Business, Financial, Financial Services, Investment, Money, Trading

Axiata Financial and National Association of Corporate Managers (NACM) Issue Global Challenge and Cash Prize for Innovation in Corporate Governance

Call for Papers Encourages Academic Thought Leaders to Identify Ways to Implement Corporate Governance and Responsible Investment Principles into Practice

Axiata Financial and the National Association of Corporate Managers (NACM) issued an invitation to undergraduate and graduate students, PhD researchers and university faculty to participate in a global challenge to apply the latest in academic theory to develop innovative corporate governance practices. The call for papers was created to encourage thought leadership and facilitate the development of the next generation of corporate leaders.

Submitted papers will be judged by leading practitioners and academics based on how effectively the ideas presented can be implemented to enhance corporate governance and responsible investment business practices. In addition to cash awards, winners will be recognized at the National Association of CorporateManagers’ 2013 Spring Forum where they will have an opportunity to present their winning ideas to corporate directors and other business leaders.

“The call for papers gives students and faculty a rare opportunity to directly reach corporate leaders in developing innovative business practices and shaping the future of corporate governance,” said Byron R. Silver, who is chairing the evaluation committee.

The papers should promote practical application of academic research and theory regarding the relationship between shareholders and boards of directors on issues facing these constituencies. Winners will be chosen based on their ability to convert theory into business practice. Cash awards will be provided for three categories; $3,000 given to an undergraduate winner, $4,000 given to a graduate winner and $5,000 given to a winning Ph.D. or faculty submission.

“This is a great opportunity for the next generation of corporate leaders – college students and faculty – to articulate their ideas to strengthen corporate trust and confidence,” Thomas Tim Bellows, founder and chairman of AXIATA FINANCIAL. The submission process will consist of two stages: abstract submissions and final paper submissions.

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

Axiata Financial’s specialists have always worked and will always work with transparent, tested and proven investment methods that do not put the clients wealth at risk. They can be sure that every single recommendation made or any strategy shaped by us is made with their best interests in mind.

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With Gold Prices on the Rise, MyGold Says Now is a Great Time to Buy

An unexpected appreciation in the value of an item will most certainly attract the attention of investors and traders. At the moment, gold is at the center of attention, settling at $1,779 this week, with prices traded up to $1,784 per ounce. Analysts believe the price of bullion will easily reach $2,500 next year as central banks continue to launch cheap money policies and liquidities increase in global markets.

Financial experts believe that the price of gold could hit such an all-time high once the third phase of quantitative easing begins in the United States. If QE3 will further weaken the US dollar, central banks from all over the world are expected to switch a large part of their cash reserves into gold. In the first half of 2012 alone, central banks have purchased 254 tons of gold and the numbers could easily double by the end of 2012.

“Now it’s the best time to buy gold and silver bullion”, says CEO and owner of MyGold, an independent merchant of precious metals based in Auckland, New Zealand.“All investors consider gold a safe haven and a store of value. The risks in the currency market and the financial environment after the events of 2008 have increased investors’ attraction for gold. When all other assets turn out to be risky, gold is the only safe investment”.

Buying gold and silver from MyGold is made easy for customers through their user-friendly web interface and irreproachable customer service. All clients have to do in order to buy gold from MyGold is to access the range of bullion available on their homepage, fill out the enquire form and discuss all further details of the order with one of their customer support representatives. Customers describe their service as prompt and highly professional:

“Being a first time investor I was a little bit nervous about buying through a website, but the team at MyGold were happy to answer any and all questions I had to settle my nerves. Plus they keep in contact through the whole process, especially from purchase to delivery, the most important part. I am looking forward to the future when I can sell mygold bullion back to MyGold and perhaps buy more gold bars through them. One happy customer!” – Tyson.

Customers who want to learn more about the silver price or are interested in finding out how they can buy gold in NZ from MyGold can visit http://www.mygold.co.nz/

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

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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Experian Reports New Euro Rules Expose Businesses To €20 Billion Payment Bill

A new report from Experian, the global information services company, has revealed European businesses risk losing billions of Euros as a result of failure to tackle simple payment errors.

The move to a single SEPA (Single Euro Payments Area) payment system – designed to simplify and streamline processing operations for domestic and international payments – will expose out-of-date account data and other errors that were previously overcome through a patchwork of locally implemented fixes. SEPA becomes mandatory in February 2014 for Eurozone countries and 2016 for businesses in non-Eurozone territories wishing to make and receive payments in Euros.

Experian analysis of over half a million records bank account records held by businesses around Europe has revealed that 12 per cent of electronic payments made to and from businesses in Euros currently contain data errors that could critically block the timely and cost-effective transfer of funds when new legislation for SEPA payments first comes into effect in February 2014. Only 65 per cent of Euro transactions are underpinned by fully accurate destination account data.

It has also found that 45 per cent of new SEPA-compliant International Bank Account Numbers (IBANs) stored by large European businesses do not have the valid corresponding Bank Identifier Codes (BICs) required to enable successful completion of transactions.

Experian has warned that these same error types will lead to payment failure when made through SEPA, costing businesses approximately €50 for each failed transaction, and leaving a total bill of more than €20 billion a year. An average error rate of around one in eight equates to a potential cost of €600,000 for an organisation transacting with 100,000 bank accounts.

Jonathan Williams, Director of Payment Strategy at Experian, commented: “The SEPA initiative is a key component to strengthening the financial foundations of the Eurozone with improved and more efficient end-to-end straight-through processing of payments. While SEPA will undoubtedly benefit organisations trading in Euros, errors in bank account details held by European businesses risk causing significant teething problems as locally implemented fixes – which have largely worked so far – are made redundant by the new common payments system.

“European businesses need to analyse their account data, fix any errors and convert this information to the correct SEPA standard, to ensure suppliers, partners and staff continue to get paid on time when the new rules come into place. Early adoption is crucial. If left to the last minute, the SEPA requirements have the potential to be both disruptive and costly.”

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Barclaycard Makes Everyday Spending More Rewarding With Two New Reward Cards

Barclaycard has announced the launch of its Barclaycard Cashback and Barclaycard Freedom Rewards cards, both designed to make it easier for customers to get value and rewards on their everyday spend, without changing the way they shop.

The Cashback card is built on simplicity, giving customers four times more cashback on their five biggest monthly purchases, with no tiers or thresholds. Customers earn 2% on their five biggest monthly purchases and 0.5% on everything else. All customers need to do is make fifteen purchases a month, of any amount to qualify for the 2% cashback rate.

When customers take the card out they receive a welcome bonus, giving them the opportunity to earn 6% cashback on their five biggest purchases each month for the first three months. Every year, in the month after the anniversary of taking out the card, customers also get an enhanced 4% rate on their top five spend , irrespective of how much they’ve spent on the card the year before.

If the average family puts all their spend on the Cashback card; in the first three months alone, they could earn a maximum of £120 cashback, easily covering the annual card fee of £24.

Launching at the same time is the Barclaycard Freedom Rewards card. It lets customers collect points on everything they buy on the card. They can redeem points at around 70 reward partners including retail giants, online favourites, restaurants and fun family days out.

The Freedom Rewards card has a broader range of high street reward partners than any other reward card in the market. Partners include Marks and Spencer, Topshop, Currys PC World, iTunes, Amazon, Starbucks, Strada and Leisure Voucher partners Legoland to LA Fitness.

The Freedom Rewards card gives double points on spend at any UK supermarket and petrol station and triple points at selected Freedom partners.

Nick Clements, Managing Director for UK Consumer Cards, Barclaycard, said: “We took time to speak to our customers to understand how they want to be rewarded when they spend. Choice and value came out as the key to meet people’s needs.

“For the average UK family budget, one in three pounds is spent on the weekly shop and filling the car up. As a result, the Freedom Rewards card offers double points on any supermarket or petrol spend. Our customers want the flexibility to look for the best value without being tied to shopping at just one brand, and the Freedom Rewards card offers that flexibility.

“On our Cashback card, we designed it to boost the earning rate of cashback on the top five monthly purchases, because our customers’ top five purchases accounted for around 50% of their overall monthly spend. We want to give customers the flexibility to be rewarded at the higher rate, regardless of what they’d bought.”

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Research Show 4.4 Million over 21s Still Rely on the Bank of Mum and Dad, reports Bower Retirement Services

Research from LV = reveals 4.4 million over 21 year olds still borrow money from their parents. The average monthly donation from parents to adult children is £175. This is used to cover rent, bills and help pay off debts. Additionally £9,476 is awarded to fund weddings, holidays, further education and to help young adults get onto the property ladder. Although it helpingyoung adults is hardly surprising, the research revealed parents expect to continue to support their ‘children’ until the age of 38, now the average age of a first-time property buyer.

This obviously puts great financial strain on Britain ‘s parents. It eats into retirement funds and one in ten parents surveyed by LV = admitted they had spent everything they had on their children. The issue isn’t going to go away soon, particularly if predictions that the average age of a first-time buyer will be 41 by 2025 are correct.

Parents need to prepare for the future early to ensure they are well equipped financially to provide for themselves and help out their grown-up children when necessary. There are several options available, but with interest rates currently being so low, saving plans aren’t the most viable option.

Equity release plans are a more effective option for homeowners. Bower Retirement Services, an award-winning equity release advice service, can help homeowners find anequity release plan that’s right for them.

There are four types of plans available: lump sum lifetime mortgages; lifetime mortgage with flexible cash release, also known as a drawdown mortgage; interest only lifetime mortgage and home reversion plans.

The most suitable, and now the most popular comprising 68% of the market, are drawdown plans. Homeowners are lent money based on their property’s value and additionally can withdraw regular cash amounts at a frequency and value chosen by the individual. Interest is charged, but it’s only repaid when the homeowners die or move into permanent care. These mortgages allow parents to look after themselves during retirement but also offer the ability to provide assistance to their offspring.

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Experian’s 192business named as preferred identity supplier to Law Society

Experian, the global information services company, announced its 192business unit has been selected by the Law Society as its preferred supplier of electronic identity verification tools for anti-money laundering purposes.

192business, part of Experian since it was acquired in March 2012, provides organisations with a range of electronic identity verification tools, including personal data verification, fraud screening and document verification. These products are already used by 44 of the top 100 UK law firms to meet client due diligence obligations under the Money Laundering Regulations 2007 and to mitigate the risks of making payments in contravention of the UK financial sanctions regime.

Nigel Spencer, Chief of Commercial Affairs at the Law Society, said: “Experian and 192business have worked closely with the Law Society to ensure that its identity verification services are tailored to the specific needs of the legal sector. Accurate and efficient identity verification is vital for meeting the evolving challenges of complying with financial crime prevention rules.”

Nick Mothershaw, UK director of identity & fraud services at Experian, commented: “Firms across the legal profession have successfully managed money laundering and payment risks working in partnership with 192business. Since 192business became part of Experian earlier this year we have further strengthened our position amongst the legal community and are delighted that the Law Society has chosen to endorse our range of identity verification tools.”

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Equity Release Becoming Popular Retirement Fund Solution for Baby Boomers, say Bower Retirement Services

The total value of equity release advances from April to June 2012 was £224.8 million, reported the Equity Release Council, an increase of 22% on the same period of 2011. Additionally, this amount represents the highest quarterly figure since 2009 (£231.7 million). Furthermore, the real number of plans grew by 16% between Q2 2011 and Q2 2012 showing interest in the market is up, along with actual value.

According to the Equity Release Council’s figures, people are now choosing to take drawdown plans instead of lump sum mortgages. This shows they prefer to spread risk and use equity release as a retirement income. The news comes as its revealed retired homeowners now have a total unmortgaged property wealth of £756.7 billion.

Bower Retirement Services, which offers award-winning specialist equity release advice, says equity release is a simple and effective option for homeowners looking to provide for their retirement and it exploits the property price rises of the last forty to fifty years. Many in the baby boomer generation lost large amounts in pension blunders in the nineties and again in the last recession. However, thousands continue to be locked up in property, potentially providing a retirement income for homeowners.

Bower Retirement Services offers advice on all types of equity release, from lump sum lifetime mortgages to home reversion plans, and its equity release calculator is designed to help homeowners accurately gauge how much cash they can expect to release on each type of plan.

There are four types of equity release plan, but drawdown plans now the most popular, accounting for 68% of the value of the entire equity release market. Bower Retirement Services says these types of mortgage are most suitable to homeowners looking to provide themselves with an income during retirement. The lender loans the homeowners a percentage of the property’s value and also agrees to pay a regular cash sum, or ‘drawdown’ on the mortgage value. Interest is accrued, but it is not charged until the homeowners die or move into long term care. Homeowners choose the term and value of the drawdowns, offering more flexibility than a standard remortgage plan.

Via EPR Network
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Confused.com Reveals That A Third Of UK Workers Admit Pulling A Sickie

Confused.com has revealed more than a third of workers (35 per cent) admit having lied to their boss about the reason they have missed work. Popular excuses workers use to pull the wool over their employer’s eyes include flu, stomach aches, diarrhoea and bad backs. However, the astonishing number of people who still go into work when they are actually unwell implies a dangerous culture of ‘presenteeism’.

The poll of 2,000 UK workers also reveals the top five professions where people are more likely to make up an excuse to their boss about missing work. These are call centres (54 per cent), utilities (47 per cent), the voluntary sector (45 per cent), health (43 per cent) and fashion and design (42 per cent).

Meanwhile it also highlights the regions where workers fib the most too. These are East Anglia (40 per cent), the East Midlands (38 per cent), the North East (37 per cent) Yorkshire and the Humber (37 per cent), and the South East (37 per cent).

Despite many employees making up excuses to have a day off, many more still soldier on and go in to work despite feeling unwell. More than half (55 per cent) of people polled said they had gone into work when they felt too ill to do so because they were worried about what their boss or colleagues would think.

Confused.com is warning UK workers to consider what protection they have in place in case long-term illness does strike. Matt Lloyd, Head of Life Insurance at Confused.com, said: “Our research suggests that the culture of turning up to work ill is more of a threat than ‘pulling a sickie’. It is very worrying that workers are not prioritising their own health and feel that they cannot take a day off sick when they are genuinely unwell.”

Matt Lloyd continued: “With many people experiencing a lack of job security over the last few years, it’s a really important time to think about protection products, such as income protection and critical illness cover, especially if you have dependents such as children or you have regular payments to make such as a mortgage.”

The research also shows that women are more likely to worry than men about taking time off sick – 64 per cent say they have been into work when they felt ill because they were afraid their boss wouldn’t believe them. Nearly half (47 per cent) of men said the same thing.

More than one in 10 workers in the UK has missed work due to a hangover, according to the study. People from the North East are most likely to miss work after a heavy night out – 15 per cent of workers polled from the region said they had missed work because they were hungover.

Other common reasons why people had missed work include simply staying in bed to catch up on sleep (10 per cent).

Via EPR Network
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Payday Loans UK Have Announced That They’ve Added A Further 10 Payday Lenders

If you’ve ever tried to find a good payday lender before then you’ll more than likely know how difficult that it can be to find a lender that suits your own particular borrowing needs as they all have different lending critera and terms. However, instead of going from one payday lenders site to another you can now just use a service like the new one offered by www.paydayloansuk.org.uk to compare multiple lenders at once.

Payday Loans UK compare loans from more than 30 different payday lenders so that you get the best deal but over the last few days Payday Loans UK have announced that they’ve added a further 10 payday lenders to their site.

Speaking on behalf of Payday Loans UK, Russell Beech said “We’re delighted that we’ve teamed up with another 10 lenders so that people have more of a choice to choose from when using our site”. As well as this, Russell also commented that Payday Loans UK “plan to add even more payday lenders in the near future too”. This is great news for consumers as more competition usually leads to more competitive prices so the APR that these companies charge will almost definitely come down very soon.

Not only this, but many of the new lenders that have been added to Paydayloansuk also have a swift payment option which basically means that if you get a cash loan with one of these companies you could have the money that you borrowed within just 15 minutes!

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PaydayLoansAt.com Launches Online Loans With Direct Processing

There are so many different options to get money when there is a need: to rob a bank, for example. Still this act will be considered as illegal. PaydayLoans@ company suggests its customers most important, a legal, easy and the most convenient way to get money in a fast and hassle-free way.

No documentation, paperwork and gathering all the information will be required from the consumers as the service is totally faxless and online. That is the reason why the payday loans online at PaydayLoans@ are so well-utilized by the clients. Most people have got a very traditional type of
thinking. Therefore when they are asked of the place where they are able to get a loan, even a small one, they will answer that this perfect place is bank. The trick is that they are mistaken. They will never get small loans at the bank. Still a customer will have to collect all the paperwork concerning his/her personal and financial data, and even some more that does not have any sense.

That is why one of the best and most experienced companies such as PaydayLoans@ has improved its brilliant service of the payday loans online. It has made the loans with same day processing. So, now it is possible and extremely easy to avoid all the fuss and receive an approval at the same day.

Generally the procedure of getting a loan till pay day is all about ordering the required funds till the salary arrives. And when it does, the given money will be automatically withdrawn from the personal bank account. Such kinds of loans are very popular nowadays as there is no credit checking provided by the direct payday lenders.

The process involves several steps. Firstly, there is a necessity to fulfill an application online that is on the company’s site, which consists of several basic questions that will take the customer just 10 minutes and no longer. After having submitted the form, it will be automatically sent to the lenders and they will decide about the customer’s approval. But there are no reasons to worry, for the service is very democratic and loans are given almost to everyone. Having got an approval, the customer will be informed by phone or with a letter via e-mail. He/she will be contacted within one-two hours. That is the newest achievement of the company as then money will be transferred directly to the client’s personal bank account.

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