Archive for January, 2007

Indonesia Rising

Monday, January 29th, 2007

In the beginning of the year, all eyes were on Japan but the Nikkei 225 has been a major disappointment down 6% so far this year. Meanwhile China has done well and Indonesia is the Asia-Pacific region’s stock best market this year up 27% this year. This is despite another punishing tsunami and concerns about bird flu.

Americans, in particular, seem to miss the story of this 3,200 mile archipelago and third largest democracy in the world

Indonesia’s President Yudhoyono, a combination of General, intellectual and bureaucrat, has made real progress in fostering market reforms. Many would categorize Indonesia as a relatively poor country but I beg to differ. I have toured Indonesia from tip to tip and it is a country with many assets and great promise. Rich in natural resources, a talented and young population, strategically positioned to benefit from Asian growth, a size three times the that of Texas and the world’s fourth largest population. As a relatively young democracy and developing economy it lacks an important ingredient for economic growth: capital and a financial system to allocate it efficiently.

Lower interest rates and strong consumer spending has led to a real economic growth rate of 6%. The realization that Indonesia is taking steps to better mange its natural resources has also caught the eyes of global investors. Indonesia has 10 billion barrels of proven and potential oil reserves and 180 trillion cubic feet of proven and potential reserves. After five years of tough negotiations, Exxon Mobil and Pertamina finally inked an agreement earlier this year. This should help Indonesia, a member of OPEC, to ramp up production and move towards being a net exporter of energy.

Exxon Mobil has operated in Indonesia for a century and invested $17 billion in the country, agreed to explore the dormant Cepu area years ago and by using advanced technology, found proven oil reserves of 600 million barrels and 1.7 trillion cubic feet of gas. At peak production, Cepu would provide the GOI about $2 million per day in revenues, add 180,000 barrels a day in daily production and eliminate gas shortages in East Java.

Investors have to also keep a close eye on Indonesian politics and the election cycle. While fuel subsidies were cut back sharply reducing pressure on the country’s budget and currency, other reforms have been pulled back. The reason is that President Yudhoyono party has only a 10% of parliamentary seats and needs to have the cooperation of other coalition partners to maintain power even though the next presidential election is scheduled for 2009. Indonesia has taken the brave step of opening its financial services sector to majority investment by international investors but it also needs to open up other areas such as infrastructure and power. The most important reform to make Indonesia more attractive to international capital is to set up a transparent and clear approval process to cut out red tape and corruption. Then reinvigorate a previously announced plan to privatize some of Indonesia’s 145 largest state-owned companies to increase their profitability and raise more government revenue. Finally, why not follow ten other countries by putting in place a flat tax to rein in bureaucracy, stymie corruption and stimulate growth and productivity.

Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services recently raised Indonesia’s long-term foreign-currency credit rating by one notch to double-B-minus. S&P said the upgrades reflect Indonesia’s improving fiscal and external performance, which has led to a declining debt burden. It also said the size of the government debt and high external debt continue to constrain the ratings.

The Indonesian stock market has been one of Asia’s best this year up 27%. Investors should take a look at the closed-end Indonesian Fund (IF) as the best vehicle to invest in Indonesia. It is managed by Credit Suisse Asset Management and trades at a premium of 5% to net asset value with a price of $7.81.

The key to a stronger Indonesian economy is more trade and investment. American companies and investors can play a key role in maintaining America’s influence in Indonesia which is being undercut by powerful Chinese economic diplomacy. In fact, we need to pay more attention to this key Muslim nation with a secular democracy than the Chinese do.

Carl T. Delfeld
President & Publisher Chartwell Partners
chartwelladvisor.com/ chartwelladvisor.com/

Carl has over twenty years of experience in the global investment business with a strong background in Asia.

• Author of global investor primer “The New Global Investor”

• President of the global investment advisory firm Chartwell Partners

• Publisher of the Chartwell Advisor ETF Report and Asia-Pacific Growth

• Columnist on global investing with Forbes Asia: “Global Gambits”

• Former U.S. Representative to the Executive Board of Asian Development Bank

• Chairman of the global economic strategy think tank ChartwellAmerica

• Asian specialist with the U.S. Joint Economic Committee and the U.S. Treasury

• Former member of the U.S. Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Committee

• Former investment executive with Robert Baird & Company and UBS

• Graduate of the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy with economics scholarship from U.S.-Japan Friendship Commission

• Exchange student at Sophia University, Japanese Ministry of Education Fellow at Keio University

Secured Personal Loan: Paving a Way for Financial Support with Greater Flexibility

Monday, January 29th, 2007

As you might know that greater flexibility you can have with a secured personal loan. As Secured personal loan is secured against property and risk associated to the lenders is low. Due to the low risk factors only you can borrow a large amount and can have lower interest rates.

Lenders would be more flexible when it comes for a secured personal loan. Secured personal loan can be sought even if an unsecured personal loan has been denied. Secured personal loan could be a good option for you when you have a poor credit history or you are finding difficulty in seeking an unsecured personal loan.

This option you can exercise in your home improvements, taking a holiday that you have been dreaming of or would like to buy a car. You can have it for consolidation of your multiple debts. On the other hand if you have a record of an adverse credit history then also you can go for a bad credit secured personal loan. Here you can avail the loan with less effort as the loan is secured and lenders will very easily agree to offer you a loan.

There are huge benefits of a e-secured-loans.co.uk/secured-personal-loan.html” target=_blank>secured personal loan. The first and the foremost is that you can have a low monthly repayments, you can borrow high amount, flexibility in repayments etc. Such benefits are very difficult to get with an unsecured loan option.

If you have collateral to keep and would like to borrow a higher amount with lower interest rates and you are confident enough that you will be able to repay all your installments then it would be a wise move to go for a secured personal loan. Since the loan market here in U.K. is highly competitive you can get competitive interest rates.

The author is a business writer specializing in finance and credit products and has written authoritative articles on the finance industry. He has done his masters in Business Administration and is currently assisting onlineunsecured loans as a finance specialist.
For more information please visit: e-secured-loans.co.uk/ e-secured-loans.co.uk

Save Money and Reduce your Debt with 0% Credit Cards

Monday, January 29th, 2007

Balance Transfer
Transferring a balance from one credit card to another is basically to pay the whole balance of a credit card with another credit card. Then, the first credit card will be wholly paid off and the previous balance amount will appear on the other credit card along with its own balance.

You may wonder why anyone would want to do such a thing, the answer is simple: To avoid paying interests on that amount. You can save a lot of money by doing so; however, you also need to be careful since there are fees and costs that can turn this operation into a bad financial decision. You also need to compare the interest rates charged on both credit cards prior to transferring the balance even if there is a 0% rate promotional period.

0% Balance Transfer and 0% APR Promotional Period
It’s important to differentiate between these two concepts: 0% Balance Transfer implies that the credit card where you will transfer other card balances will not charge an interest rate over the amount you transfer. However, once the transferred balance comes to be part of the overall balance, you’ll be charged the credit card’s usual interest rate and the minimum payment will rise. The 0% Balance Transfer may last more than a month, if so, you won’t have to pay any interest rate till the promotional period comes to an end.

The 0% APR Promotional Period on the other hand, is usually offered by credit card issuers when you acquire a new credit card. During this period you won’t be charged any interest rate on your new credit card balance, whether the balance comes from a balance transfer or from regular purchases.

Save Money and Reduce your Debt
Both combined, can help you reduce your debt and save money. While the promotional period is in force, all your payments will go towards the principal since there will be no interests at all. You need to make good use of the promotional period and while it lasts, pay as much as you can. Moreover if you want to keep saving money and reducing your debt you can acquire a new card with the same terms and transfer the balance of the previous card before the promotional period runs out.

Beware of Abusive Stipulations and Fees
Credit Card providers are discouraging this practice by reducing the promotional periods, so make sure you read your credit card terms thoroughly before signing anything. A common trick credit card providers use is to charge a small fixed fee for balance transfers instead of an interest rate over the balance. As the balance get’s smaller, the fee becomes comparatively more onerous.

As you can see, you can save thousands on interests with 0% Credit Cards, but you need to be specially vigilant and avoid those credit card offers that charge excessive fees and costs for using balance transfers even if they claim to offer 0% Balance Transfers and 0% APR promotional periods.

Mary Wise, a professional consultant with twenty years in the financial field, helps people in the process of securing personal loans, mortgage, refinance or consolidation loans and preventing consumers from falling into the hands of fraudulent lenders.
You can visit her site and get aid for

Top Tips on Debt and What You Need to Know

Sunday, January 28th, 2007

According to the recent news the average American cannot afford a 1 bedroom apartment anywhere on minimum wage. Costs and taxes are skyrocketing out of control along with governmental waste and fraud (see farenheit 9/11 about George Bush and family). It has gotten so that the average persons debt keeps rising and, soon basically, the average American will not be able to live without shouldering massive debt. Her are some tips on debt and how to control it
There is such a thing as good debt.

Most Americans could not afford to purchase a house without a mortgage. Also, a house appreciates or increases in value unlike credit card debt. A house loan is like a forced savings program, and unlike renting, you actually build value over time. There are also tax deductions and savings on real estate. A mortgage is a very sound form of debt. I can’t say this enough. Stop renting and get a house. Else you are making your landlord rich.

Credit cards and store cards have one thing in common, they will make you poor and increase your debt. The only person getting rich off credit and store cards is the creditor, especially with high interest rates, smaller grace periods, and late fees. Tear up all but one card (keep that one for emergency usage only). Take on the adage, “If you can’t afford to pay cash then don’t buy it.” Ask yourself, “Do I really need it?” The only things you should buy with credit are a house and a car.

Make a plan to pay off you’re your debt and don’t take on any new debt. Pay off higher interest debts (usually store cards, credit cards, and payday loans). Never pay just the minimum (this will greatly increase the interest and length of the loan or debt). If you feel you are underwater with your debt and that it is unmanageable call a consumer debt agency. Make sure you look up the credit agency with the Better Business Bureau and your state attorney general as they keep tabs on these agencies. Also, most are free (don’t pay for this service as credit card companies pay for it already). These agencies can be very helpful as they can renegotiate your interest rates, debts, etc… and put together a repayment plan that will put you back on track.

Build a 3 to 6 months safety cushion. You never know what the future holds or how much worse George Bush will hurt the U.S. economy and average worker to appease his wealthy friends. Do not keep it in your savings or checking account as most banks do not pay even semi-decent returns (banks are horrible rip offs – search around as there are numerous liquid investments that are safe and offer better returns on your money). As long as George Bush is president it’s a safe bet that oil will bring great returns (George Bush and big oil go together like peanut butter and jelly).

There you have it, how to get control of your debt and life. We can’t control George Bush and why he is wrecking the U.S. economy, but we can control our own debt and take control of our lives. Maybe George Bush and most politicians could learn something here – Don’t spend money you don’t have and don’t waste it foolishly.

David Maillie is Cornell Alumni and award winning writer and researcher. For more great free info, tips and ideas like this please visit the award winning and nationally top rated blog: bestbraindrain.com bestbraindrain.com

Now Is The Time To Refinance Your Adjustable Rate Mortgage

Sunday, January 28th, 2007

Before shopping, keep in mind the different mortgages available on the financial market and go for a refinancing solution that lengthens the term of your actual mortgage, or a new low interest mortgage.

Adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) is a good refinancing option, since its interest rate is adjusted periodically, moving lower or higher occasionally, but always within the same ratio.

ARM mortgages are often compared with Treasury bill rates, since their fluctuation is based on a pre-selected index. ARM’s may include caps on interest rate increases and limits on the frequency of interest rate adjustments, protecting you against higher payments resulting from increasing interest rates.

Another advantage when it comes to buying an ARM mortgage for refinancing is the fact of initial lower interest rates with continuous adjustments over a period of time or the life of the mortgages or loan.

Mortgages can be purchased for 15 or 30 years with fixed interest rates, that can be reduced if you refinance your home buying an ARM mortgage. Benefits from resetting your monthly payments apply immediately after switching to this option, especially when you are planning to sell your home within a few years.

Today is more convenient than ever to creditchampion.com refinance your mortgage this way because of the recent drop in interest rates allowing you to save in monthly interests.

Why should you consider refinancing now? Well, among the many benefits that an ARM mortgage offers, including a lower interest rate and monthly payment, refinancing allows you to build equity in your home faster because your loan term is shortened, or draw an actual equity through the so-called cash-out refinance.

However, it is necessary to keep in mind a few considerations before shopping for a new ARM mortgage for refinancing your actual mortgage. Among the points of consideration, jot down the interest rate of your existing mortgage against the interest rate of a new ARM mortgage, and the total cost of refinancing.

Other factors influencing your decision are your current credit status and actual income, the time that you plan to live in your home, and how much equity you have been built up in this property, if any.

Most lenders require at least that 5% equity accumulated to exist in your property in order to be eligible for refinancing. Shorter-term mortgages allow building up equity faster, but they usually increase your monthly payment dramatically. Hence, analyze if you are candidate for refinancing and if the answer is yes, apply now!

Anita Johnston writes for creditchampion.com creditchampion.com and directlendingsolutions.com directlendingsolutions.com

An Unsecured Loan Can Give You Cash Without Collateral

Sunday, January 28th, 2007

Unsecured loans have been favourite with borrowers’ world wide. The reason behind the popularity of an unsecured loan is its fast disbursal and no collateral requirement. It comes perfectly into the scheme of things of borrowers who either do not have any asset to pledge as collateral or do not want to put their assets in the danger of being repossessed. Apart from that, it also saves the borrower from the hassles of lengthy documentation process.

There are many varieties of unsecured loans offered by lenders in UK. Borrowers can avail an unsecured loan according to their requirements. If they want loans to consolidate their debts then, an unsecured debt consolidation loan will be suitable for them. If you want to take a loan to purchase your favourite car, in that case, an unsecured car loan will accomplish your task.

However, an unsecured loan is not without any pitfalls. The rate of interest for an unsecured loan is on the higher side when compared with secured loans. As these loans are without collateral, lenders find it risky. The amount you can avail through unsecured loans is smaller than in secured loans. The loan period is also shorter which makes the installment amount big. Above all, failure to repay the loan can put your credit ratings at risk of being called poor.

But, if you need money urgently or do not want to put your shelter in the danger of being confiscated and are confident of repaying it then an online-unsecured-loans.co.uk/unsecured-loan.html” target=”_blank unsecured loan is the perfect remedy to your problem.

The author is a business writer specializing in finance and credit products and has written authoritative articles on the finance industry. He has done his master in Business Administration and is currently assisting Online-Unsecured-Loans as a finance specialist. For more information please visit: online-unsecured-loans.co.uk online-unsecured-loans.co.uk

Emergency Cash Loan – Consider a Fast Cash Advance

Sunday, January 28th, 2007

Emergencies happen. Most people don’t have a savings account. When financial emergencies happen, most people need to borrow money until your next payday. This is where cash advance lenders can come in handy.

Fast Cash In Your Bank Account – Online cash advance lenders will usually deposit the cash loan into your bank account the next business day. However, some companies will deposit the cash the same day as you applied for the loan.

Higher Interest Rate – The price you pay for the convenience of a cash advance or payday loan, is a higher interest rate. As long as you pay the loan back quickly, the additional interest charged will be minimal.

Loan Extensions are Possible – A payday loan must be repayed usually within 1-4 weeks of the time the loan was dispersed. You may wish to extend the loan a week or two. This can be done usually for an extra 3 weeks or so, but you will need to pay on the interest that has been accruing.

Consider the cost of credit card interest. Every month that you make only the minimum payment, interest is being charged. Because only a small amount is due each month, it becomes easy to procrastinate paying the loan off and continue making interest payments. A payday loan will force you to pay the loan off quickly, therefore, eliminating the possibility of continually accruing interest.

Easy Application Process – With a cash advance loan, you have a quick, simple application process, unlike credit card or personal loans, there is no credit check and the loan can be approved and ready to cash within a couple of hours. This provides the convenience for your emergency situation.

To view our recommended payday loan companies online, visit:
abcloanguide.com/paydayloans.shtml Recommended Payday Loan
Sources.

Carrie Reeder is the owner of abcloanguide.com ABC Loan
Guide, an informational website about various types of loans.

Debt Consolidation Loan – Any Takers for Cheaper Loans?

Saturday, January 27th, 2007

Finding a wrong debt consolidation loan could land you in deeper debt woes instead of offering you relief. Every cent counts when you are struggling with debt. For many folks, looking for a debt consolidation loan for the first time can be a daunting task. I will share with you some quick tips on what to do when selecting a loan to consolidate your debts.

Securing a loan to quickly relieve your debt can be an emotional decision, but it is important to note that rationality and practicality must rule so that you can weight the pros and cons in your decision making process. Do not just jump into any loan that is readily available to you.

One very critical factor to consider in all debt consolidation loans is the rates and terms of conditions offered by debt consolidation loan companies. This whole business of consolidating debts is a huge and fiercely competitive one. You should be able to compare the rates among these financial companies, ie lenders and sieve out those which are low and affordable to you.

Before you settle for a loan, be sure to look at the two main options available – secured and unsecured loans. Secured option requires you to pledge collateral. What is suitable as collateral? In most cases, the house is used as collateral in order to secure a loan. The advantage of this option is the tax-deductibility nature of the loan interests. The repayment period also tends to be longer and this would buy you some time to take a breather and slowly repay your loan.

However, since this may involve mortgage refinancing, there could be expenses you have to fork out, and the subsequent refinanced interest rate you have to pay could be higher than the original mortgage rate. This might not be what you can afford. So you really have to consider it carefully.

If you feel uncomfortable with using your home as collateral or simply don’t have collateral, there are always unsecured loans for you to fall back on. Since this option is considered to carry higher risks to the lenders, you can expect the interest loans to be higher in most cases. The lender will assess your case before granting you the loan. Your credit rating and other factors that directly influence your ability to repay your loan such as whether you are holding a stable job, has any medical history of ill health etc would affect your eligibility for the debt consolidation loan.

Unsecured loans are a better option if your debts are small and can be repaid within a span of few years.

One final step before applying for any loan is to perform a ratings check of your prospective lender at loan rating websites such as www.debtconsolidationcare.com or www.bankrate.com. Read the reviews posted by those who have used a debt consolidation loan company, or lender. These are honest comments given by folks who are or have been in the same debt situation as you.

Davion is a successful webmaster and author. Find out more about debtconsolidationtips.etc-now.com/Debt-Consolidation-Loan-How-to-find-a-Cheaper-Loan.htm debt consolidation loans – how it can help you deal with your debt woes at his website DebtConsolidationTips.etc-now.com DebtConsolidationTips.etc-now.com.

Loans For Any Use

Saturday, January 27th, 2007

Secured loans are gaining widespread popularity in the UK market at present. However, even the number of repossessions has gone up over the last year. Thus, for all sense and purposes, if one is looking at availing a short term loan, the one without collateral is perhaps the best way to go.

Loans of the unsecured nature can be used for any (lawful) purpose. These loans are given without the need for the borrower to put up any collateral as security, as in the case of secured loans. These loans can be used for a variety of purposes, like financing a vacation, funding children’s education, renovating a home, consolidating debts etc.

Unsecured loans range between ₤500 to ₤25000. The loan term is between one and ten years, and the interest rates are slightly high. The raise in interest is primarily due to the concern of the lenders while providing unprotected loans. With collateral absent, there is no easy way of recovering the loan amount.

Unsecured loans should not be availed in haste. In other words, some sort of prudence is needed if one is to get a loan with the lowest interest rate and good terms and conditions. The best loans are often found after concerted research and comparison analysis.

The best place to get online-unsecured-loans.co.uk/ unsecured loans nowadays is probably the online option. There are other alternatives like building societies and banking institutions and private lenders, but the Internet provides the customer different and seemingly endless alternatives; also, everything can be accessed from the prospective borrower’s home.

Bad credit loans are difficult to get for obvious reasons. And lenders generally prefer loans of the secured variety; that allows them to sell off the asset and recoup the loan amount in case of a repayment default, which an is imminent possibility with borrowers having Arrears, Defaults, Bankruptcy, CCJs etc. However, there are lenders who offer bad credit unsecured loans too. However, loans for the bad credit borrower do come with high interest rates.

The author is a business writer specializing in finance and credit products and has written authoritative articles on the finance industry. She has done masters in Business Administration and is currently assisting online-unsecured-loans as a finance specialist. For more information about online-unsecured-loans.co.uk/unsecured-loan.html Unsecured Loan.

Please visit at: online-unsecured-loans.co.uk online-unsecured-loans.co.uk

Financing Basics

Saturday, January 27th, 2007

The term financing is commonly used to explain the acquisition of loans from banks or other financial institutions. Financing is usually provided to business owners, either to be utilized as start-up capital or to support an on-going business. Some businesses may require financing to help them through a rough patch, or simply to provide some liquidity until more current assets are turned into cash. Additionally, financing is also given to companies who are expanding their businesses rapidly and require the money to support their new operations and facilities.

Due the high interests and high risks that come with financing, small business owners are often compelled to evaluate their situation from all angles before making a financing decision. This is because there is a full range of loan types available in the market, each of them for different purposes and with different interest rates, repayment terms and loan terms. Apart from that, business owners do not want to miscalculate their loan amounts, as obtaining a greater loan value will mean a higher liability to the company, while getting a smaller loan will produce a situation of inadequate financing.

Inversely, banks or financing institutions function to provide financing facilities in order to make profits from the interest payable by the borrowers. In return, they obtain a monthly repayment amount from the company, including interests. Banks usually provide loans through the pledge of fixed assets to the banks as collateral. In the event of payment default, the lender will sell the assets to recover your debt to them. However, there may be cases that lenders provide loans without the need for collateral, but with a higher interest and more stringent qualifying procedures.

Apart from obtaining financing from lenders, small business owners are also eligible for loans from government fund agencies such as the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) or the local state governments. These agencies provide financing to help spur the growth of small businesses in the country, and usually impose criteria that are more flexible as compared to banks. In the Small Business Loan program run by the SBA, they act as a guarantor for the borrower in order for them to obtain loans of a longer term from SBA’s lending partners.

All the financing sources mentioned thus far are generally known as debt financing. This type of financing would be ideal for companies that have a high equity to debt ratio, which means that the owners of the company has invested more capital as compared to the amount of debt obtained. However, in cases where the equity to debt ratio is low, it may be difficult for a company to obtain debt financing. Therefore, the alterative to this would be to work with equity financing instead.

Equity financing would be funding obtained from friends, family or employees in exchange for shares in the company. Additionally, venture capitalists are also another source of equity financing, which has become a common source of income especially since the dot com boom.

Venture capitalists are professional investors and are prepared to take a very high risk in exchange for their investment. However, with the involvement of a venture capitalist, more stringent management and accounting procedures may need to be adopted, in addition to the inclusion of the venture capitalist in making major decisions.

It is not easy obtaining financing from venture capitalists as they expect high rates of returns for their investment in return for the high risks incurred. Many applicants are screened through yearly, with only a handful that will actually be funded. In addition to that, venture capitalists expect to grow their companies into regional brand names within a short period of time. Getting the company publicly listed is also one of the main objectives of venture capitalists.

In short, there are many avenues in which financing can be obtained. Ultimately, it is up to the business owner to decide on the financing source that would be most suitable for the company. As there are pros and cons to each, a financial and situational evaluation on the company would be most helpful for making the right decision.

Matt Bacak became “#1 Best Selling Author” in just a few short hours.
Recent Entrepreneur Magazine’s e-Biz radio show host is
turning Authors, Speakers, and Experts into Overnight Success Stories.
Discover The Secrets To Unleash The Powerful Promoter In You! Sign up
for Matt Bacak’s Promoting Tips Ezine ($100 value) just visit his
website at powerfulpromoter.com powerfulpromoter.com or promotingtips.com promotingtips.com