any home loan. This will help your most loyal clients and help you earn repeat business.

5 Tips On How To Improve Your Company’s Creditworthiness

If you want to apply for a loan for a company or are looking for an alternative financing option, you should always keep an eye on your creditworthiness.

Five tips on how to improve your company’s creditworthiness now

1. Cashflow, Cashflow, Cashflow

If you want to improve your credit rating, you should keep an eye on your cash flow. The primary goal should always be that the money from outstanding receivables flows back into your company as quickly as possible. A well-thought-out receivables management is therefore the basis for a good credit rating. When making contractual agreements, you should make sure that you set the shortest possible deadlines for paying bills in order to improve your creditworthiness.

Companies that do business in different countries also need information about country-specific payment behavior and current data on the markets, including social and economic facts. Seek out the assistance of services that give you insight into the specific payment behavior and risk factors that affect the predictability of export and investment returns.

Read also: Understanding the Significance of the Open Banking System

2. Increase the equity ratio

The higher your company’s equity ratio, the better your credit rating. If you want to increase your equity ratio in order to improve your creditworthiness, you should use alternative financing instruments. This includes, for example, the leasing of vehicles, machines, or systems. With leasing, the one-time high purchase price is reduced to several small installments.

A company’s equity includes the registered capital, the profits that remain in the company, and shareholder loans with an assumption of liability.

3. Pay bills on time

Credit bureaus store information for up to four years if an invoice was not paid or not paid on time. As a result, you are judged negatively by banks or other business partners, and your creditworthiness decreases. That’s why it’s important to closely monitor that your accounting department pays all invoices on time. Then it works with the credit.

4. Communicate balance sheet data early

If you want to improve your credit rating, you should communicate regularly with credit agencies and banks. In this context, it is crucial that you communicate your balance sheet data to credit agencies as early as possible and always keep your data up to date. It is also important that you provide as detailed a balance sheet as possible. The more details and data, the better!

5. Carefully check the creditworthiness of suppliers and business partners

If one of your business partners does not deliver the goods on time, this can paralyze your entire production process and negatively affect your creditworthiness. Therefore: Regularly check the creditworthiness of your suppliers. A business credit score provides information about the probability that a company will have to file for bankruptcy within the next twelve months. In this way, you can keep an eye out for other business partners at an early stage and arrange for a replacement.

Having a clean credit history allows you to get loans and even net 30 accounts from suppliers, goods, and services needed by your business to strive. For example, NAMYNOT, a business that provides various online marketing solutions, provides a net 30 accounts to customers with good credit standing.

Economic Development: Roles Of Accident Attorney

You cannot overstate the role of business in social and economic development. Businesses play a crucial role in a country’s economic development and prosperity. The success of Los Angeles 50/50 accident attorney organizations leads to economic prosperity.

Economic development and Los Angeles 50/50 accident attorney business

Businesses, large and small, foster economic stability and growth by offering valuable services and products. It also provides taxpayer money that contributes to community health directly. Moreover, they provide jobs and strengthen the economic health of any community in which a business is located. Even if a company is headquartered in a different location, employing people in each local company contributes to the success of that region. With the wages they earn, people buy property, work, shop, and otherwise invest in the area where they live.

Taxes serve, among other things, to maintain the infrastructure of a state, city, or country. This includes roads, public transportation, bridges, tunnels, libraries, and other public buildings and services. It also includes firefighters and police officers. They benefit from the money collected from taxpayers from individuals and businesses.

Definitely, these services are vital to the positive qualities and good health of local and national residents. In a capitalist culture like that of the United States, rising sales and business growth mean the government collect more taxes. This can translate directly into better maintenance and offerings of local infrastructure and services that benefit the community.

Los Angeles 50/50 accident attorney

World Economy and Los Angeles 50/50 Accident Attorney Business

The success of the company as a whole has a direct impact on the global economy. At their core, companies are designed to meet a specific human need and provide trustworthy goods and services related to that need. When consumer confidence in companies falls, it will not only impact sales negatively. This distrust has repercussions and can lead to a decline in a country’s overall economy, weakening the strength of its currency and its purchasing power.

Why Los Angeles 50/50 Accident Attorney is Business Matters

Businesses are directly related to the economic health and well-being of the citizens of the country in which those businesses operate. Profitable businesses promote economic health, which leads to a better quality of life for citizens.

Role Of Phoenix Business Lawyer In Company’s Sale

Statistically, most people have no contact with lawyers. Even if lawyers do not like to work with allegations, it does not seem far-fetched to assume that these people lack nothing. They even lead a legal perspective life that is particularly carefree. So why should the owner of a company who has possibly been routinely and successfully in the economic environment for decades and for whom a deal is sealed with a handshake, seek Phoenix business lawyer for the first time when selling his company?

Why use a transaction Phoenix business lawyer at all?

Phoenix business lawyer

Perhaps the most obvious, as well as the most important argument in this context, seems to be that a company sale is about nothing less than the separation of the entrepreneur from his previous professional life.

The company in question is a whole organism. Selling it also implies financial and legal aspects. In contrast to everyday business, it often moves in completely different dimensions. This not only increases the abstract risk. The sale of a company should therefore not be treated in the same way as the sale of a tangible asset or a service in the operational business.

In order to counteract these gradual gradations effectively, for example, specific contractual approaches for corporate transactions have emerged that differ massively from “conventional” contracts. It is already proving to be a real added value for the entrepreneur willing to sell that the transaction attorney can offer this special design expertise.

When should a Phoenix business lawyer be called in?

There is no rule of thumb as to when a transaction attorney should enter the divestment process. Basically, experience shows that this is advisable sooner rather than later, which is usually achieved when the selling entrepreneur has already gathered relevant experience

Among other things, entrepreneurs must take on the commercial part of the advice. If the transaction attorney is already involved in structuring the transaction, he can intervene to provide support. In addition, it may be necessary at this early stage to draft documents with legal content or background. An example of this is confidentiality agreements with potential buyers or the definition of the first essential element of the transaction.

How The Financial Services Industry Is Affected By COVID-19

Office Worker Wearing Facemask

 

What continues to unfold globally is the human and business impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Having an unprecedented impact on the way we live and do business is the rapid pace at which the pandemic is spreading and therefore the global actions are taken to curtail it. Financial institutions across the banking and capital markets, insurance, and asset management sectors must inure the TP impact of the ‘new normal’, while it’s too early to totally understand the long-term effect of those events.

Since the lockdowns began, nearly all financial services companies’ employees, including the people from Slaton financial services, are working remotely from their homes, which has involved many individuals working outside the country of their employment. Now, the OECD released initial guidance suggesting that a home base shouldn’t create a permanent establishment (PE) on the idea that any restrictions were likely to be temporary and enforced by governments. However, a matter remains regarding what this suggests for business travel, as lockdowns are being eased at different speeds globally and international travel is resuming. Whether a central office may constitute a PE of an enterprise if travel restrictions are lifted but staff still work from home voluntarily, has created a matter.

The subject of the longer term of the workplace and what this suggests for operating models are what COVID-19 has certainly accelerated. To determine more centralized models while continuing to serve customers without creating any additional PE exposure, groups are reviewing their operating models, particularly where senior executives and key decision-makers previously traveled for business. This is often a posh task, particularly as tax legislation during this area continues to evolve with the OECD work on Action 1 on the tax challenges arising from digitalization, and particularly under pillar one.

In the light of potential loss situations and support payments that might be triggered, financial institutions will have to revisit their TP policies/approaches. The critical assumptions of existing advanced pricing arrangements (APAs) that have to be carefully considered and potentially clarified with the relevant tax authorities are what market volatility could also invoke.

Specializing in the key challenges from a TP perspective and also the important practical takeaways, this article explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the financial services sector.

 

ALSO READ: How iPhones are Considered Economic Necessities

 

Banking and capital markets

What put banks in good stead when entering the COVID-19 pandemic is the re-regulation following the 2008 global financial crisis. Households and firms are more liable to economic shocks and entered the crisis relatively highly leveraged compared to banks.

Providing emergency funding loans or stand-by liquidity through loan facilities, banks are called upon to support government-led schemes. With banking risks, including credit misallocation, credit losses, and possibly banks’ own solvency rising further, so too are corporate and household indebtedness.

The practice of central banks aggressively cutting interest rates even farther from previous historic lows has put additional pressure on banks’ interest margins. Furthermore, they’ll later like better to check banking resolutions developed after the worldwide financial crisis while central banks are focused on funding businesses.

large declines in bank equity prices may suggest that investors have become even more concerned about profitability and prospects for the banking sector while there could also be differences between banking profiles, geography, or business mix. The perceived investment case for banks is what the regulatory edicts preventing share buy-backs and dividends have further reduced. Through earnings (including bonus restrictions) and retained dividends, instead of through rights issues, this could suggest that banks will only be ready to replenish their capital buffers.

The almost overnight switch to remote working has also highlighted the requirement for continued investment in IT systems and technology to serve customer needs, likewise as publicized pronouncements about banks’ property footprint. Over time, this could affect the standard value-driving functions within the banking sector, notably the increase of fintech within the arena.

All these pressures may result in losses across the banking sector. Booking models might have to be scrutinized to fret test how the credit approval process is functioning within the COVID-19 environment and whether this affects the placement of the key entrepreneurial risk-taking (KERT) function during a corporate lending branch scenario. The way the sector’s profit split models will add loss split situations might have to be revisited and allocation keys reconsidered.

Insurance

The insurance industry is by its very nature generally well prepared to handle significant industry loss events, like the COVID-19 pandemic. Like business interruption (BI) and travel insurance, several insurers learned lessons from the SARS outbreak of 2003 and introduced exclusion clauses for communicable diseases and epidemics/pandemics into most non-life products. However, there’s still uncertainty related to the complete extent of claims for all times and health insurers and therefore the timing of these claims, because the impact will vary country by country. As life insurers also are expecting to be severely tormented by the financial markets (e.g. life investment bonds), the industry is closely monitoring the effect on mortality rates.

It could potentially lead to a reduced capacity (i.e. available capital) within the market as business interruption and contingency claims (e.g. event cancellations) still unfold for general insurers. Insurers will have to increase rates, which is able to end in higher premiums with a trend towards higher combined ratios and decreasing levels of return on equity thanks to COVID-19 losses. This has led to some insurers raising additional capital within the market, in anticipation of a ‘hardening market’ in early 2021.

 

Talk To Your Lawyer About The Retirement Financial Planning Process

Many people have no idea what retirement entails. They often wait until shortly before retirement to make their future life – and the associated financial aspects – clear to themselves. However, it is wise to think about how to properly arrange your pension earlier. For example, what can you arrange several years in advance, so that you can retire carefree and well prepared in the future? In this article, we give a number of tips for personal choices and options with regard to withdrawing your pension. Things you can take into account now. So the only thing left to do is… is enjoying your retirement!. Know your pension rights. Talk to skilled and experienced lawyers at LA Century Law.

Arrange your pension matters on time

 

Good preparation for your retirement often offers more options than you might have thought of beforehand. In addition, it ensures that you will not be faced with (financial) surprises in the future. So take the time to find out (or have it looked up) carefully what options there are for your pension. You may be able to retire early or take part-time retirement so that you can take it easy in the final years of your working life. And what will your financial situation look like after you retire? What are sensible choices? For some people, a high-low pension can be attractive or a withdrawal of part of the pension in the first years after retirement. Various choices that you can consider if you take plenty of time to arrange your pension.

Finance professionals and Lawyers can help you properly arrange your pension

There are many different options for properly arranging your pension in advance. Some people prefer to consult finance professionals or even their lawyers regarding this matter. But with enough knowledge, you can start the planning process. For example, provide insight into what your situation will look like in the last years of your working life and later after you retire. You can do this for yourself, but it is wise to immediately look at the pension of your partner if any. Can’t quite figure it out? Then a financial advisor can help.

Make an overview of your current income and expenses

Make your income and expenses transparent. What is currently coming in per month? Think of wages, but also of any allowances and other sources of income. At the same time, determine what you expect to generate in income after you retire. If you don’t know exactly, then it is important to find out. In addition to your income, it is also important that you have your expenses in order. Divide your expenses into fixed expenses and daily expenses. For the various expenses, also view what you expect to spend for these items after your retirement.

Engage a (financial) advisor

Can’t quite figure it out? Not sure where to start? Then hire a financial expert. If you want to look at the possibilities to possibly stop working earlier, in most cases you can contact someone through your employer who can look at the options with you. You can also find (financial) advisers through pension funds or consultancy firms who can provide you with advice.

Make plans

Many people often do not yet know how they would like to fill in their pension in the future. It is good to think about this early on. You will soon have all the time! Do you want to pick up your old hobby again? Maybe finally make that beautiful journey? Or is it time for a second or new home? And how does this affect your financial situation? Good to think about that now.