Category Archives: Financial Information

Financial Information

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Saxo Bank Publishes OTC FX Options Market Information And Client Position Data

Saxo Bank, the specialist in online trading and investment, is first to publish market data from the FX Options OTC market. The data, which will be published three times a day on Tradingfloor.com, will greatly enhance traders’ understanding and ability to profitably trade FX as an asset class.

This initiative signifies Saxo Bank’s unique position as a leading market maker in the interbank OTC markets and exemplifies the value that Saxo Bank’s active participation offers to its FX clients.

Information included in the posts is:
– ATM volatilities, which shows the change in volatility of currency pairs
– 25-Delta Risk Reversal, the most widely used parameter in gauging market direction
– OTC Volume index, based on interbank OTC FX Options trade activity
– Market Pin Risk, which shows large strikes that have traded in the interbank market and may act as magnetic levels for the spot price in the future
– Charts, the graphical illustration of Risk Reversals and Implied vs. Historic Volatility
– Retail Position Ratio, which shows client sentiment (bullish/bearish) based on actual client positions
– Current FX Options Board Prices, which allows interested parties to see the competitiveness of Saxo Bank’s streaming quotes

Events in the OTC FX Options market have a direct impact on the development in the Forex spot market. Therefore, this type of data has historically been extraordinarily difficult and costly for traders to acquire. Saxo Bank is making this information publicly available to anyone interested in the Forex market, the largest and most liquid market in the world.

In a statement, Edward Voorhees, Global Head of Foreign Exchange at Saxo Bank, said:
“For market makers in the OTC FX Options market the trend has for some years been risk aversion, which has led to major institutions dramatically reducing their market making activities. Saxo Bank has remained very committed to its market making activities in the FX options space. The reward for being an active market participant is the valuable insight we gain. The options team at Saxo Bank is very proud to be able to share these insightful flow details with all our clients at no added cost.

Via EPR Network
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Saxo Bank Scoops Six Awards at the Euromoney Annual FX Survey 2011

Saxo Bank has picked up no less than six awards at the Euromoney annual FX survey 2011. The categories in which the online trading and investment specialist was voted into the top spot for are:

– Best Improved Overall Market Share By Volume ($10bn – $25bn)
– Best Improved Overall Market Share By Volume ($5bn – $10bn)
– Best Speed of Execution
– Best Research and Analytics
– Best Effective Risk Management and Execution Strategies
– Best Integrated Workflow and Compliance Solutions

Albert Maasland, Senior Vice President and Chief Executive of Saxo Bank London said at the awards ceremony in London last night: “These awards are an accolade to Saxo Bank’s experience in the online trading business and its recognition in the market place. Saxo Bank received more award wins this evening than ever before in our history. This follows our best full-year results ever. I am honoured to accept these awards on behalf of our two founders and my colleagues. All six awards reflect our ongoing commitment to respond to our broad client base and provide the FX market with consistent competitive pricing and leading value-adding products and services.”

The Euromoney annual Foreign Exchange survey is in its 22nd year. The survey is the industry’s leading review of FX trading, research and e-business capabilities and is widely considered as the benchmark league table for the FX market. The awards are a reflection of the efforts of the wider FX industry to provide the tools and functionality that make trading FX more efficient. Results are based on qualitative responses from thousands of companies around the world. Last year over 11,700 votes were cast in the survey, including those of treasurers, traders and investors.

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

Prudential Reveals Two In Five Planning To Retire In 2011

Prudential has announced that two in five people are planning their retirement for 2011, even though many have received no advice or have relied solely on non-professional advice.

Two in every five people planning to retire in 2011 will do so having relied on non-professional advice as their main financial information source in the run up to retirement. Prudential’s Class of 2011 research studied the financial plans of this year’s retirees and found that 43 per cent have received no professional advice or relied on the internet or the media for most of their pension advice.

However, more than a quarter (28 per cent) of people intending to retire this year received most of their financial information from an IFA – a figure that remains unchanged since last year. But the study shows there is an increasing trend for people to conduct their own research before seeking pre-retirement financial advice. Half of those who said that an IFA was their main source of retirement income advice had also carried out research online and via the media – an increase from one in three in 2010.

Prudential also found that nearly one in ten (9 per cent) are relying on employers for pre-retirement financial advice advice while another 16 per cent are putting their faith in a mix of friends and family, pension providers and banks.

Russell Warwick, distribution strategy director at Prudential, said: “These results show that there is a genuine advice gap for people in the run-up to retirement. The majority of people due to retire this year will miss out on professional advice and could potentially be making mistakes when planning for their retirement income.

“It is imperative for people looking to secure their retirement income to start saving as much as they can as early as they can and in the years immediately prior to retirement I would also recommend a consultation with a professional adviser on an annual basis.

“Our research has also found that the numbers seeking financial advice prior to retirement in 2011 have not changed since last year. This highlights the work that we as an industry will need to undertake to increase consumer understanding of the value that advisers can add in the run up to the implementation of the Retail Distribution Review next year.”

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

Prudential Reveals More than a Third are Delaying Retirement

Prudential has revealed that more than a third of people are delaying their retirement and putting their dreams on hold.

More than a third (38 per cent) of people due to retire in 2011 are cancelling their plans and delaying retirement and working longer, and a significant proportion (22 per cent) of these are doing so because they can’t afford to stop working.

The findings, from Prudential’s Class of 2011 study, revealed that those delaying retirement this year for financial reasons, had, on average, hoped to stop working at age 62 but now expect to be 68 years old before they can finally take up their state pension. The study, now in its fifth year, questioned people who had planned to retire during 2011.

Two fifths (40 per cent) of those delaying retirement in 2011 due to the financial strain that it will create, believe that they will have to keep working until they are 70 years old, or older, in order to retire with a comfortable income.

Prudential’s study shows that of all those planning to retire in 2011, 22 per cent now say they can’t afford to – a figure that has increased since 2010 when it was 15 per cent. In addition, 16 per cent of those planning to retire in 2011 do not want to quit working.

Vince Smith-Hughes, head of business development at Prudential said: “The only realistic option for those who want to avoid having to delay their planned retirement is to start saving as much as they can as early as they can.

“However, as inflation reaches 5.5 per cent and disposable incomes are reduced, Prudential’s research shows that people are postponing retirement to either build up their pension pots further or simply to continue in a job that they enjoy. When economic factors are combined with changes in legislation, such as the abolition of the Default Retirement age and an increasing trend of choosing to continue at work, it is easy to understand why more people are postponing their retirement plans.

Via EPR Network
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Saxo Bank First To Offer Direct Online Trading In Brazilian Market

Saxo Bank, the specialist in online trading and investment, has launched four futures that will, for the first time, offer investors who are not residents in Brazil direct access to the Brazilian market. The products include the Bovespa Index and USD/BRL cross and enable investors to gain exposure to one of the currently most buoyant economies and hedge risks in their portfolios.

With this launch, Saxo Bank provides investors with four futures investment instruments – the BOVESPA Index, IBOVSPA Index Mini, BMF US Dollar Future and Mini BMF US Dollar – that are available on all of the bank’s platforms (SaxoTrader, SaxoWebTrader and SaxoMobileTrader).

Moreover, Saxo Bank expands its coverage to over 20 futures markets and more than 80 trading venues which can be accessed via a product range comprising more than 22,000 financial instruments.

In a statement, Pedro Brigham, director of the Latin region for Saxo Bank, said: “The rise in commodity prices has put Brazil on investors’ radars. Its excellent economic growth, political stability and a liquid market where over 3.5 billion US dollars are traded on a daily basis have made the country the clear leader in Latin America at a time when investors increasingly demand greater access to emerging markets”.

Claus Nielsen, executive vice president and head of markets at Saxo Bank, added: “The launch of futures trading in Brazil marks a significant milestone for Saxo Bank, and we are proud to be able to offer our global client base access to this vibrant economy. We look forward to expanding the list of available instruments in Brazil and to further add trading venues in emerging countries to our platform.”

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Confused.com’s Car Study Reveals The Vehicles Used By William And Kate

Confused.com has conducted a study to get some insight into the vehicles used by people called William and Kate in the UK.

Drivers called Kate or William (aged 28-40) are more likely to get behind the wheel of a Mini (Kate) or a Rover (William) than the average British motorist, according to a study of 8 million drivers in the UK carried out by car insurance comparison site Confused.com. The traditionally British iconic cars are favoured by Kates and Williams, with Catherines preferring to get behind the wheel of a Citroen. Drivers called William also favour X-type Jaguars, according to Confused.com data.

The research, which was conducted from a database of quotes carried out through the Confused.com site highlighted a number of differences between the driving habits of drivers named William, Kate and Catherine.

The data, which included 28-40 year old drivers in the UK, was overseen by Gareth Kloet, head of car insurance at the company. Kloet commented: “The upcoming royal wedding has increased the interest in the names William and Kate dramatically. With Confused.com data to hand, we have found that William and Kate’s around the UK have very sensible car models, a driving attribute that would expect from the royals.”

Confused.com have also discovered a number of statistics relating to the type of home and family expected for a William and Kate in the UK population, referencing data from 2.5 million home insurance customers. The data showed that only 60 couples were called William and Kate as registered on their home insurance policies.

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Business Monitor International Releases Japan Earthquake Implications Report

Business Monitor International has released a new special report which covers the probable economic and market implications of the Japan earthquake to the world economy.

Since the devastating Tohoku earthquake in Japan on March 11 and its terrible aftermath, there has been much speculation on the scale and scope of a potential nuclear disaster and the implications the disaster will have on the world financial markets. The special report seeks to provide some insight into some of the main economic repercussions ranging from the disruption to Japanese economic growth and markets through to the impact on commodity prices and the infrastructure sector.

Currently at least 6,000 people are known to have died and many thousands are still missing, with local authorities reporting that the final toll could exceed 10,000, which would be greater than the 6,400 killed in the Kobe (Hanshin) quake of 1995. However, while the human toll is disastrous, the infrastructure analysis provides the relatively positive news, if there is any, that Japan is better placed than many other disaster prone countries to respond to the crisis and Japan’s social cohesion should help it withstand a disaster of this magnitude better than many other countries. The participation of China and South Korea in the rescue efforts could also boost the previously strained relations between Japan and its neighbours.

Figures in the report show that there will be severe disruption to economic activity and that recession risks have returned to the fore, although at this stage the full impact is difficult to estimate. This comes at a time when it looked like export growth would boost overall GDP in 2011 following a 1.2% annualised contraction in Q410. While Tohoku is not a major economic centre, it still accounts for 8% of GDP and has numerous factories. Meanwhile, power outages across large parts of Japan, including Greater Tokyo, and supply chain concerns mean that major exporting companies such as Sony and Toyota have halted some operations indefinitely. Assuming that net exports place a sizeable drag on headline growth as exports cool and capital imports surge (as following the Hanshin earthquake in 1995), Japan may continue to suffer negative sequential growth in H111.

Other insights from the Japan analysis indicate that the Japanese government will need to spend heavily to rebuild the damage in the Tohoku region, around the city of Sendai, which will generate economic activity, but the costs will worsen Japan’s already dire fiscal deficit and debt burdens, and could put gross government debt through the JPY1,000trn level this year (an estimated 204% of GDP). Additionally, while markets will remain volatile in the short term, indications are that the authorities’ response to the crisis means that the medium-term view of a weaker yen (to JPY85.00/US$ in the first instance) remains on track, and the longer-term view of an eventual fiscal crisis is reinforced.

Other major areas looked at by the report include the risks for oil & gas prices, shipping, agriculture, automotive manufacture and the base metals industry, as well as important regional economic outlooks.

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Prudential Reveals Number Of Poverty Line Pensioners On The Rise

Prudential has revealed that more than a third (35 per cent) of people planning to retire in the UK this year will do so with incomes below the poverty line.

To meet its minimum income standard the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, the charity that funds a large, UK-wide research and development programme, estimates that a single person in the UK needs at least £14,400 a year, yet 35 per cent of those retiring in 2011 will have a retirement income below this level, up from 32 per cent in 2010.

Prudential’s Class of 2011 study surveyed people intending to retire this year and also revealed that nearly one in five (19 per cent) will retire on an annual income of less than £10,000 a year.

Women planning to retire this year are even more likely to have incomes below the poverty line. 40 per cent of women retiring in 2011 will have a pension income of less than £14,400 compared with 30 per cent of men. Prudential’s research also found that a quarter (26 per cent) of women compared with 12 per cent of men will retire this year with less than £10,000 a year to live on.

Vince Smith-Hughes, Head of Business Development at Prudential said: “Although our research shows that increasing numbers of those planning to retire will face tough financial decisions, there are many options available to boost retirement income.

“People approaching retirement should seek professional financial advice as a prerequisite to maximising their income. We would recommend that you review your finances with an adviser annually in the years immediately before your planned retirement.

“Following the simple advice to start saving as much as you can as early as you can should help to secure the retirement income you want and need. Making voluntary National Insurance contributions should also help to boost retirement income for people who have had breaks in National Insurance payment during their working lives.”

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LV = Reveals One In Ten Homes Built On Brownfield Sites Have Problems

LV= has revealed that over the next decade around half a million homes will be built on redeveloped ex-industrial sites that could pose risks to homeowners and their homes.

A new report from home insurer LV= reveals that around 125 million square metres of redeveloped brownfield land, earmarked for the building of 500,000 homes, is potentially at risk of flooding or contamination, which could cost homeowners thousands of pounds to address.

Brownfield sites are defined as land which has potential for redevelopment after previously being occupied by another permanent building, such as a factory or industrial works. Redeveloping brownfield sites is a cornerstone of the current national housing policy, with 79% of all new builds being built on recycled land in recent years.

Yet according to the LV= research, over one in ten (11%) new homes built on brownfield land have suffered problems as a result of the land the property is built on, affecting a total of 74,000 homes in the last ten years. The most common problem is flooding, but there are also cases of contamination, poor drainage and sewage problems.

One of the drivers behind the current policy encouraging house builders to redevelop land is the creation of affordable homes for first-time buyers. The LV= research shows that few (17%) prospective buyers are actually specifically looking to buy new build housing, rather many feel that this is the only option available to them through local authority shared ownership schemes as many of these properties are new builds. Others say they are persuaded to buy new build homes because of incentives such as deposit cash back schemes from developers or free white goods.

Currently, over a third (34%) of prospective buyers are unaware of the problems associated with former industrial land and a quarter (24%) do not check the previous use of the land a house is built on. LV= is advising potential buyers to check the previous use of the land a house is built on before committing to a purchase, by speaking to neighbours, checking old maps or commissioning a full environmental report to ensure they do not experience problems once they’ve moved in.

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Confused.com Reveals Mothers’ Day Holiday Habits

Confused.com has revealed that many mums may get more than flower and chocolates this Mothers’ Day as more than half of Brits have taken their mum (or mother-in-law) on holiday with them.

The travel insurance provider and comparison site also revealed that the vast majority of Brits would do it again. However, almost one in ten sons admit this is because mum will pay for everything with another reason sons are keen to take mum on holiday being so that she can babysit the kids.

56% of people in the UK have either taken their mums or mother-in-laws or even both on holiday with them, with 85% of Brits who have done so saying they would either take one of both or their mothers/mother-in-laws on holiday again. In addition to this 53% of the people surveyed agreed that their mother (or mother-in-law) was great company on holiday with 50% agreeing that she deserves a treat.

45% of adults have never taken their mothers or mother-in-laws on holiday with them, but of those who have, only 14% would not repeat the experience. The top reason* for refusing take them on holiday again is ‘We like different things’ (33%), with ‘She’s so annoying’ being cited as the second most popular given reason (13.5%). Other reasons for not taking mum on holiday include 10%, who are embarrassed by her behaviour, 9% who think the she would cramp their style and 6% who suggest she flirts too much with the waiters on holiday.

More women than men have taken their mothers on holiday with them than men (women 39% versus men 24%), but some men have ulterior motives for doing so: 9% of adult men saying they take mum on holiday because she pays for everything, whereas only 4% of women admit money is their motivation or taking mum on hols. 11% of men compared to 6% of women take mum on holiday because of her babysitting services.

Londoners are most likely to take mum on holiday (38%), with Northern Ireland (17%) the least likely to do so, according to the survey by Confused.com.

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Business Monitor International Launches Special Report On MENA Crisis

Business Monitor International has revealed a special report recently launched on its website that looks at the key risks to global recovery and stability following the crisis in the Middle East and North Africa.

The report states that the wave of popular protests that have swept across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) since January 2011 constitutes the biggest shake-up to the region for at least a generation, and its impact will be felt for many years to come. The unrest also poses the biggest risk to the global economic recovery this year, not least because of its effects on the oil and gas industry with the price of oil continuing to increase.

Although rising inflation has fuelled discontent, the protests are being driven by more fundamental issues, such as a lack of democracy, high unemployment and poor opportunities for social advancement.

Business Monitor International deemed Algeria, Bahrain, Iran, and Yemen to be most at risk of further unrest, although the company emphasises that virtually no state will be completely immune to public protests.

Egypt will remain in a delicate transition to democracy, and if the people’s hopes are dashed, further protests could erupt. In Bahrain, the growing demands of the Shi’a majority could transform the polity, with major implications for Saudi Arabia, which fears unrest among its own Shi’a minority in the oil-rich Eastern Province.

Libya’s descent into civil war represents the most immediate risk to the region and Europe. The country’s oil supplies are of key significance to the EU, but southern European countries also fear a massive influx of refugees from the country. In addition, chaos and lawlessness in Libya could allow Islamist extremists to establish a greater presence in the country.

More broadly, the crisis in MENA has served notice to authoritarian regimes around the world that they are not immune from popular uprisings. Governments in Venezuela, Belarus, several African countries, Central Asia, North Korea, Myanmar, and even China will become ever more vigilant to the possibility of public unrest.

As far as global financial markets are concerned, the combination of supply-side risks to oil and massive political uncertainty in a strategically important region is bad news for risk trades. Business Monitor International’s global macro team has modelled a ‘worst-case scenario’ in which oil prices spike to US$200/bbl. The company’s special report also reveals that Asia’s economic growth is particularly vulnerable to high oil prices, because most countries in the region import more than 90% of their oil needs.

European economies are also likely to be hit by high oil prices the company reveals, and policymakers in the continent will also be wary of the security risks of Libya’s descent into chaos. However, one relative beneficiary is likely to be Russia. Although there are several Russian oil firms with stakes in the Libyan oil market, high oil prices are generally positive for the Russian economy, provided that any price surge does not tip the global economy back into recession.

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Vebnet and Standard Life Launch Box of Benefits

Vebnet and Standard Life announce the launch of their Box of Benefits (BOB). BOB is an off-the-shelf employee benefits solution designed specifically for UK-based SME companies.

This new proposition has been built using technology from Vebnet, a market-leading provider of technology and services for reward and benefit strategies, and is based on insight from employers looking for a packaged solution.

The business of selecting and managing benefits can take a lot of time, administration and money, however BOB makes it easier for employers to offer their employees great staff benefits packages including a pension, because it is simple to manage and affordable. This is achieved through a single online portal that helps with employee benefits management, the administration of the benefits and reporting requirements.

BOB can be personalised for every company and implemented quickly. Employees receive access to BOB’s user-friendly online technology, with the option to choose from a range of employee benefits, including childcare vouchers, money off bicycles, dental insurance, private medical insurance, pension and travel insurance.

Gerry O’Neill, managing director of corporate solutions said: “Most employers now realise the value of a good benefits package. But for some there is still the concern that it is going to be too costly, or that the administration will take up too much time. Box of Benefits can solve these problems through a boxed up solution that makes flex cost-effective.”

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Millions Of Americans Count On Their Tax Refunds Each Year To Pay Down Debts

Millions of Americans count on their tax refunds each year to pay down debts, get caught up on bills, or simply to make ends meet. With an estimated 1.5 million personal bankruptcies to be filed in 2011, bankruptcy lawyers around the country are being asked the same question: “What will happen to my tax refund if I declare bankruptcy?”

Income tax refunds are basically interest-free loans to the government, and are therefore considered assets of debtors who declare bankruptcy. The trustee assigned to your case may be able to seize your income tax refund, depending upon two main factors: first, what type of bankruptcy you file, and second, whether your refund is fully  exempted.

The two main types of personal bankruptcy cases are Chapter 7 and Chapter 13. In a Chapter 7 case, debtors are essentially allowed to walk away from their debts.

In a Chapter 13 case, debtors must repay their unsecured debts over 3 to 5 years.

Most Chapter 7 cases are considered “no asset” cases, and for those assets that the debtor does possess, there are federal and state exemption laws, which prevent the bankruptcy trustee from seizing and selling the debtor’s property.

Just like the debtor’s household goods, clothing and automobile, in most Chapter 7 cases the debtor’s tax refund can be fully exempted, which means the bankruptcy trustee cannot even consider seizing the refund. However it is very important to use the full and correct exemptions to protect the refund.

Chapter 13 cases can be a bit more complicated. If you have a confirmed Chapter 13 Plan that requires repayment of only a percentage of your debt, your trustee will likely seize your refund every year over the course of your bankruptcy, using the proceeds to increase the payout to unsecured creditors.  Income tax refunds in Chapter 13 are considered “property of the estate,” so your trustee will want to apply this money toward payment of your Plan.

In 100% repayment cases, however, the trustee has no interest in seizing your tax refund.  If your income is demonstrably sufficient to satisfy your confirmed Plan, the trustee will allow you to keep your tax refund.  You may want to adjust your withholdings before filing a Chapter 13 appropriate.

The bankruptcy trustee will in most cases require the debtor to file a tax return to determine whether the debtor’s refund can be seized and used to repay creditors. Unlike a home or car with equity, which must first be auctioned to produce distributable funds, tax refunds are a quick cash windfall to the creditors.

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Stockpair.com Launches Pair Options, the First Trading Product to Enable Direct Trading Based on the Relative Performance of Stocks

Stockpair ( www.stockpair.com ) has announced the launch of the first ever Pair Options trading platform. Pair Options are a new category of market-neutral online trading products that are based on the relative performance of stocks. Pair Options trading is based on picking the best performing stock within a given stock pair (such as Apple/Google, Vodafone/BT etc.) therefore limiting the exposure to general market direction. Stockpair has taken elements from the professional Pair Trading strategy and turned it into a compelling, intuitive and trader-friendly product.

“What’s extremely valuable is that since you trade on the relative performance of two stocks, you’re essentially using a market neutral instrument,” commented Yoel Mann, Stockpair’s VP of Marketing. “What really matters is how one stock has performed against another, and not necessarily how it performs in absolute terms, so even if the market goes down, there is no affect on profits.”

The platform services the global community of traders, professionals and beginners. Within the fairly conservative financial industry, stockpair’s launch is a rare occasion on which a completely new product is to be introduced to the market, not to mention a product that simplifies a proven trading technique and makes a new effective trading paradigm accessible to traders of all levels of experience.

Stockpair is built upon a patent-pending pricing engine and an innovative visual interface which offers a unique, interactive trading experience. The platform offers Pair Options on more than 70 stocks from exchanges around the world, based on real time market data. The system enables taking decisions and making trades within seconds, allowing traders to quickly capture market opportunities.

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LV= Asset Management named Best Small Bond Group at Lipper Awards 2011

LV= Asset Management, the fund management arm of mutual insurance, investment and retirement group LV=, has received recognition for the strong performance of its UK fixed interest team by winning the best small bond group category at the Lipper Fund Awards 2011.

LV= Asset Management qualified for this award by delivering strong risk-adjusted performance relative to its peer group across its range of bond funds over the three year period up to 31st December 2010. These funds include the LV= UK Corporate Bond fund, the LV= UK Fixed Interest fund and the LV= UK Index linked fund.

The award acknowledges LVAM’s industry leading fixed interest capability and highlights the team’s expertise across a range of different products.

Michael Wright, Head of Fixed Interest at LVAM commented: “We aim to deliver consistently good performance for our clients across the range of bond funds. We are extremely pleased to have won this award as it acknowledges our team approach to managing funds and recognises the superior returns we have achieved over the three years to 31st December 2010.

“The last few years have been an extraordinary time for money managers but the breadth of experience on the team has allowed us to draw on lessons from the past and make timely, well informed decision on behalf of our clients. Going forward we are confident that we can maintain this high level of performance by continuing to follow a pragmatic approach to stock selection.”

Ann Roughead, Managing Director at LVAM added: “LVAM has set out its stall as a low-cost active manager that does what it says on the tin – delivering attractive added value year in, year out. The LV= bond funds are great examples of what we are trying to achieve and this award will serve to reinforce our commitment to providing impressive and consistent returns for our investors.”

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LV = Reveals Drivers Lost £58.5 Million From ‘Unfair’ Parking Tickets

LV=, the car insurer, has revealed that drivers lost £58.5m last year by failing to appeal against parking tickets issued in ‘unfair’ circumstances.

In 2010, one in twenty (5%) motorists in the UK received a parking ticket where they had grounds to appeal. Despite this, only one in five (22%) drivers bother to contest a ticket once issued; but of those who do, nearly nine in ten (88%) claimants are successful.

When questioned, over half of UK drivers (53%) who do pay when issued with a ticket in unfair circumstances do so because they assume they will not win an appeal. Many drivers say they are confused about the procedure for appeals, with one in twelve (8%) not knowing how to initiate a claim.

The majority of ‘unfair’ parking fines are issued in areas where parking signage is unclear. Other reasons include misleading road markings, being issued with a fine while walking to a machine to buy a parking ticket and being fined when the car was broken down. A small but significant number of drivers report parking attendants actually fabricating evidence to support issuing the ticket (2%).

Most (49%) of tickets issued unfairly are given out on public roads but surprisingly one in ten (10%) are received in car parks of public buildings managed by local authorities, such as libraries, hospitals and GP surgeries. A similar number (9%) are given out in commercially operated car parks.

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Saxo Bank Video Looks at Post-quake Japanese Investment Opportunities

Saxo Bank has released a new Equity Focus video featuring the company’s Equity Strategist Peter Garnry. The video looks at what the possible implications for investors interested in the Japanese stock market are in the short and long-term, with the total impact and cost of the massive earthquake in Japan, related tsunamis and nuclear crisis still unclear. The Bank of Japan has introduced a series of policy easing measures but there is still doubt that this will be enough to create market stability in the Japanese stock market.

Comparing Japan’s current situation to the state of the country’s market following the huge earthquake which occurred in the city of Kobe in 1995, Peter Garnry commented that the stock market remained steady in the days following that disaster but people underestimated its effects and within four months the market had fallen by 25%. When asked whether this was due to the Kobe earthquake hitting a large industrial area of Japan rather than the coastal areas devastated by the recent quake (although some car manufacturing and electronics plants were forced to stop production) Garnry replied that the effect on the market will only be known in the coming months. He also stated that the aftermath of the earthquake could be a great opportunity for many investors to be exposed to Japanese stocks and subsequently invest in them.

With the current disaster coming on top of an already exorbitant national debt status there are increased concerns that the Japanese economy could be pushed back into recession. Meanwhile, major Japanese exporters are being hurt by forced shutdowns due to power shortages, while the yen, at least for now, is supported by the Bank of Japan’s massive liquidity injection into the banking system. As it’s still early days there’s a chance that just a few months down the road the impact on Japan’s economy and currency might be somewhat different and this could result in some interesting investment opportunities in large Japanese export driven stocks.

About Saxo Bank:
Saxo Bank is an online trading and investment specialist, enabling clients to trade Forex, CFDs, Stocks, Futures, Options and other derivatives, as well as providing portfolio management via SaxoWebTrader and SaxoTrader, the leading online forex trading platforms. The three specialised and fully integrated trading platforms; the browser-based SaxoWebTrader, the downloadable SaxoTrader and the SaxoMobileTrader application are available in over 20 languages. The Saxo Bank website features a wealth of investment advice, trading products, market news and analysis, including forex videos.

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Auto-motiveInsurance.net provides Free Online vehicle insurance quotes

Auto-motiveInsurance.net is a new insurance website. The new website is established to help millions of insurance consumers. At this hard time that many motorists are finding it so difficult to survive, many are losing their insurance policies due to increasing costs. So, people are looking for ways to tremendously reduce their insurance costs, but are struggling to find a solution.

Mr. Solomon, owner of Auto-motiveInsurance.net website had a goal to provide an answer to this chaos. Solomon is quoted as saying, “There are many people who are finding it so difficult to afford automotive insurance and are looking for ways to cut down on their insurance bills. Most insurance companies keep raising customers’ premiums every six months for no obvious reason. Moreover, calling multiple insurance companies to obtain a quote can be time consuming. We wanted to create a platform where prospective insurance buyers could find the best auto insurance quotes. I think our company mission, which is to save people money and time, fills a very real need of most customers. We provide free, no-obligation, online insurance quote tools that people can use to achieve this”.

As one customer said, “The greatest benefit that you would get from this website is that you would be able to get the vehicle insurance quotes free of cost. You just have to submit a form to get the free quotes from the company”.

The layout of the website is very simple. You can easily use the free quote form to get the best auto insurance price you deserve from virtually anywhere on this informative site. There is also a form you can use to get a quote from a specific insurance company. And there is an additional form that allows a shopper the ability to single out the best price from all of compared quotes from several insurance companies. It is up to the user to choose whichever one is appropriate for his need.

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Risk and Insurance Article Archive Announced at ClaudePenland.com/multimedia by Actuary

Claude Penland, Associate of the Casualty Actuarial Society with twenty years of insurance industry experience, announces his new article archive at ClaudePenland.com/multimedia.

All pieces are written by Claude Penland, with many additional risk and insurance articles planned. Informative pieces in the archive include:

-10 Prominent Influenza Pandemic Models: Death, Disease and Economic Loss Modeling

-20 Insurance Trends to Watch

-More Insurance Trends to Watch for Actuaries, Underwriters and Claims Personnel, Part 2

-2011 Web Trends, Including Social Networking and Venture Capital

-An Exciting Time to Consider the Microinsurance Market

-Annual Property and Casualty Reinsurance Salary Survey

-Handy Executive Recruitment and Job Hunting Tools

-Health Insurance Compensation Survey at Top 10 United States Insurers

-Life Insurance Salaries at the Top Among CEO’s, Chairmen and Others

-Pension Risk Trends: Companies, Governments, Accounting, Oh My

-Predictive Modeling for Actuaries: Eight Great PowerPoint Presentations and Articles

-Property and Casualty Insurance Salaries in the C-Suite

-Recent Activity Among Insurance Company Startups and Branch Operations

-Recent Activity in the Global Reinsurance Market

-Recent Activity in the Takaful (Islamic Insurance) Market

-So Why Do Job Hunters Use Executive Recruiters?

-Social Networking for Insurance Professionals on LinkedIn, Parts One, Two, Three, Four and Five

-Ten International Emerging Risks for Insurers and Reinsurers

At ClaudePenland.com, Claude Penland, casualty actuary and webmaster, writes at least six times daily about international risk, insurance, financial and web trends. To subscribe to Claude’s daily digest, visit ClaudePenland.com/subscribe.

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Confused.com Launches New TV Advert

Confused.com has launched its latest advertisement featuring its animated logo Cara singing the classic hit ‘Chain Reaction’, originally penned by the Bee Gees and made famous by Diana Ross. The sixty second advert first aired on 15 February during coverage of the Brit Awards, this year hosted by James Corden.

Following the success of Cara’s first single, ‘Somebody to Love’, ‘Chain Reaction’ is once again voiced by West End star Louise Dearman. Animated and produced by Hornet, with musical arrangement from Spekulation entertainment, the advert will feature living logo Cara singing the catchy anthem before being joined by a backing group of animated singers and dancers.

The Chain Reaction song, originally recorded by Diana Ross, has been selected due to its popularity with music lovers worldwide and was a popular hit in 1985 on her album ‘Eaten Alive’. Confused.com, the UK’s leading car insurance price comparison site, has worked closely with its creative agencies on this advert to ensure it recaptures the energy of the Diana Ross original.

Mike Hoban, marketing director at Confused.com, said: “Confused.com was the first site to offer price comparison. Our latest advert reminds customers of Confused.com’s leadership position in a fun and entertaining way. With 20 million users, up two million since our first advert, Confused.com is once again demonstrating it is the people’s choice for comparison sites and we are really proud of this.”

In addition to the sixty second advert, a thirty second version is also being launched. The new advert can be viewed on Cara’s page on Confused.com and on Confused.com’s You Tube channel.

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