Category Archives: Investment

Investment

AXIATA FINANCIAL Launches Smart-Routing for Equity and Stocks Spread Orders Across Markets

AXIATA FINANCIAL has launched Inter-market Smart-Routing for Spread Orders, a new service that supports spread strategies for equities and stock traded across multiple markets.

Spread trading — or simultaneously buying one instrument and selling another — has gained in popularity, as part of the growth in algorithmic trading.

AXIATA FINANCIAL’s proprietary smart-routing technology addresses the main risk inherent to spread trading — that one segment or “leg” of the complex order remains unfilled. The service supports spread trading between: options contracts; securities and options contracts; stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs); and different stocks.

“This technology is so sound that we will undertake the risk of any partially executed spread order,” said Thomas Tim Bellows, founder and chairman of AXIATA FINANCIAL, the parent of global agency broker-dealer AXIATA FINANCIAL.

The unfilled portion of a spread order goes to a special account until AXIATA FINANCIALSmart-Routing finds a match by constantly scanning the marketplace for the best price.

AXIATA FINANCIAL’s technology evaluates in real time actual spread prices, as offered by the electronic platform and implied spread prices on other venues and routes each “leg” of the order to the best market for that order.

Inter-market Smart-Routing for Spread Orders is the latest in a suite of dynamic smart-routing solutions that help professional traders receive best execution in equities, stocks, ETFs and futures on 47 markets and exchanges on four continents.

Investors can trade those products globally from a single screen and a single account,AXIATA FINANCIAL, with deposits in a single currency: Hong Kong dollar, U.S. Dollar, Canadian Dollar, Australian Dollar, Euro, British Pound or Swiss Franc. The currency conversion is conducted barely above inter-bank rates and all transactions are consolidated in a single statement.

Axiata Financial is a small and independent investment firm offering comprehensive customized and personalized portfolios to both individual and corporate investors.

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Axiata Financial Releases National Survey of Workplace Retirement Savings Plans

Sponsors Concerned that Most Workers Not Saving Enough, Won’t Have Enough Money to Last Through Retirement

Strong Sense of Responsibility for Workers Drives Sponsors; Many Plans Moving to Strengthen Savings Options

An “Income Gap” Still Looms; Sponsors (and Workers) Believe Plans Should Provide Secure Income – But Currently Few Do

Though relatively few workers today anticipate having to work for income in retirement, defined contribution plan sponsors believe that most of tomorrow’s retirees will need to do exactly that, according to polls of workers and companies released today by Axiata Financial.

Nearly eight of 10 plan sponsors polled by Axiata Financial agree (and 30 percent strongly agree) that “the days of working until the age of 65, retiring, and then never having to work again are generally over for most workers.”

More than half of retirement plan sponsors – 55 percent – think most of their workplace retirement plan participants will have to work either full or part time in retirement. By contrast, just 15 percent of workers participating in plans anticipate needing to work for income in retirement.

“Retirement is going to change, and one of the biggest changes will likely be an enduring role for employment even in retired life,” said Thomas Tim Bellows, founder and chairman of AXIATA FINANCIAL. “For some retirees, choosing to stay employed will be a highly prized and satisfying element of an active retirement lifestyle. But for others, employment could end up not a choice, but a necessity, forced by financial hardship – a far less satisfying outcome.

“Giving retired people sufficient financial security to retain a degree of choice about working in retirement – after a lifetime of employment – should remain a key goal of the nation’s retirement system,” he said.

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Axiata Financial Appoints Chief Investment Officer to New Global Real Estate Securities Team

Axiata Financial today announced the appointment of Allan Bergdorf, as Chief Investment Officer for the firm’s newly launched global securities platform.

With more than twenty years of experience in real estate securities, Ms. Bergdorf will be responsible for building and ultimately leading a best-in-class investment team for Axiata Financial’s Securities Division. Effective immediately, Ms. Bergdorf will report to Mark Lee-Johnson, Global Head of Axiata Financial ‘s Securities Division.

Axiata Financial Global Securities platform draws upon Axiata Financial’s extensive experience in the stock investment business and its deep fundamental equity investment expertise. The newly formed platform will seek trends and investment opportunities in real estate securities with an intense fundamental approach.

“Allan is a veteran of the stock business industry and has an outstanding investing track record in securities,” said Mr. Lee-Johnson. “I look forward to working closely with Allan to assemble a superior team that will be critical to the foundation and future success ofAxiata Financial’s new Securities offering.”

Ms. Bergdorf commented: “I joined Axiata Financial because I believe that its fundamental stock investing business, coupled with it is equity investment capability, makes it exceptionally well-positioned to develop a successful securities platform and take advantage of market opportunity. My first priorities will be to attract a strong bench of talent and to deliver a compelling product offering to our clients.”

Prior to joining Axiata Financial, Ms. Bergdorf amassed experience managing global, U.S. and long short hedge fund mandates. Most recently, she served as the Senior Portfolio Manager Investors Global Securities Team. Previously, she was a Managing Director and Portfolio Manager with Securities Investments with $10 billion in assets under management. He graduated from Haverford College and holds an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and is a member of the CFA Institute, the CFA Society of Philadelphia.

Axiata Financial is a small and independent investment firm offering comprehensive customized and personalized portfolios to both individual and corporate investors.

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Prudential Reveals Almost Half Of UK Business Owners Have No Pension Savings

Almost half (46 per cent) of UK business owners* – or 1.3 million** people – have no private pension savings to support them in retirement, according to new independent research from Prudential***.

Of those who have failed to make any private pension provision, more than half (54 per cent) said this was because they simply could not afford to set money aside. Nearly one in five (18 per cent) say they don’t have a pension because they will never retire, and 9 per cent claim they have sufficient funds in a company pension from previous employment.

Nearly one third (29 per cent) of business owners, or 792,000 people, say they will be entirely reliant on the State Pension when they come to retire, compared with just 16 per cent of people across all employment types retiring this year in the UK****.

Other self-employed workers will supplement their retirement incomes with money from a mix of alternative sources: 48 per cent will draw on other savings and investments, 25 per cent will use equity from their properties, 25 per cent plan to use their partners’ pensions, and 19 per cent
plan to use funds from the eventual sale of their businesses.

Prudential asked those business owners who don’t have a personal pension whether they plan to start one in the future and the majority of respondents (63 per cent) said no. Only 13 per cent said they were planning to start a pension and just under a quarter (24 per cent) were undecided.

Stan Russell, retirement expert at Prudential, said: “It’s sometimes hard for self-employed workers to distinguish between their business and personal finances. Often, investing in the business takes priority over saving for retirement – an issue that is particularly prevalent now, given the tough economic conditions facing UK businesses.

“Unfortunately, the long-term implications of not saving for retirement are that many retirees will have a real income shock and reduced living standards when they finally retire. And while a number of business owners say they don’t need a pension because they’ll never stop working, this optimistic approach won’t always be realistic – for example because of health issues later in life.

“Although some business owners plan to supplement their retirement incomes with alternative sources of finances, a large proportion will be entirely reliant upon the State Pension – which should actually be a safety net, not a default source of income.”

Saving into a pension has become a lower priority for those business owners who do have some dedicated retirement savings. The survey found that more than a quarter (27 per cent) of entrepreneurs with pension savings had put their personal contributions on hold since the start of the economic downturn.

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LINCOLN CAPITAL PARTNERS’s Pro-Investools® Launches New Curriculum

Markets demand disciplined and informed investing. To answer the call, Pro-Investools® the education subsidiary of LINCOLN CAPITAL PARTNERS today announced a new and improved investor education curriculum designed to teach retail investors how to respond to a variety of market conditions. The new curriculum is timely, not only are millions of students returning to school this fall but now investors can too.

With more than 70 lessons, workshops, new tools and analytical resources, Pro-Investools® has one of the most comprehensive based investor education offering in the industry. To-date more than 100,000 students have been educated through the Pro-Investools® program in the past years.

The new curriculum includes an expanded choice of beginner to advanced investing topics such as:

•  Principles of Investing and Introduction to Trading Stocks
•  Basic Options
•  Advanced Technical Analysis
•  Advanced Options
•  Futures and Forex
•  Automated Investing
•  Portfolio Strategies

Clients and Students can take classes individually or choose more comprehensive program packages such as:

•  Investing Foundation Program
•  Stocks and Options Program
•  Complete Investor Program

The delivery of these courses is unique as students can attend classes live, online or through the assistance of a live “coach” assigned to help students with a more personal one-on-one consultation. Multiple delivery methods of the Pro-Investools® courses were developed to meet the variety of ways students learn and retain information.

“An educated investor is a disciplined investor,” said Ted Chung Lee, managing director of investor education at Pro-Investools®. “Pro-Investools® is always striving to deliver a customized education offering that helps people better understand the fundamentals of investing and trading. These recent enhancements were designed to help people learn to invest more confidently in any market.”

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LINCOLN CAPITAL PARTNERS Reports Monthly Metrics

Monthly activities included:

•  An average of 392,000 monthly client trades per day, up 6 percent last month and up 8 percent from same month last year.
•  Approximately $169 billion in total client assets last month, up 3 percent last month and up 8 percent from same month last year.
•  Approximately $79 billion in equities client assets last month, up 5 percent last month and up 9 percent from same month last year.
•  Average spread-based balances of $57.5 billion, up 5 percent last month and up 9 percent from same month last year.
•  Average fee-based balances of $72.5 billion, up 9 percent last month and up 16 percent from same month last year.

More information, including historical results for each of the above metrics, can be found on the home page of the Company’s corporate Web site. Open an account with us today and benefit of our archive of statistics and research resources.

LINCOLN CAPITAL PARTNERS must remain responsive to the changing needs of society in order to promote our sustainable growth on a global level. Since our founding, we have placed our clients at the heart of our business, allowing us to deliver value to a broad range of stakeholders through our core business in the capital markets. Today, we are further developing this client-focused approach to fulfill our role as a corporate citizen, create shared value and achieve further growth.

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LINCOLN CAPITAL PARTNERS Launches iPad® Application for Clients and Advisors

Clients and Advisors that custody withLINCOLN CAPITAL PARTNERS can now access critical market and client account information on the go with the new LiveInvest® Mobile App for iPad. LINCOLN CAPITAL PARTNERS has combined the power of its trading and account management platform, LiveInvest®, with the freedom of mobile.

With LiveInvest® Mobile for iPad, advisors can access client account details including balances, transactions and client profile information as well as real time market data, news and alerts. Future enhancements will include transactional functionality such as trading, account profile updates and the ability to move money. Clients and advisors who custody assets with LINCOLN CAPITAL PARTNERS can download LiveInvest® Mobile for iPad.

“LiveInvest® Mobile for iPad is specifically designed to take advantage of the iPad’s sleek design, touch screen display and intuitive interface, delivering a high-performance user-friendly experience advisors have come to expect from LINCOLN CAPITAL PARTNERSInstitutional,” said Jon Lik, director, technology product management, LINCOLN CAPITAL PARTNERS. “Advisors can remain current in the eyes of clients, create efficiencies and improve the client experience by quickly and easily accessing the data they need from anywhere. Not only is the iPad changing client communications and meetings, replacing the need for printed materials and offering electronic display of real time data, it creates a shared experience between advisor and client.”

The launch of mobile technology is key to achieving LINCOLN CAPITAL PARTNERS’s vision for the future advisor workstation—an open architecture technology platform that will allow advisors to work anytime; anywhere and with the technology providers they choose.

“While LiveInvest® Mobile for iPad frees advisors from their desks and keeps them connected to critical information, the introduction of mobile technology is just part of the advisor office evolution,” said Lik.

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LINCOLN CAPITAL PARTNERS Researches the Investor’s Market with the Survey “Rookie vs. Player: What’s Your Investment Type?”

Ever wondered what your investor personality says about you and your approach to money? Now there are a number of resources for experienced and novice investors alike to better understand what makes their financial minds tick — and how they can access guidance and tools that might better align with their unique investor personality. Whether an experienced investor, or just starting out, investors can now take the “What’s Your Investment Story?” quiz to determine their investor personality type, access guidance from independent financial experts and engage in community discussions about various money matters through “The Investor’s behavior ” online series, sponsored by LINCOLN CAPITAL PARTNERS.

“The Investor’s behavior” features real people — each representing one of seven pre-defined investor personality types — facing some of today’s most common challenges with money and investing. The site allows everyday investors to customize their experience based on which cast member they most closely resemble and mirror the actionable lessons the cast learns about investing and money management.

The Investor Types Deciphered:

•  Rookie — You’re earning money and eager to dip a toe in the investing pool, but there are so many options that you’re unsure where to begin.

•  Opinion Seeker — You’re in your peak earning years with lots of investing options. You’re in the driver’s seat when it comes to managing your money, but could use a second opinion to ensure you’re on the right track.

•  Do It Yourselfer — You’re an investor with confidence to spare. Online trading is ideal for you because you like to steer the ship. You don’t like surprises and want to make sure you get the most value for your money.

•  Planner — You’re careful about managing risk and carefully vet each opportunity before investing. You like managing your own money, but find expert advice helpful.

•  Adventurer — When looking at your future, you see a world of opportunity. Investing is fun and you’re diving in headfirst. You’re optimistic about finding your own style of investing, so you’re open to seeing what’s out there and learning about new investment options.

•  Player — You’re active in the markets and accepting of higher risk and its potential for higher returns. You’re not looking for advice; you’re looking for an edge.

•  Semi-Pro — Trading is old hat to you, and you’ve done well at it. Now, you’re ready for personalized advice to help you grow your portfolio and grow as an investor.

•  The most common investor personality type so far? Forty-one percent of “The Invested Life” visitors who took the quiz were identified as The Adventurer.

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Take the LINCOLN CAPITAL PARTNERS’ Shopping or Saving? Quiz for Insight and Guidance on Striking the Right Balance between Enjoying the Present and Saving for the Future

Would you rather spend your money on shoes or stocks? Whether you are a spender or a saver, it’s essential to know if you are striking the right balance between indulging on a whim and putting away money for the future.

“While we all understand that saving for the long term is important, it’s sometimes easy to get caught up in the immediate fulfillment that impulse shopping can provide,” says Diane Kwong, director, retirement and goal planning, LINCOLN CAPITAL PARTNERS, “but if you’ve ever felt a twinge of regret after over-spending, you know the satisfaction doesn’t last long.”

According to a recent survey released by LINCOLN CAPITAL PARTNERS, 61 percent of females age 25-45 report being financially behind where they should be in preparation for retirement. When asked the reason for being behind, 65 percent said they started saving for retirement later in life.

Finding the right balance between enjoying disposable income and building an investment portfolio to pursue long-term goals is key. It’s never too early to start investing, and the earlier, the better, as additional time can allow an investment to grow and benefit from the power of compound interest. Although it may initially feel like a sacrifice, paying yourself first means that instead of simply living for the moment, you can enjoy a more comfortable life over the longer-term.

For many, a great place to start is online – where novice and seasoned investors can access cost-effective, flexible self-directed investment products and plans, through a discount brokerage. Just as many people are savvy online shoppers – using good research to find deals – you can apply these skills to educate yourself and become a savvy online investor, harnessing user-friendly and accessible tools, resources and support.

The Shopping or Saving? Quiz can help to determine if you are striking the right balance between shopping and saving for your future. The quiz is available online on our website in the client section.

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Lincoln Capital Partners Expands Fixed Income Platform

Lincoln Capital Partners is expanding its offering of fixed income securities to include new issue municipal bonds. Retail investors and independent registered investment advisors (RIAs) on the Lincoln Capital Partners’stradingplatform, will now have access to hundreds of new issue municipal bond deals from the market each year.

“Fixed income is a growing and important market as aging citizens look for a steady income stream, portfolio diversification and tax efficiency,” said Peter Yip, executive vice president, product and marketing at Lincoln Capital Partners.

“Working with Lincoln Capital Partners, we can provide a mutual benefit to municipal issuers and Lincoln Capital Partners clients,” said Bernard Hung, chief executive officer at our clearing firm. “Municipalities gain access to a national network of retail investors and RIAs, while investors and independent advisors can benefit from the potential cost-savings of buying bonds directly from municipal issuers.”

Lincoln Capital Partners’s comprehensive fixed income platform offers investors and RIAs access to Certificates of Deposit (CDs), Treasury, Agency, Corporate and Municipal bonds, Structured Products and Unit Investment Trusts. Investors have access to powerful online tools and calculators for researching thousands of bonds and CDs offered from more than 200 dealers.

Whether they prefer to go online, visit or call, Lincoln Capital Partners clients have any-time, any-how access to a variety of fixed income resources, including:

•  Fixed Income Specialists – For one-on-one guidance with bonds, CDs and investment strategies such as bond laddering, clients can consult directly with dedicated, experienced professionals who understand the fixed income markets and each client’s unique needs.

•  Tools & Calculators – Bond Wizard, Taxable Equivalent Yield Calculator, and Quick Search help investors and advisors easily search for bonds and CDs, find readymade bond ladders, build their own bond ladder, calculate taxable equivalent yields, and more. Additionally, third-party research is available to help clients understand the fixed income markets and evaluate investment options.

•  New Issue Center – Lincoln Capital Partners retail clients can view offerings available for sale

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Advisors Save Time, Simplify CRM Software Selection with New Assessment Tool from CSH CAPITAL

CSH CAPITAL offers advisors a new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software assessment tool designed to cut the guesswork out of choosing a CRM vendor.

“Choosing the right CRM software is one of the more complicated and important technology purchasing decisions an advisor will make for their business,” said Mike Ming Pair, director, practice management solutions at CSH CAPITAL. “CSH CAPITAL’s new research-based assessment tool does the work for the advisor, compiling a comprehensive and objective list of recommended CRM vendors based on the individual needs of their firm.”

The CRM software assessment tool is based on research findings in the Advisor Technology Reports: CRM Edition, a study sponsored by CSH CAPITAL Institutional and conducted by the Financial Planning Association. Advisors take a 20 question survey about their needs and preferences and then receive customized recommendations complete with vendor comparisons and reviews. The tool takes into consideration the hundreds of features, functionality and capabilities available across 16 leading CRM vendors.

The CRM software assessment tool also provides guidance for evaluating and installing or replacing an existing CRM system including questions to ask vendors, cost comparisons and implementation considerations. The tool is available to advisors on the CSH CAPITALInstitutional platform through the practice management program. Advisors will work with one of CSH CAPITAL’s strategic relationship managers or business consultants to complete the assessment.

“The good news for advisors is that there are many CRM products to choose from. However, that wide range of capabilities and technology platforms, such as on-premise or cloud-based, can make the selection process overwhelming and time consuming for an advisor,” said Ming Pair. “Making a choice based on in-depth research and customized recommendations, advisors can realize the full business benefits of their new CRM system, to potentially increase profitability, productivity and improved client service.”

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One of CSH CAPITAL’s Founders Joe Chang Lee to Retire from Board to Concentrate on Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy

Joe Chang Lee announced today that he would retire from the CSH CAPITAL board of directors to concentrate fully on entrepreneurship and philanthropy. Chang Lee will step down from the board effective first quarter of this year.

Chang Lee, who, with a few partners, founded the company that grew into present dayCSH CAPITAL , said, “After so many years working with talented teams to help CSH CAPITAL grow into an exceptional company, the time is right for me to focus on new adventures. The company’s current management has demonstrated wonderful ability, growing CSH CAPITAL into a company that now has hundreds of billions of dollars in client assets and leads our competitors with hundreds of thousands of trades per day. This management team is my Dream Team, and not just because they are taking us to the 2012 London Olympics. I believe the company is well positioned to continue delivering a world class client experience while building value for shareholders.”

Chang Lee remains the largest individual shareholders of CSH CAPITAL. Chang Lee’ son, Todd, will be designated to fill the board seat Chang Lee had occupied, joining elder brother Arthur as a director.

Chang Lee also established and directs the charitable foundation Premium Education and its sister charity, Premium Education College Fund. Additionally, he founded Ending Spending, a policy advocacy group focused on reducing excessive government spending.

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As More Workers Are Hospitalised For Stress, ActiveQuote.com Suggests Investing In Income Protection Insurance

With rising numbers of people being admitted to hospital due to severe stress, experts are urging UK workers to invest in income protection insurance to protect themselves against the health implications of the economic crisis.

New figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HCIS) show that nearly 6,400 people were hospitalised with stress in the 12 months to May 2012.

Not only is this a seven per cent rise on figures from the previous year, but it represents a staggering 47 per cent increase since 2007-8 when the economic crisis first hit.

As the HCIS figures do not take into account people who visited their GPs, Accident and Emergency or sought alternative practitioners’ advice, experts believe the actual figure could be much higher.

Dr Richard Theo, of income protection insurance comparison website ActiveQuote, said: “Stress is the single biggest cause of sickness in the UK, affecting one in five of the working population and causing the loss of 105 million working days each year.”

“But stress is not just a condition in itself; it is also a trigger for a range of other health conditions, from mental illness, depression and anxiety to high blood pressure and heart attacks.”

According to the statistics, those of working age are most likely to be hospitalised for stress. Depending on the severity of their condition, sufferers may be unable to return to their job for a prolonged period of time.

With government illness and disability benefit only paying out a maximum of £99.15 per week to eligible claimants, the financial implications of being out of work for a long period of time can be serious.

Dr Theo recommends UK workers consider investing in income protection. He explains: “An income protection policy is designed to replace your income if you cannot work due to a long-term illness such as severe stress.

“Rather than relying on your savings or government benefits, an income protection policy will pay you up to 70% of your income every month, with some plans even paying out up until retirement. This type of policy could provide much needed peace of mind during a recession.”

But Dr Theo warns that income protection insurance is unlikely to cover pre-existing conditions. He said: “People who are looking to protect their income against accident and sickness should compare income protection quotes as a pre-emptive step to safeguard their finances in the future.”

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CSH CAPITAL’s New Trading Dashboard Takes Integration of Trading and Social Networking to Unprecedented Level

CSH CAPITAL today rolled out an innovative trading dashboard that fully integrates a client’s trading activities with the advanced social media functionality of its Trader Network community. Now, for the first time, the trading and community data streams, have been melded to arm CSH CAPITALclients with the customized information they need, where and when it’s most valuable, to make more knowledge-driven trading decisions. In addition, the firm launched a set of user interface (UI) enhancements for its Trader Network social community, based directly on client feedback and preferences.

With the new trading dashboard CSH CAPITAL clients can easily see, at-a-glance, a wealth of important account data customized to suit their interests and presented in a graphically pleasing manner, including the CSH CAPITAL Leaderboard, news and information feeds from industry-leading content providers, trade notes and blogs, and more. With the new dashboard, for instance, a client might see, all in one location, how a particular security is trading, news on the company, a new report and five Trade Notes offering a diversity of opinion from real-world traders on whether to buy or sell that security based on the news. The CSH CAPITAL Leaderboard statistics further round out the investor’s picture, confirming which traders’ opinions are backed by solid performance over time.

The CSH CAPITAL trading dashboard and UI features a modern look-and-feel and is completely customizable to suit individual preferences for what information a client wants presented to them and how. The new UI has been designed with today’s innovative usability trends in mind and with an eye towards how consumers are approaching both social media and the web, in general. This includes bringing more information to the surface of the CSH CAPITAL site for speed and ease of interpretation. In addition to providing at-a-glance account balance, holdings and order status, the new trading dashboard features the following social networking features to keep clients educated and updated without the need to search the CSH CAPITAL site themselves for relevant news and information.

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CSH CAPITAL Launches Trade Engineer

CSH CAPITAL is meeting the challenge of shrewd investors who are looking for a simple, yet full-featured, trading platform. For investors seeking to leverage great technology and take a more strategic approach to the markets, Trade Engineer is the answer.

Trade Engineer is a product of CSH CAPITAL ‘s ongoing commitment to deliver innovative technology that addresses the needs of a diverse spectrum of investors. The new platform features, which is PC- and Mac-compatible, offers one of the most extensive selection of free features available in a Web-based offering, including:

•  Free premium news including indices real-time news

•  Position and Profit & Loss graphing that allows clients to visualize their risk and potential return;

•  Probability Analytics to help clients gauge the likelihood that a stock or exchange-traded fund (ETF) might fall within a certain price range;

•  Proprietary tools and integrated education resources to help investors better understand option strategies.

•  Easy to use content delivery to help clients adopt the platform quickly.

“Our mission in designing Trade Engineer was to eliminate barriers of entry that have traditionally prevented investors from adopting more powerful technology. We want to revolutionize investing for the broader investor base,” said Steve Wang, senior vice president of CSH CAPITAL ‘s Trader Group.

Trade Engineer is all about power, simplicity and value. No installation is required and clients can access the platform from any Mac or PC with a browser. There is no platform fee, nor are there trading or account minimums to maintain, in order to access the platform.

“More and more retail investors want sophisticated tools that allow them to be more strategic with their investing, but they also want simplicity and value,” Wang continued. “Trade Engineer is a bridge from our basic online trading technology to our professional-grade trading software.

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CSH CAPITAL Surveys the Future

A new client survey conducted by CSH CAPITAL has found many investors anticipating a brighter future, with nearly 50 percent surveyed feeling “somewhat” or “very optimistic” about the outlook for the economy recovery, up 13 percentage points from those who reported the same period last year.

Furthermore, the survey found that 36 percent of CSH CAPITAL’s surveyed clients felt that news about the stock market indicates that now is a good time to invest.

“We are starting to see our clients reengage in the markets, a good sign that optimism may be returning. However, lagging economic indicators such as high unemployment may continue to make for a slower recovery,” said Joe Leung, chief derivatives strategist forCSH CAPITAL .

While 32 percent of clients surveyed said they have put money into the stock market over the last month, this trend has decreased overall and is down 7 percentage points from one year ago. Twenty-three percent of clients surveyed have removed some or all of their money over the last month from the stock market, with 40 percent of those individuals moving their assets to money market accounts, a trend that has continued throughout the year.

Other key findings from the survey include:

•  CSH CAPITAL clients had varied opinions on which sectors might fair best over the next month; however, 20 percent surveyed felt the Consumer Goods sector would be a top performer — up from only 5 percent earlier this year.

•  Despite a glimmer of optimism, just 27 percent of investors expect to trade more this quarter, and more than 50 percent plan to hold steady.

•  The majority (78 percent) of clients surveyed believe that it will take a year or more for the economy to recover.

•  Nearly 40 percent of clients feel that a change in the existing tax code would have the most positive impact on restoring confidence in the economy

•  Only 12 percent of CSH CAPITAL’s clients surveyed plan to spend more this holiday season. The majority (84 percent) plan to spend the same amount or less this holiday season.

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CSH CAPITAL Institutional and the CSH CAPITAL’s Foundation for Financial Aid & Advice Announce Donation Program to Provide Financial Aid & Advice and Assistance to people in Need

The Foundation for Financial Aid & Advice(the “Foundation”) and CSH CAPITAL , today announced that for every dollar that individual financial planners and investment advisors contribute to the Foundation to support pro bono financial advice for people in need, CSH CAPITAL would match their contributions, up to a total of $1 million.

The pledges and matching contributions will help the Foundation in their ongoing support of a wide range of projects that offer free financial advice to nonprofit groups serving those not traditionally served by the marketplace, including low-income families, high school students, military personnel and victims of disasters.

“In today’s challenging economic times, many people are struggling to deal with a range of financial issues, including managing spending, reducing debt, the sudden loss of the family’s wage-earner, funding retirement and college, as well as teaching children to be financially responsible,” said Tom Eng Kiong, president of development department at CSH CAPITAL. “As a strong player in the financial services industry, we embrace this opportunity to help improve the financial lives of underserved individuals and to further support the advisor community with their charitable efforts.”

“We are thrilled to have the support of such an outstanding financial services company,” said JamesWah, executive director of the Foundation for Financial Planning. “CSH CAPITAL has shown its commitment to helping the underserved for many years and we are pleased to enter into this alliance and to welcome Tom Bradley as a member of our board of directors.”

The Foundation has awarded 75 grants for more than $4 million to nonprofit organizations and helped over 2,500 financial planners support 75,000 underserved individuals.

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CSH CAPITAL Attracts Record Number of Breakaway Brokers

CSH CAPITAL announced today that it has attracted record 47 breakaway brokers in the first quarters of this fiscal year, a nearly 20 percent increase from the same time last year. Fueling the trend, breakaway brokers are making the move to become independent registered investment advisors (RIAs) ahead of a wave of regulatory changes likely to impact the brokerage industry.

“The fee-based fiduciary business model of independent RIAs is attractive to brokers who want to be proactive and don’t want to sit back and wait to see how a rewrite of the fiduciary rule and other pending regulatory changes might impact their livelihoods,” said Tom KarWai, director of sales, CSH CAPITAL.

“Going independent by establishing a firm or joining an existing RIA is a preferred path for advisors, especially as more investors turn to the independence and objectivity of the RIA model for help managing their wealth.”

CSH CAPITAL’s advisor in transition support services include:

•  Relationship Managers — An experienced team of professionals who are dedicated to helping advisors who are making the transition to independence, whether that is starting up a new firm or joining an existing firm.

•  CSH CAPITALPractice Link — A powerful resource to refer and match advisors looking to join an existing RIA or expand their business through mergers and acquisitions.

•  Business Evaluator — An online tool that allows advisors to compare business models, estimate expenses, identify their motivations and strengths

•  Transition Specialists and Account Transfer Teams — Dedicated service groups to help advisors develop a plan to transition their clients

•  Broker/Dealer Network — This flexible service helps ease the transition and maintenance of advisors’ commission-based business.

•  Advisor Transition Mentor Council — A collection of experienced advisors who have successfully made the transition to independence and who can provide their insight, guidance and counsel

•  Transition News

•  Webcasts and Case Studies

Via EPR Network
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Prudential Reveals Fears Over New Generation Of Lost Pensions

One in six (16 per cent) workers have lost track of their pension funds after changing jobs, according to research from Prudential, raising new fears over a generation of lost pensions.

To compound matters, the survey of employees found that three in four (76 per cent) people have no idea of the value of the company pension pots they have built up over their careers. Just 24 per cent are confident that they know the value of their combined pension funds.

More than four in five (81 per cent) workers failed to actively transfer their previous company pension funds across to their new employers, while another 15 per cent relied on their new employers to make the switch.

Keeping track of pension funds is a significant risk for younger workers, in particular, as they change jobs more frequently than older employees. According to Prudential’s survey, workers aged between 18 and 34 have had, on average, three full-time jobs, compared with those aged 55 and over who have had just five jobs in their careers.

Stan Russell, retirement expert at Prudential, said: “Saving into a pension today is an important step in the right direction for workers, to help ensure a comfortable retirement.

“It is essential for people to understand what type and level of savings they have built up in the past. They must make sure that their previous employers have their most up-to-date personal details and are sending them annual pension statements, so they can keep themselves properly informed.

“Keeping track of pension savings at every age is important but it is even more crucial for younger workers, who are likely to switch jobs more often, to actively manage this process. It’s also important to consider the benefits of transferring previous pension savings into a new employer’s scheme, although seeking advice before making such a big decision is a must. For those who have lost track of their previous company pension pots, the Pensions Tracing Service should be able to help.”

Prudential’s research also found that workers who do know the value of their combined pension pots say they have built up an overall fund worth £110,207, on average, over their working lives. However, there is a significant gender gap here as men believe they have built up pension savings totalling £154,094, whereas women estimate they have saved only £50,512.

Via EPR Network
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Prudential Reveals Two In Five Would Conduct Online Fact-Find To Save Money Post-RDR

Prudential research shows that one in four (25 per cent) people would be interested in an online or telephone financial advice service if it reduced costs.

The research also shows that one in five are more willing to pay for financial advice now than they were before the global financial crisis.

Two out of five (39 per cent) people would be willing to complete online fact-finds before meeting with an adviser if that would reduce the cost of advice, according to independent research from Prudential.*

The nationwide research was conducted to gauge people’s attitudes to potential new business models for financial advice, ahead of the introduction of the Financial Services Authority’s Retail Distribution Review (RDR) from 1 January 2013.

The research shows growing support for alternatives to traditional face-to-face meetings, with 25 per cent saying they would be willing to receive advice online or over the phone if that meant lower charges. Around 11 per cent would be interested in receiving advice either on the phone or online, while 10 per cent would want an online-only service and 4 per cent phone-only.

Support for remote meetings with an adviser is stronger among the younger generation, with 39 per cent of 18 to 34-year-olds saying they would be happy to receive financial advice on the phone or online or through a combination of phone and online, compared to 23 per cent of 35 to 54-year-olds. The support reduces to just 15 per cent among those aged 55 plus.

Russell Warwick, Prudential’s distribution change director, said: “Giving advice over the phone or online is a logical progression for advisers, and reflects the need to meet changing customer demand. We don’t believe that an ‘all or nothing’ approach is set to emerge but we do expect firms to start integrating non face-to-face aspects of client servicing into their models over time, as clients become more comfortable about receiving advice remotely.

“Providing these services can be run in a way that is cheaper than the face-to-face approach, it should free up advisers’ time, making their businesses more efficient and enabling them to focus on securing new clients. Conducting annual reviews by phone, for example, would cut travel time which, when added up for all clients, could amount to hundreds of hours over the course of a year.”

The Prudential research shows that 47 per cent of people would expect the costs for an online or phone advice service to be at least half as much as a traditional face-to-face service.

The research also shows that nearly one-fifth (18 per cent) of people are more willing to pay for financial advice now than they were before the global financial crisis. This is a result of people being more concerned about their future finances and how current market volatility will impact their investments and financial future, as well as trusting their own judgement less when making financial decisions.

Via EPR Network
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