Even though we are hearing that the recession may be turning around, layoffs and unemployment still abound. Gas prices and food costs are still on the rise and it seems that every day is costing more. In tough economic times, one needs to know where and how th...
(Nov 3rd, 09)

Previously we discussed what a derivative is and, more specifically, what a credit default swap (CDS) is and how they work. We saw that credit default swaps are actually comparable to simple insurance policies. Today I want to discuss a specific market where c...
Banking (Nov 3rd, 09)

American GDP is growing again. After four consecutive quarters of GDP decline, the US Economy grew in the third quarter by 3.5%.  This ends the longest contraction in the US economy since the Great Depression. The 3.5 per cent growth figures were str...
United States (Nov 1st, 09)

Banks have served as one of the main underpinnings of society since civilization began. They have slowly evolved over the centuries, moving slowly from simple counting houses and places to store physical treasures to the modern institutions of today. Banks can...
Banking (Oct 30th, 09)

It is now a question of when rather than if as regards rises in interest rates and that means investors looking at locking away their money in a term deposit, also known as a fixed term or certificate of deposit, need to rethink their strategy. Term deposits ...
Banking (Oct 29th, 09)

Email scams have spread to taxation, with Singaporeans being targeted by criminals making false tax demands. The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) has had to warn taxpayers to beware of fake emails and letters that appear to come from the IRAS and ...
Tax (Oct 29th, 09)

With our financial system in disarray, it seems that no one will give us a straight answer on what caused it. My goal in the next few blogs is to explain specifically what happened during the economic crisis, and how it happened. I am going to break down the...
Banking (Oct 27th, 09)

Most people think of savings in a wrong way, and so always struggle to get anything serious started because they take care of everything else first and then believe there's nothing left at the end of the month to put away to build for the future.One that you c...
Investing (Oct 27th, 09)

Australians have a compulsory retirement savings system but they are paying too much in fees for it according to independent think tank, The Australia Institute (AI).In a discussion paper, the AI says fees and commissions on pensions, known as superannuation i...
Retirement (Oct 20th, 09)

By Jan McCallumGold is likely to first spring to mind when metals are mentioned, yet it is only one metal in an increasingly large selection available to investors.The options for investing in metals such as platinum, palladium, nickel, silver, aluminium, copp...
Commodities (Sep 30th, 09)

The Chinese government has launched renminbi sovereign bonds in Hong Kong to boost international use of the yuan, the official news agency Xinhua said. The issue of 6 billion yuan ($US878.5 million) was described as a key milestone in the internationalisation...
Bonds (Sep 30th, 09)

Australian fund managers have turned bullish on holding cash and shares according to a survey by the investment management company, Russell Investments. The firm’s quarterly Investment Manager Outlook found of the 37 managers surveyed, 22 per cent were ...
Cash (Sep 29th, 09)

UK households have started borrowing again, with a small increase in home lending giving a glimmer of hope to economic recovery. The Bank of England reported that total net lending to individuals rose by £0.7 billion in August although year-on-year it w...
Finance (Sep 29th, 09)

The number of companies raising finance through equity issues has exploded in Australia, with over A$67 billion raised this year. Companies have tapped shareholders for capital at a time when debt financing has been difficult to get, and expensive.  The ...
Finance (Sep 28th, 09)

The assault on offshore tax evasion continues with Switzerland signing an agreement with the United States to exchange information on tax.Switzerland also signed a double taxation agreement with Qatar last week and now will be removed from the “grey list...
Tax (Sep 28th, 09)

Look beyond the obvious choices when considering how to save for your child’s education.  There are other options than education savings plans marketed by financial institutions – although one of these might be the best choice for you. Educat...
Education (Sep 27th, 09)

The internet has made it easier to buy property abroad, with buyers able to research online to find not only property but local lawyers to help with the transfer and information on regulations. Some points to consider are: - Do intend to live in the property...
Real Estate (Sep 22nd, 09)

Consumers purchase automobile insurance to transfer the risk of an accident to their insurance company. In most countries, drivers are required to have some sort of coverage in place in order to drive on the road. Typical variables that will affect the driver'...
Car Insurance (Sep 22nd, 09)

By Jan McCallum The recovery of Australian pension funds shows that time as much as timing matters in financial markets. Every Australian in paid work is supposed to be in a pension fund, known as superannuation in Australia, and they have a choice between c...
Retirement (Sep 21st, 09)

Bond markets in emerging East Asian countries recovered strongly in the first half of 2009 as government stimulus packages and corporate issues boosted holdings of local currency bonds. A survey by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) found Emerging East Asia&rsq...
Bonds (Sep 21st, 09)