A rabbi, a priest, and a minister walk into a bar. The bartender looks up from polishing a glass and says, "What is this... a joke?" Ba-Dum-Tsssh! A good story has a lot in common with a good marketing presentation, and one of the best ways to deliver your marketing message is in the form of a story. It's how you turn advertising into content, and content into a memorable experience. Web marketing presentations must engage, enlighten, entertain, and above all be memorable. If you leave out any of these elements your presentation will suffer.Planning on how to run a Twitter marketing campaign requires, first, the assumption that you want to run a successful Twitter marketing campaign. Thus you must plan a marketing campaign that actually does little selling and more connecting. Why? Because this "laid-back" strategy on Twitter is more likely to get you loyal followers interested in what you have to offer. Let's Thought leaders are experts who are recognized among their peers as an authority on innovative ideas within a particular industry. Thought leaders confidently promote their ideas. Most importantly, thought leaders have earned respect from the outside world for their deep understanding of their business, the needs of their clients and the If you have an internet based business website are you aware that you should have two different types of pages for your site? The two types of pages are a sales page and a content page, or if you prefer you could call them squeeze or landing pages and article pages. In case you are not sure what the difference is between these two types of pages here is a quick explanation; 1. The sole When you build your website, you, of course, want to get high rankings in the search engines. There are lots of ways to do this and lots of ways to NOT do this. Below are 10 things to avoid if you want to be in good standing with the search engines. Duplicate Content/Sites – Do not set up multiple sites or site pages using basically the same content with a few different keywords spread
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
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Finding Online Jobs, Jobs from Home, and Part time jobs is not always as easy as you might think that it is. It is often a very attractive proposition to be able to work from home as it will allow you to spend the time that you would like to spend with your family and to make your own schedule.However, there appear to be many jobs out there, it can often be hard to find the perfect online jobs for your needs. However, there are a few things that you can do to make sure that you find the best jobs for yourself and that you are not going to be stuck in jobs that are not right for you.
The first thing that you should do when you are looking for online jobs or work from home jobs, is to remember to focus on things that you are good at and things that you already know how to do. This will help you find jobs that are better suited to you, and jobs that will truly help you make a living out of what you are doing. If you can try to do something similar to what you are doing now, but turn it into online job, you will find that this is where you are happiest and where you make the most money. Also you will see that this is the situation that works best for you. Many people use the Internet to find that special job they have been looking for. The internet is a fascinating world where you can obtain just about anything that you need, including an income. There are many ways tools available to help you find an ideal internet based job. Finding it may not always be easy, and it may not happen right away, but it is possible.
The Internet is bursting with so many online jobs. There is a job for everyone, and surely, there is a job out there for you. If you don’t have much time to spare, you can still make extra money with some easy and effortless online jobs. If you are looking for ways to earn extra cash, there’s no need to look far. All you have to do is go online and choose from the myriad of online jobs out there. Don’t worry, because the online jobs come in different shapes and sizes. You will certainly find one that suits your financing needs and your available time. If you are just looking for some simple, effortless ways to make money, here are some online jobs that can work for you.
First thing you will need to do is consider what type(s) of job(s) you are looking for. Are you wanting to sell products, or provide services? If you’d rather be selling, what types of products are you interested in and knowledgeable about? Figuring out a general field of interest is probably the hardest part in searching for your dream internet job. Once you have decided what you’re looking for, you’ll need to determine whether you already possess the necessary skills and experience to be successful. If not, you’ll need to research and/or obtain further education or training before you can make the full move to working online. You may wish to consider keeping your current position while you get everything in order. This is especially important when looking at online jobs, as it will be harder to avoid scams and dishonest people when you won’t have any face to face interaction. While there is no set-in-stone answer to the question of which internet job you’ll be successful in, the steps outlined should greatly increase your chances of finding one that you’ll be happy with. Remember to always research a company before providing them with your personal information. Don’t believe everything you read in one short little classified ads. Avoiding rip offs and scams is the most important element to finding the internet job that may very well be perfect for you.
The first thing that you should do when you are looking for online jobs or work from home jobs, is to remember to focus on things that you are good at and things that you already know how to do. This will help you find jobs that are better suited to you, and jobs that will truly help you make a living out of what you are doing. If you can try to do something similar to what you are doing now, but turn it into online job, you will find that this is where you are happiest and where you make the most money. Also you will see that this is the situation that works best for you. Many people use the Internet to find that special job they have been looking for. The internet is a fascinating world where you can obtain just about anything that you need, including an income. There are many ways tools available to help you find an ideal internet based job. Finding it may not always be easy, and it may not happen right away, but it is possible.
The Internet is bursting with so many online jobs. There is a job for everyone, and surely, there is a job out there for you. If you don’t have much time to spare, you can still make extra money with some easy and effortless online jobs. If you are looking for ways to earn extra cash, there’s no need to look far. All you have to do is go online and choose from the myriad of online jobs out there. Don’t worry, because the online jobs come in different shapes and sizes. You will certainly find one that suits your financing needs and your available time. If you are just looking for some simple, effortless ways to make money, here are some online jobs that can work for you.
First thing you will need to do is consider what type(s) of job(s) you are looking for. Are you wanting to sell products, or provide services? If you’d rather be selling, what types of products are you interested in and knowledgeable about? Figuring out a general field of interest is probably the hardest part in searching for your dream internet job. Once you have decided what you’re looking for, you’ll need to determine whether you already possess the necessary skills and experience to be successful. If not, you’ll need to research and/or obtain further education or training before you can make the full move to working online. You may wish to consider keeping your current position while you get everything in order. This is especially important when looking at online jobs, as it will be harder to avoid scams and dishonest people when you won’t have any face to face interaction. While there is no set-in-stone answer to the question of which internet job you’ll be successful in, the steps outlined should greatly increase your chances of finding one that you’ll be happy with. Remember to always research a company before providing them with your personal information. Don’t believe everything you read in one short little classified ads. Avoiding rip offs and scams is the most important element to finding the internet job that may very well be perfect for you.
The Corporate Gifts Company
At the Corporate Gifts Company, we ensure that your corporate product or premium business gift has the highest perceived value and maximum impact by using our state of the art in-house branding department utilising the most advanced branding processes in engraving, embossing and sublimation. Allowing you to have the very best promotional items. With almost 20 years of experience providing corporate gift solutions, in-house branding and large quantities of UK stock from our own warehouse, this means we are able to reduce lead times and stay in total control of your order so that you can relax in the knowledge that your promotion is in good hands.Welcome to one of the UK’s Largest Suppliers of Corporate and Promotional Gifts. We have been trading, and providing corporate products for almost 20 years, and so we understand the strains that sourcing promotional products and business gifts to tight deadlines can cause; which is why we compiled this easy to use online shop for all your promotional Product requirements.You can either shop directly online for your promotional products and corporate business gifts, or call us direct to discuss your requirements. We have a helpful and knowledgeable sales team that is always on hand to answer any queries you may have.Should you require a promotional product that you don’t see on our website, our experienced sourcing team will find it for you!Our in-house design staff will be delighted to help and advise you on any special bespoke project. We will be happy to provide you with free design visuals, whether it’s for cufflinks, lapel pins, plaques or awards. This will ensure you have the very best Promotional Items and Corporate Gifts.Our in-house design staff will be delighted to help and advise you on any special bespoke project. We will be happy to provide you with free design visuals, whether it’s for cufflinks, lapel pins, plaques or awards. This will ensure you have the very best Promotional Items and Corporate Gifts.
RegisterFly.com Expands Site Promotion Offerings With Innovative ExactSeek Paid Inclusion Service
Winnipeg, MB (PRWEB) October 7, 2004 -- RegisterFly.com, a global industry leader in domain registration, web hosting and related services, today announced a strategic partnership with Jayde Online, Inc., an internet-focused publisher of email newsletters and developer of niche and general search engines. The alliance incorporates the web site paid inclusion program provided by Jayde's web search engine, ExactSeek.com, into RegisterFly's service offerings. ExactSeek's target market has been small to medium-sized web-based businesses that find it difficult to compete in the increasingly expensive pay-per-click arena. The affordable site inclusion service offered by ExactSeek has proven a hit since its launch last year and is expected to be well received by RegisterFly's base of 375,000 customers.
"We are excited to offer our growing customer base an innovative yet effective program provided through ExactSeek. More and more of our customers are looking for ways to increase their sites ranking and awareness throughout the internet. ExactSeek's Flat rate PI program perfectly complements our recently expanded Site Promotion services which allow small to medium-sized businesses to gain exposure affordably", said Terry Kocek, Vice President of Sales for RegisterFly.com. "The ExactSeek Paid Inclusion service will allow our customers to gain significant exposure for their online business at a fraction of the cost of conventional PPC search engine advertising"
RegisterFly.com Expands Site Promotion Offerings With Innovative ExactSeek Paid Inclusion Service
RegisterFly.com, a global leader in domain registration, web hosting and related services, expands its Site Promotion Services by incorporating the innovative web site paid inclusion program provided by Jayde Online's web search engine, ExactSeek.com.
Winnipeg, MB (PRWEB) October 7, 2004 -- RegisterFly.com, a global industry leader in domain registration, web hosting and related services, today announced a strategic partnership with Jayde Online, Inc., an internet-focused publisher of email newsletters and developer of niche and general search engines. The alliance incorporates the web site paid inclusion program provided by Jayde's web search engine, ExactSeek.com, into RegisterFly's service offerings. ExactSeek's target market has been small to medium-sized web-based businesses that find it difficult to compete in the increasingly expensive pay-per-click arena. The affordable site inclusion service offered by ExactSeek has proven a hit since its launch last year and is expected to be well received by RegisterFly's base of 375,000 customers.
"We are excited to offer our growing customer base an innovative yet effective program provided through ExactSeek. More and more of our customers are looking for ways to increase their sites ranking and awareness throughout the internet. ExactSeek's Flat rate PI program perfectly complements our recently expanded Site Promotion services which allow small to medium-sized businesses to gain exposure affordably", said Terry Kocek, Vice President of Sales for RegisterFly.com. "The ExactSeek Paid Inclusion service will allow our customers to gain significant exposure for their online business at a fraction of the cost of conventional PPC search engine advertising".
Helvetica, sans-serif; TEXT-DECORATION: none" href="http://www.exactseek.com/">The ExactSeek Paid Inclusion service will allow our customers to gain significant exposure for their online business at a fraction of the cost of conventional PPC search engine advertising
Helvetica, sans-serif; TEXT-DECORATION: none" href="http://www.exactseek.com/">The web doesn't need another PPC search engine
Helvetica, sans-serif; TEXT-DECORATION: none" href="http://www.exactseek.com/">We need to see innovative paid inclusion programs that offer advertisers fast indexing, prominent display options and affordable rates. RegisterFly's recognition of the value offered by our PI program to web-based businesses made partnering with them an easy decision.
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At a time when other search engines are abandoning the paid inclusion concept, ExactSeek has steadfastly refused to join the stampede to pay-per-click advertising and instead has created a hybrid system that provides advertisers with standout exposure at flat fee rates. Jayde Online CEO, Mel Strocen, predicts that despite recent search engine trends paid inclusion will make a comeback. "The web doesn't need another PPC search engine," Strocen stated. "We need to see innovative paid inclusion programs that offer advertisers fast indexing, prominent display options and affordable rates. RegisterFly's recognition of the value offered by our PI program to web-based businesses made partnering with them an easy decision."
Jayde's partnership with RegisterFly follows quickly on the heels of its recent alliance with Submitnet.net and the promotion of the ExactSeek PI program with Submitnet's search engine optimization tool solution.
ABOUT REGISTERFLY.COMSince 2000, RegisterFly.com has served more than 375,000 customers in over 120 countries. Our core product offerings include domain name registration, web hosting, SSL Certificates, e-mail service, site builder services, whois protection and a host of other value added products and services. Our mission is to provide a wide array of products and services, offer the lowest pricing possible and provide unmatched levels of service. To learn more about RegisterFly.com please refer to their website located at http://www.RegisterFly.com or contact them at sales@registerflysupport.com .
RegisterFly.com Expands Site Promotion Offerings With Innovative ExactSeek Paid Inclusion Service
RegisterFly.com, a global leader in domain registration, web hosting and related services, expands its Site Promotion Services by incorporating the innovative web site paid inclusion program provided by Jayde Online's web search engine, ExactSeek.com.
Winnipeg, MB (PRWEB) October 7, 2004 -- RegisterFly.com, a global industry leader in domain registration, web hosting and related services, today announced a strategic partnership with Jayde Online, Inc., an internet-focused publisher of email newsletters and developer of niche and general search engines. The alliance incorporates the web site paid inclusion program provided by Jayde's web search engine, ExactSeek.com, into RegisterFly's service offerings. ExactSeek's target market has been small to medium-sized web-based businesses that find it difficult to compete in the increasingly expensive pay-per-click arena. The affordable site inclusion service offered by ExactSeek has proven a hit since its launch last year and is expected to be well received by RegisterFly's base of 375,000 customers.
"We are excited to offer our growing customer base an innovative yet effective program provided through ExactSeek. More and more of our customers are looking for ways to increase their sites ranking and awareness throughout the internet. ExactSeek's Flat rate PI program perfectly complements our recently expanded Site Promotion services which allow small to medium-sized businesses to gain exposure affordably", said Terry Kocek, Vice President of Sales for RegisterFly.com. "The ExactSeek Paid Inclusion service will allow our customers to gain significant exposure for their online business at a fraction of the cost of conventional PPC search engine advertising".
Helvetica, sans-serif; TEXT-DECORATION: none" href="http://www.exactseek.com/">The ExactSeek Paid Inclusion service will allow our customers to gain significant exposure for their online business at a fraction of the cost of conventional PPC search engine advertising
Helvetica, sans-serif; TEXT-DECORATION: none" href="http://www.exactseek.com/">The web doesn't need another PPC search engine
Helvetica, sans-serif; TEXT-DECORATION: none" href="http://www.exactseek.com/">We need to see innovative paid inclusion programs that offer advertisers fast indexing, prominent display options and affordable rates. RegisterFly's recognition of the value offered by our PI program to web-based businesses made partnering with them an easy decision.
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if( enable_random )
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}
}
function randomQuotes()
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var randQuotId;
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At a time when other search engines are abandoning the paid inclusion concept, ExactSeek has steadfastly refused to join the stampede to pay-per-click advertising and instead has created a hybrid system that provides advertisers with standout exposure at flat fee rates. Jayde Online CEO, Mel Strocen, predicts that despite recent search engine trends paid inclusion will make a comeback. "The web doesn't need another PPC search engine," Strocen stated. "We need to see innovative paid inclusion programs that offer advertisers fast indexing, prominent display options and affordable rates. RegisterFly's recognition of the value offered by our PI program to web-based businesses made partnering with them an easy decision."
Jayde's partnership with RegisterFly follows quickly on the heels of its recent alliance with Submitnet.net and the promotion of the ExactSeek PI program with Submitnet's search engine optimization tool solution.
ABOUT REGISTERFLY.COMSince 2000, RegisterFly.com has served more than 375,000 customers in over 120 countries. Our core product offerings include domain name registration, web hosting, SSL Certificates, e-mail service, site builder services, whois protection and a host of other value added products and services. Our mission is to provide a wide array of products and services, offer the lowest pricing possible and provide unmatched levels of service. To learn more about RegisterFly.com please refer to their website located at http://www.RegisterFly.com or contact them at sales@registerflysupport.com .
Corporate Gifts
At the Corporate Gifts Company, we ensure that your corporate product or premium business gift has the highest perceived value and maximum impact by using our state of the art in-house branding department utilising the most advanced branding processes in engraving, embossing and sublimation. Allowing you to have the very best promotional items. With almost 20 years of experience providing corporate gift solutions, in-house branding and large quantities of UK stock from our own warehouse, this means we are able to reduce lead times and stay in total control of your order so that you can relax in the knowledge that your promotion is in good hands.
About The Corporate Gifts CompanyWelcome to one of the UK’s Largest Suppliers of Corporate and Promotional Gifts. We have been trading, and providing corporate products for almost 20 years, and so we understand the strains that sourcing promotional products and business gifts to tight deadlines can cause; which is why we compiled this easy to use online shop for all your promotional Product requirements.
Shop OnlineYou can either shop directly online for your promotional products and corporate business gifts, or call us direct to discuss your requirements. We have a helpful and knowledgeable sales team that is always on hand to answer any queries you may have.
Sourcing A SpecialityShould you require a promotional product that you don’t see on our website, our experienced sourcing team will find it for you!
Bespoke Solutions Our in-house design staff will be delighted to help and advise you on any special bespoke project. We will be happy to provide you with free design visuals, whether it’s for cufflinks, lapel pins, plaques or awards. This will ensure you have the very best Promotional Items and Corporate Gifts.At the Corporate Gifts Company, we ensure that your corporate product or premium business gift has the highest perceived value and maximum impact by using our state of the art in-house branding department utilising the most advanced branding processes in engraving, embossing and sublimation. Allowing you to have the very best promotional items. With almost 20 years of experience providing corporate gift solutions, in-house branding and large quantities of UK stock from our own warehouse, this means we are able to reduce lead times and stay in total control of your order so that you can relax in the knowledge that your promotion is in good hands.
About The Corporate Gifts CompanyWelcome to one of the UK’s Largest Suppliers of Corporate and Promotional Gifts. We have been trading, and providing corporate products for almost 20 years, and so we understand the strains that sourcing promotional products and business gifts to tight deadlines can cause; which is why we compiled this easy to use online shop for all your promotional Product requirements.
Shop OnlineYou can either shop directly online for your promotional products and corporate business gifts, or call us direct to discuss your requirements. We have a helpful and knowledgeable sales team that is always on hand to answer any queries you may have.
Sourcing A SpecialityShould you require a promotional product that you don’t see on our website, our experienced sourcing team will find it for you!
Bespoke Solutions Our in-house design staff will be delighted to help and advise you on any special bespoke project. We will be happy to provide you with free design visuals, whether it’s for cufflinks, lapel pins, plaques or awards. This will ensure you have the very best Promotional Items and Corporate Gifts.
About The Corporate Gifts CompanyWelcome to one of the UK’s Largest Suppliers of Corporate and Promotional Gifts. We have been trading, and providing corporate products for almost 20 years, and so we understand the strains that sourcing promotional products and business gifts to tight deadlines can cause; which is why we compiled this easy to use online shop for all your promotional Product requirements.
Shop OnlineYou can either shop directly online for your promotional products and corporate business gifts, or call us direct to discuss your requirements. We have a helpful and knowledgeable sales team that is always on hand to answer any queries you may have.
Sourcing A SpecialityShould you require a promotional product that you don’t see on our website, our experienced sourcing team will find it for you!
Bespoke Solutions Our in-house design staff will be delighted to help and advise you on any special bespoke project. We will be happy to provide you with free design visuals, whether it’s for cufflinks, lapel pins, plaques or awards. This will ensure you have the very best Promotional Items and Corporate Gifts.At the Corporate Gifts Company, we ensure that your corporate product or premium business gift has the highest perceived value and maximum impact by using our state of the art in-house branding department utilising the most advanced branding processes in engraving, embossing and sublimation. Allowing you to have the very best promotional items. With almost 20 years of experience providing corporate gift solutions, in-house branding and large quantities of UK stock from our own warehouse, this means we are able to reduce lead times and stay in total control of your order so that you can relax in the knowledge that your promotion is in good hands.
About The Corporate Gifts CompanyWelcome to one of the UK’s Largest Suppliers of Corporate and Promotional Gifts. We have been trading, and providing corporate products for almost 20 years, and so we understand the strains that sourcing promotional products and business gifts to tight deadlines can cause; which is why we compiled this easy to use online shop for all your promotional Product requirements.
Shop OnlineYou can either shop directly online for your promotional products and corporate business gifts, or call us direct to discuss your requirements. We have a helpful and knowledgeable sales team that is always on hand to answer any queries you may have.
Sourcing A SpecialityShould you require a promotional product that you don’t see on our website, our experienced sourcing team will find it for you!
Bespoke Solutions Our in-house design staff will be delighted to help and advise you on any special bespoke project. We will be happy to provide you with free design visuals, whether it’s for cufflinks, lapel pins, plaques or awards. This will ensure you have the very best Promotional Items and Corporate Gifts.
The Only Portable Washing Line/Airer That Holds Full Sized Sheets
The Mrs Peggs Handy Line is a brilliant new portable indoor and outdoor washing line just released in the UK and is perfect for small or compact living situations or anywhere a portable washing line is needed.Ultra-strong and very lightweight, the HANDY LINE is built to handle tough weather conditions and the normal rough and tumble of everyday living.It is designed for durability - every nut, bolt and washer is stainless steel, the main bar, cross bars and legs are powder coated (oven treatment) aluminium and the washing line is PVC covered plaited fiber (not plastic coated wire) making the Handy Line weather and rust proof.During the winter and wet weather times the Handy Line can be used indoors to capitalize on indoor heating, so your washing is lovely and dry by morning, plus its also nice for working people to come home to dry washing.By using the benefits the Mrs Peggs Handy Line offers, you can reduce or eliminate the use of an electric dryer resulting in huge savings on energy bills, your clothing lasts longer and you are helping the environment at the same time.Backed by a full 2 year guarantee, the Mrs Peggs Handy Line really is your ideal washing line for inside or outside use.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Live chat: your new online salesperson
(Business 2.0 Magazine) -- A year or two ago, it looked like instant messaging and other forms of online chat had reached their full potential as a business tool. Millions of people were using IM to interact with corporate colleagues. Live chat had also become a fixture on websites, giving customers a way to inquire about products and receive answers in real time.
But as it has since the Web's earliest days, IM continues to evolve. Now some savvy website operators are finding that, when used tactfully, it can be a powerful way to boost sales - not just as a passive customer-service tool but as a way to engage customers, in the manner of a showroom salesperson. Erik Asarian, a real estate broker in Park City, Utah, installed a live chat box a year ago and credits it with adding $12 million in sales. "It's become an amazing new profit center," he says. For all the advantages that come with selling on the Web, one disadvantage has constrained online merchants: They haven't been able to approach customers as they're shopping and pitch them on the spot. But live chat programs are beginning to change that, augmenting the IM functions with new surveillance capabilities that allow retailers to track, in real time, what pages you're visiting and what links you've clicked. "It's like having special glasses that let you see who's serious and who's not," Asarian says.
With that kind of knowledge, Asarian can decide, in effect, when to walk up to his visitor and strike up a conversation. But it's a delicate process that requires new tactics, says Ari Galper, a former sales manager for analytics firm WebSideStory. Galper has developed a sales method, ChatWise, which he sells bundled with a chat program called LivePerson. His customers range from small sites like Asarian's to companies such as Fuji Xerox in Australia. IM, Galper argues, is the wrong medium for hard sales tactics. It's too easy for that potential customer to close down the chat box. "You can't be pushy," he says. To be a successful "closer," a merchant first has to learn how to use live chat to create trust. Instead of pinging visitors with a standard greeting like "How may I help you?" - which many potential customers correctly interpret as nothing more than a sales come-on - Galper suggests a subtler alternative: "Hi, my name is Ari, sorry to interrupt... just wanted to make sure everything is making sense so far..." (Another basic IM sales rule: Never use periods; opt instead for the more conversational ellipsis.)
Next, he advises, rather than offering a sales pitch the moment the visitor expresses interest in a product, dig deeper into what he's looking for. One possible line: "Can you tell me a little more about your situation..." The answers to such questions will also help you determine if the person is actually likely to make a purchase.
This might all sound obvious, but plenty of people still blow it. Ricky Breslin, who sells DVDs featuring hair-styling techniques at Braidsbybreslin.com, says he used to send messages to visitors too soon after they arrived, only to watch them flee within seconds. "It's so easy to scare people away," says Breslin, who runs the business from an office in Summerville, S.C. Lately he's adopted a lower-key approach. The result: a 10 percent increase in sales, which average $50,000 a month. Now that's money worth chatting about.
"Unlock The Full Profit Potential
Everyone knows that a robust business plan is essential to raise finance and maximise profits. But creating a business plan that actually achieves those goals can seem a daunting and arduous task.If you are thinking of starting a new bar business then you need to finalise your business plan before you start your business.This will enable you to know exactly everything you need to do in order to hit your profit objectives including: targeting specific customer groups, product pricing, all your costs, sales forecasts and marketing. Get the knowledge you have down on paper and you'll be able to see what it takes to maximise your financial results. Every bank requires a business plan before they even entertain the idea of lending finance. What if you could go to your bank with your business plan already written? You'll be confident of your plans and financial projections and your bank manager will be inspired by your business acumen. You're more likely to receive funding if you prepare in advance. If your bar business is not performing to your high expectations then re-planning your business objectives and plans will help improve your results. This will highlight new customer and market opportunities and provide renewed focus to generate additional profits. We've made this an easy and straight forward task for you with our business plan package. It doesn't matter how many years you have been in business, once you've gone through this Bar Business Plan and learned how to improve customer targeting, you'll be able to improve your profits and build your business even further. This is perhaps the most important section of any business plan. Lenders want to know when they will have their loans repaid and assess the risk. You need to produce financial statements that accountants will endorse without question. Everyone thinks their business will grow exponentially in the first 12 months but in reality this is rarely the case. Your business plan must show a realistic path to profitability that proves your actual revenues and profits are comparable with your written plan. Every business plan follows a certain structure. Lenders and professional readers generally look for 3 or 4 aspects of your plan. You need to ensure you have these elements correctly written in the right area of your business plan. Your readers do not expect a 100 page tomb nor a 1 page overview. Gaetting this fundamental area wrong will show your readers just how inexperienced you are. Communicating your products to your prospects is a critical success factor for every business owner. You need to show you understand your target customers, what their needs are, why they will buy from you and how you will communicate with them.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Tell me about
Getting good advice from specialists can improve the performance of your business and allow you to focus on the business areas that need your attention. This is an introduction to New Zealand business advisers and the services they provide.biz is a free service that provides help to people starting or running a business. A biz Adviser can help you access information, resources and a free business health check to develop and grow your business. Advisers are in business to help you succeed in yours. Find out where to go for advice on starting and running a successful business and how utilising people like accountants or tax agents, bank mangers, local councils, lawyers, and small business enterprise centres can be beneficial to your business. The support of quality advisers can make a big difference to the success of your business. This guide offers some pointers on how to choose advisers and how to get the best results from them. Bizchat is a free community website for New Zealand small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). It provides resources, information and tools relevant to New Zealand business operators, and allows you to discuss and ask questions of the business community. Do you have a business question you need answered? Post a question related to the following topics and wait for the response. Choosing the structure of a company, human resources, business finances, and keeping your business cyberspace safe. There are no guarantees of good financial advice, but getting answers to a few key questions on our checklist will help you find an adviser. Regardless of whether you choose to use a bank, broker, or independent adviser ensure that you have made the right choice by using this simple checklist.
Accountability: innovating for the global recovery
As we take stock of a hectic year, we are delighted to say that our members have all weathered the global downturn. Indeed many have emerged with enhanced reputations for responsible leadership. Congratulations to all. It has also been an eventful year for Council members and outgoing board members. To take just a few examples: Kumi Naidoo took up the challenge of chairing Greenpeace in the run-up to what he has called the 'Copenhagen crime scene'; Mark Line created Two Tomorrows; and Anne Simpson moved to CalPers. Our country representatives have also been busy promoting accountability, from Toronto to Madrid and from Stockholm to Amman.
AccountAbility's flagship revised AA1000 Principles and Standards have seen rapid uptake in the major sustainability reporting countries, and also enjoyed strong interest in emerging markets. The Stakeholder Engagement revision is now under way with local consultations taking place globally and an active Wiki-platform. The challenge for 2010 is to mainstream use of the standards - and we are building a new team to tackle this. We also aim to broaden AA1000's applicability to emerging areas of corporate reporting, like carbon emissions. One of the few things that President Obama and Premier Wen agreed on in Copenhagen last week was the vital importance of more effective climate accountability. We have begun working intensively in this area and the value of our contributions - notably with Project Catalyst and in building a new climate index - is now being recognized. ormidable challenges may remain to secure a global climate deal, but exciting innovations deserve celebration, from Brazil's Amazon Fund and George Soros' Climate Policy Initiative to Korea's Green Growth plan and the high-tech Planetary Skin Institute. 2010 is all about reinventing global processes while ensuring such initiatives gain resources, reach scale and stay accountable.
2009 has seen our team busy advising dozens of companies on their accountability and sustainable development strategies. Clients include Global 100 corporations and emerging market leaders, in all industrial sectors. The team has undertaken major assignments for clients in North America, the Middle East, Asia and Africa as well as in Europe.It has been a bruising year for the textiles sector, and the MFA Forum has been in the thick of finding solutions. 2009 closed with the dreadful news of Neil Kearney's passing while on assignment in Bangladesh. In Neil, textile workers have lost an untiring global advocate. However, the Forum's unrivalled network actually means a strengthening of its resolve to build decent work and sustainability for the sector and its stakeholders.The research & policy team has been drinking its own medicine and become hyper-productive, with benchmark Chinese and Arabic language Responsible Competitiveness reports, working with partners Sustainability Excellence ( Amman) and WTO Tribune ( Beijing). We moved into the second year of the Saudi Responsible Competitiveness Index. And we are now ready to build our insights from these and three other projects - in Chile, Jordan and China - into a major programme for 2010-12.We launched the Collaborative Governance Observatory, and initiated a major multi-year programme - with ISEAL and SECO - on scaling up voluntary standards. Meanwhile we continued first-class work helping partnerships live up to their accountability commitments while staying focused on their outcomes.
Finally, our global team, now working out of Beijing and Sao Paulo as well as London and Washington DC, produced insightful work on consumer behaviour during the downturn, sustainability in the outsourcing sector, responsible investment, Chinese firms in Africa, web 2.0 and many other hot topics.What makes these accountability innovations possible? Our inspired, hard-working, high-spirited team of staff, associates, interns and project partners. As usual, we will be welcoming new team members in the New Year, and saying farewell to others who are moving on. One person stands out for his colossal contributions to the organization and its mission; After seven years, Simon Zadek moved on from AccountAbility at the end of 2009. As we get ready for the exciting challenges of 2010, we are sure you will want to join us in our thanks to Simon - indeed to all those who have created a unique organization in great shape for 2010 and beyond. We are looking forward to working with you again just as soon as the festivities are finished!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Rs. 500-crore sops for exporters announced
Seeking to aggressively pursue export of products to China and Japan, the Central Government on Tuesday announced inclusion of both the countries in the Market Linked Focussed Programme (MLFP) scheme and unleashed incentives worth Rs. 450-500 crore for exporters, especially those in the labour intensive sectors.
Seeking to build further on the recovery happening since November in the exports arena, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma told newspersons here that the sectoral package includes expansion of the Focussed Product Scheme (FPS) and Special FPS under which exporters are given 2-3 per cent incentives. “Both China and Japan were being included under the Market Linked Focused Programme under which exports to specified countries are provided sops,” he added.
Unveiling these measures, Mr. Sharma said these would be effective from tomorrow [January 13] and the burden would be borne by the internal budget of his Ministry. After 13 months of contraction, exports showed a recovery during November and December growing by 19 per cent and 10 per cent respectively.
Major sectors which have been given additional incentives include engineering, electronics, rubber, chemicals, plastics, carton boxes and egg powder. Other sectors that will also benefit under the various measures include hand tools, parts of agriculture and horticulture machinery, sewing machines and parts, liquid pumps, nuts, bolts, washers, screws, staplers, and parts of machinery for soldering, brazing and welding.
Mr. Sharma said exports rose for the second consecutive month to $14.6 billion in December, a growth of 9.4 per cent over November.
“Although the country’s exports have moved to a positive terrain in the past two months, the economy is yet to recover from the losses resulted from 13-months of continuous fall in exports. Export growth could maintain momentum moving ahead,” he said.
Bharti Airtel to acquire 70 % in Warid Telecom
NEW DELHI: Bharti Airtel on Tuesday said it would acquire 70 per cent stake in Bangladesh’s Warid Telecom, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Dhabi Group. Under the agreement, Bharti Airtel will have management and board control of Warid Telecom and make a fresh investment of $300 million to expand its operations in Bangladesh, making it the largest investment by any Indian company in Bangladesh.
The Dhabi Group will continue as a strategic partner, retaining 30 per cent shareholding and have its nominees on the company’s board.
According to Bharti Airtel Chairman and Managing Director Sunil Mittal, “this landmark deal underlines our intent to further expand our operations to international markets where we can implant our unique business model and offer quality and affordable telecom services.”
With 16-crore people and tele-density of 32 per cent, Bangladesh was a promising market for telecom services. Bharti was keen to work in Bangladesh and contribute to achieving the vision of ‘Digital Bangladesh’ even sooner than 2021. It would be our endeavour to raise the bar in the country’s mobile services market and bring best-in-class service, quality network and innovative products, he added. Commenting on the deal, Dhabi Group Chairman Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan said: “The telecom market in Bangladesh has immense growth potential and Bharti Airtel’s rich experience and product portfolio promise to redefine this market. We are confident that this partnership will help establish the company as a leading player in the Bangladesh telecom industry.” Warid Telecom offers mobile services across all the 64 districts of Bangladesh and has a total customer base of over 2.9 million. The acquisition of Warid Telecom will be Bharti Airtel’s second operation outside of India. The company launched its mobile services in Sri Lanka in January last year on a state-of-the-art 3.5G network. Interestingly, this is Bharti’s first international buyout since its failed multi-billion dollar bid for South Africa’s MTN last एअस.
The Dhabi Group will continue as a strategic partner, retaining 30 per cent shareholding and have its nominees on the company’s board.
According to Bharti Airtel Chairman and Managing Director Sunil Mittal, “this landmark deal underlines our intent to further expand our operations to international markets where we can implant our unique business model and offer quality and affordable telecom services.”
With 16-crore people and tele-density of 32 per cent, Bangladesh was a promising market for telecom services. Bharti was keen to work in Bangladesh and contribute to achieving the vision of ‘Digital Bangladesh’ even sooner than 2021. It would be our endeavour to raise the bar in the country’s mobile services market and bring best-in-class service, quality network and innovative products, he added. Commenting on the deal, Dhabi Group Chairman Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan said: “The telecom market in Bangladesh has immense growth potential and Bharti Airtel’s rich experience and product portfolio promise to redefine this market. We are confident that this partnership will help establish the company as a leading player in the Bangladesh telecom industry.” Warid Telecom offers mobile services across all the 64 districts of Bangladesh and has a total customer base of over 2.9 million. The acquisition of Warid Telecom will be Bharti Airtel’s second operation outside of India. The company launched its mobile services in Sri Lanka in January last year on a state-of-the-art 3.5G network. Interestingly, this is Bharti’s first international buyout since its failed multi-billion dollar bid for South Africa’s MTN last एअस.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Airbus chief 'may cancel A400M'
Tom Enders told BBC World that he would consider ending the programme if European governments failed to cough up more cash.
"We cannot complete the development of this aircraft without a significant financial contribution," he said.
Delays to the A400M project have already increased its budget by 25%.
The project is now 5bn euros ($7.25bn; £4.5bn) over its initial budget as a result of weight and engine problems.
The seven European governments that have ordered the plane will decide by the end of January whether to pay more. Seven countries - Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain, Turkey and the UK - have ordered 180 A400M aircraft in total between them.
Under contracts signed ahead of the start of the programme six years ago, Airbus has agreed to sell them the planes for a fixed price.
"We made a big mistake when we [entered into] contracts for this aircraft six or seven years ago," Mr Enders said, speaking to BBC World Business Report.
"If you make mistakes don't repeat them. We should not again take a decision which would lead us to further problems in the years to come."
However he added that the final decision on whether to scrap the project would be the decision of the whole board at Airbus' parent company EADS. The A400M, which was designed to fly troops and equipment, is set to replace ageing military cargo carriers in several European air forces.
It had been due to go into service last year, but will not take to the skies until 2012 at the earliest. The delay led to South Africa cancelling an order for eight planes.
There is a split between those countries who want the aircraft built and in use quickly, notably the UK and France, and those who would prefer to proceed more slowly to spread the cost, in particular Germany.
Diana Shipping Inc. Announces Time Charter Contracts for m/v Melite and m/v Thetis
Diana Shipping Inc., a global shipping company specializing in the transportation of dry bulk cargoes, yesterday announced that it has entered into a time charter contract with J. Aron & Company, New York, for one of its Panamax dry bulk carriers, the m/v Melite (formerly m/v Theresa Hebei), at a gross charter rate of US$24,250 per day for a period of minimum eleven (11) to maximum thirteen (13) months. The charter is expected to commence at the end of January 2010.The Company also announced today that it has entered into a time charter contract with Glencore Grain BV, Rotterdam, for one of its Panamax dry bulk carriers, the m/v Thetis, at a gross charter rate of US$23,000 per day for a period of minimum eleven (11) to about thirteen (13) months. The charter is expected to commence in the middle of March 2010.These employments are anticipated to generate approximately US$15.5 million of gross revenue for the minimum scheduled period of the charters.The m/v Melite is a 76,436 dwt Panamax dry bulk carrier built in 2004 and the m/v Thetis a 73,583 dwt Panamax dry bulk carrier built in 2004.Diana Shipping Inc. is a global provider of shipping transportation services. The Company specializes in transporting dry bulk cargoes, including such commodities as iron ore, coal, grain and other materials along worldwide shipping routes.
Hellas: Shipowners return to shipyards
A string of newbuilding contracts by Hellenic ship owners has rejuvenated hopes that the shipping industry is set for a recovery during the following years, although it’s still quite premature to make such claims, as the freight market is still quite volatile and vulnerable to constant ups and downs. Still, both tanker owners, as well as dry bulk owners appear rather agressive lately, in an attempt to take advantage of lower prices of new buildings and better terms from shipyards, which are eager to secure new orders after a dismal 2009. Just this weekend, South Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding confirmed an agreement with yet another ship owner from Hellas, the Angelicoussis Shipping Group. Under the terms of the deal, the shipyard will deliver two oil tankers (VLCCs) and two dry bulk carriers (thought to be capesizes with a dwt of 180,000 tons) by the second half of 2012. The estimated price of the deal stands at approximately $350 million. By the end of 2009, Daewoo also won a $670.5 million order to build 10 Suezmax tankers for another ship owner from Hellas, Almi Tankers, over the next three years. In a press release, Daewoo said that the vessels are measuring 274 meters in length and 48 meters in width and are capable of carrying 160,000 tons of crude oil. DSME is scheduled to deliver the vessels from the end of 2011 to the end of 2013. Also last week, a mid-sized Sungdong Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering said it had signed a contract to build a bulk carrier for another Greek shipper and will ink another bulk ship deal with a German company, with the overall amount reaching over $100 million. Contracts are on the rise with Hellenic shipping companies, global leaders in the shipping industry. “It might be premature to forecast, but a growing number of those major shippers could surely be translated to a pending turnover,” a spokesman of a local shipbuilder told Yonhap. Meanwhile, another ship owner, Polembros, owned by Adamantios Polemis, reportedly placed an order for a pair of Kasmarmaxes (82,000 dwt) with SPP yards. The price tag for each vessel is thought to be at $35.5 million with delivery scheduled for 2011. With these orders, the company’s fleet now stands at 26 ships with an aggregate carrying capacity of 3.93 million dwt. Out of these, 14 are dry bulk carriers (plus two more capesizes currently under contstruction), while the remaining eight vessels are tankers. Still, many of the company’s vessels are old, as seven dry bulk carriers are built prior to 1985, while four of the tankers are single-hull. This means that the company’s management is expected to look out for scrapping deals sometime in the future. But, it’s not all about new orders. According to an announcement yesterday, London-listed Goldenport Holdings Inc. said that it agreed with Qingshan Shipyard of China to cancel the two new-build bulk carrier contracts initially arranged in August 2008. This action follows the recent announcement of a new contract for the construction of one Supramax bulk carrier with carrying capacity of 59,000 DWT in Korea. The cancelled contracts were for the construction of two new-build Supramax bulk carriers in China with carrying capacity of 57,000 DWT each and were initially contracted for at a total consideration of US$ 91.66 million, with estimated delivery in December 2010.
Gold to reach its highest price in more than a month
Platinum, mainly used in auto catalysts, rose to levels not seen since August 2008, while silver tracked gold to reach its highest price in more than a month. With Japanese markets closed, volume was thin.
Gold was quoted at $1,154.30 an ounce by 0637 GMT, up $16.40 from New York's notional close on Friday. It rose as high as $1,157.65 an ounce, its strongest level since December 8 -- but still below a lifetime high of $1,226.10 hit in early December.
"The fact that the dollar has weakened has obviously helped to sustain its rally. We are going to be looking toward the $1,200-level again," said Darren Heathcote, head of trading at Investec Australia in Sydney.
NYMEX crude for February delivery rose 75 cents to $83.50 a barrel, boosting gold's appeal as a hedge against inflation, as China's crude oil imports surged to a monthly record in December.
U.S. gold futures for February delivery hit an intraday high of $1,163 an ounce, their best level since December 8, before slipping to $1,154.7 an ounce, still $15.8 higher than the previous close.
The U.S. dollar dropped on Monday, suffering its biggest fall in six weeks in the wake of disappointing U.S. jobs data, while the Australian dollar soared on the back of strong export numbers from China.
"I guess people used the news from China as some kind of excuse to push up gold," said a bullion dealer in Hong Kong, adding that low U.S. interest rates are also a factor.
"Buying interest is still around because it seems the chance of an increase in interest rates in the first half of this year is fading," he said.
Friday's disappointing U.S. employment report was also seen by dealers as a bullish signal for gold.
Jewelers stayed away from the physical market as gold firmed but sales of scrap were limited, suggesting that holders were still waiting for further increase in bullion prices. Premiums for gold bars were steady in Asia.
The world's largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, SPDR Gold Trust, said its holdings fell to 1,119.541 tons by January 8, down 3.962 tons from the previous business day.
Government aid a hard habit to break
In the United States, the euro zone and Canada, unemployment figures last week showed businesses were in no hurry to resume hiring, even though economic growth has resumed. This may be a signal that companies have their doubts about whether the recovery can be sustained once government supports fade away.
In order for that to happen, consumers and companies will have to show a willingness to spend and invest -- without added sweeteners such as stimulus money or tax breaks.
If recent trends are any indication, a stimulant-free economy might struggle.
U.S. and European government incentives to spur new car purchases sparked a revival in auto manufacturing that ultimately proved fleeting because demand faded once the incentives dried up. U.S. data shows auto-related jobs picked up in October but then declined in November and December.
Howard Archer, chief European economist with IHS Global Insight in London, said that underscores the danger in pulling the plug on public spending too quickly, and the euro zone's economy may falter in 2010.
"The likely fragility of the recovery means that both governments and the European Central Bank need to be wary about withdrawing stimulus measures too soon or too aggressively," Archer said.
The ECB holds its next policy-setting meeting on Thursday, and economists polled by Reuters think it will hold interest rates steady at 1 percent. Archer thinks the ECB will remain on hold until at least late 2010.
Jobs typically remain scarce well after economies begin to pull out of recessions, so the weak labor market is not entirely shocking. However, it puts a damper on consumer confidence and spending, and increases pressure on politicians to do all they can to encourage hiring.
Figures due on Thursday should provide some insight into how the stubbornly high unemployment affected shopping during the holiday season. Economists polled by Reuters think U.S. retail sales rose 0.4 percent in December, which would be more modest than the 1.3 percent rise seen in the prior month.
British retail sales data is expected on Tuesday.
PASSING THE BATON
Whether consumers and companies are ready to pick up the slack or not, governments and central banks around the world are beginning to extricate themselves from emergency lending and spending programs.
The Bank of England will decide in February whether to extend its asset-buying program. Many economists think the BOE will hold off on announcing any more purchases for now. The U.S. Federal Reserve is set to complete its purchases of mortgage-related assets this spring.
Some of the leading emerging markets, such as China, are also taking modest initial steps toward tightening policy, reflecting a growing concern about rising asset prices and inflationary pressures.
As these publicly funded programs wind down, longer term interest rates on government debt and mortgages are likely to rise, even if central banks keep official short-term borrowing costs at or near record lows.
That in turn could stall the recovery in the U.S. housing market, which was at the root of the global recession, and make it harder for companies to finance the growth necessary for improved hiring.
Sung Won Sohn, an economist at California State University, thinks all of these factors add up to a recipe for another potential economic setback.
"There is a growing concern about a double-dip recession," he said. "Toward the end of 2010, the bulk of the money from the economic stimulus program will be gone. The Federal Reserve will have embarked on an exit strategy and start hiking the interest rate by then. Consumers are not likely to go on a spending spree any time soon. Even if they were willing to spend, credit won't be available to support spending."
Stocks rally into earnings season
A worse-than-expected December jobs report last week couldn't derail the economic optimism that's been fueling stock gains for months. But the weeks ahead could prove challenging, as the quarterly reporting period gets underway.
Dow components Alcoa, Intel and JPMorgan Chase all report quarterly results next week. On the economic front, reports are due on retail sales, the trade gap, consumer sentiment and manufacturing. Late last week the government reported employers cut 85,000 jobs from their payrolls, surprising economists who were forecasting no change. Meanwhile the unemployment rate held steady at 10%, near 26-year highs.
But the stock market showed little reaction, managing to end the first trading week of 2010 in positive territory. The Dow industrials and S&P 500 now stand at 15 month highs and the Nasdaq composite is at a 16-month high.
Whether the market can sustain and build on last year's gains will depend on employment, corporate profits and whether the consumer can pick up the slack when the government stimulus runs out, said Brett Hammond, chief investment strategist at TIAA-CREF.
"Most companies have cut costs but they haven't grown revenue yet," Hammond said. "The question is whether corporate profits can rise in a time when American consumers can't S&P 500 earnings are expected to have jumped 213% in the fourth quarter of 2009, thanks to easy comparisons to an abysmal fourth quarter of 2008, the worst quarter in the history of earnings tracker Thomson Reuters. In that quarter, profits plunged 67% as the crisis in the financial and auto sectors hit a nadir, credit remained frozen and the recession intensified.
But a gain of 213% needs to be taken with a gallon of salt, because it mostly reflects the about face in the financial sector. The sector saw a quarterly loss in the fourth quarter of 2008 that was unprecedented -- so substantial that Thomson isn't fully sure it will be able to measure how much of a jump the sector posted year-over-year in the fourth quarter of 2009.
On Monday after the close, Alcoa (AA, Fortune 500) kicks off the quarterly reporting period, as it traditionally does. The aluminum producer is expected to have earned a profit of 6 cents per share versus a loss of 28 cents a year ago, according to Thomson Reuters forecasts. Alcoa is also expected to report a 15% drop in revenue.
On Thursday after the close, Intel (INTC, Fortune 500) is expected to report a quarterly profit of 30 cents per share versus 4 cents a year ago. The chipmaker is also expected to report a 23% rise in quarterly revenue.
On Friday morning, before the start of trading, JPMorgan Chase (JPM, Fortune 500) is expected to report a profit of 63 cents per share versus 7 cents a year ago. The bank is also expected to report a 57% rise in revenue.
The fact that many of the big banks that helped bring the economy to the brink of disaster are now profiting nicely one year later is a major source of anger and frustration for many investors, particularly since taxpayers helped fund their bailouts.
Next week marks a step toward addressing those concerns and investigating further why the crisis happened, when the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission holds its first public hearings on Wednesday and Thursday in Washington.
The bipartisan commission will hear testimony from some of the nation's top bank executives including Goldman Sachs' Lloyd Blankfein, Bank of America's Brian Moynihan, Morgan Stanley's John Mack and JPMorgan Chase's Jamie Dimon.
On the docket
Monday: Federal Reserve Governor Dennis P. Lockhart is speaking in the afternoon.
Tuesday: The November trade balance, from the Commerce Department, is due out before the market opens. The trade gap is expected to have widened to $34.8 billion from $32.9 billion.
Wednesday: The December Treasury budget, due out in the afternoon, is expected to have narrowed to $70.4 billion from $120.3 billion.
Federal Reserve Governor Charles L. Evans is speaking in the afternoon.
The government's weekly crude oil inventories report is also due in the morning. The Fed's "beige book" semi-annual reading on the economy is due in the afternoon.
Thursday: The December retail sales report from the Commerce Department is due in the morning. Sales are expected to have risen 0.4% after rising 1.3% in the previous month. Sales excluding autos are expected to have risen 0.3% after rising 1.2% in November.
November business inventories, due after the start of trading, are expected to hold steady after rising 0.2% in the previous month.
The National Retail Federation issues its holiday sales report, a key measure of chain store sales during the critical November and December period.
Weekly initial jobless claims and December import and export prices are also on tap.
Friday: The Consumer Price Index (CPI) in December is expected to have risen 0.2% after rising 0.4% in November. The so-called Core CPI is expected to have risen 0.1% versus an unchanged reading in the previous month.
The Federal Reserve reports on manufacturing activity in the morning. Industrial production is expected to have risen 0.6% in December after rising 0.8% in November. Capacity utilization isxpected to have risen to 71.8% in December from 71.3% in the previous month.
The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index for January is expected to have risen to 73.8 in early January from 72.5 in late December.
The Empire Manufacturing survey, a regional manufacturing reading, is also due in the morning.
Federal Reserve Governor Jeffrey M. Lacker speaks Friday afternoon.
Talkback: With the economy in recovery mode and a new year underway, what's your 2010 plan for your portfolio? Will you invest more, less or not at all? Are you willing to take on more risk? E-mail your story to realstories@cnnmoney.com and you could be featured in an upcoming.
Dow components Alcoa, Intel and JPMorgan Chase all report quarterly results next week. On the economic front, reports are due on retail sales, the trade gap, consumer sentiment and manufacturing. Late last week the government reported employers cut 85,000 jobs from their payrolls, surprising economists who were forecasting no change. Meanwhile the unemployment rate held steady at 10%, near 26-year highs.
But the stock market showed little reaction, managing to end the first trading week of 2010 in positive territory. The Dow industrials and S&P 500 now stand at 15 month highs and the Nasdaq composite is at a 16-month high.
Whether the market can sustain and build on last year's gains will depend on employment, corporate profits and whether the consumer can pick up the slack when the government stimulus runs out, said Brett Hammond, chief investment strategist at TIAA-CREF.
"Most companies have cut costs but they haven't grown revenue yet," Hammond said. "The question is whether corporate profits can rise in a time when American consumers can't S&P 500 earnings are expected to have jumped 213% in the fourth quarter of 2009, thanks to easy comparisons to an abysmal fourth quarter of 2008, the worst quarter in the history of earnings tracker Thomson Reuters. In that quarter, profits plunged 67% as the crisis in the financial and auto sectors hit a nadir, credit remained frozen and the recession intensified.
But a gain of 213% needs to be taken with a gallon of salt, because it mostly reflects the about face in the financial sector. The sector saw a quarterly loss in the fourth quarter of 2008 that was unprecedented -- so substantial that Thomson isn't fully sure it will be able to measure how much of a jump the sector posted year-over-year in the fourth quarter of 2009.
On Monday after the close, Alcoa (AA, Fortune 500) kicks off the quarterly reporting period, as it traditionally does. The aluminum producer is expected to have earned a profit of 6 cents per share versus a loss of 28 cents a year ago, according to Thomson Reuters forecasts. Alcoa is also expected to report a 15% drop in revenue.
On Thursday after the close, Intel (INTC, Fortune 500) is expected to report a quarterly profit of 30 cents per share versus 4 cents a year ago. The chipmaker is also expected to report a 23% rise in quarterly revenue.
On Friday morning, before the start of trading, JPMorgan Chase (JPM, Fortune 500) is expected to report a profit of 63 cents per share versus 7 cents a year ago. The bank is also expected to report a 57% rise in revenue.
The fact that many of the big banks that helped bring the economy to the brink of disaster are now profiting nicely one year later is a major source of anger and frustration for many investors, particularly since taxpayers helped fund their bailouts.
Next week marks a step toward addressing those concerns and investigating further why the crisis happened, when the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission holds its first public hearings on Wednesday and Thursday in Washington.
The bipartisan commission will hear testimony from some of the nation's top bank executives including Goldman Sachs' Lloyd Blankfein, Bank of America's Brian Moynihan, Morgan Stanley's John Mack and JPMorgan Chase's Jamie Dimon.
On the docket
Monday: Federal Reserve Governor Dennis P. Lockhart is speaking in the afternoon.
Tuesday: The November trade balance, from the Commerce Department, is due out before the market opens. The trade gap is expected to have widened to $34.8 billion from $32.9 billion.
Wednesday: The December Treasury budget, due out in the afternoon, is expected to have narrowed to $70.4 billion from $120.3 billion.
Federal Reserve Governor Charles L. Evans is speaking in the afternoon.
The government's weekly crude oil inventories report is also due in the morning. The Fed's "beige book" semi-annual reading on the economy is due in the afternoon.
Thursday: The December retail sales report from the Commerce Department is due in the morning. Sales are expected to have risen 0.4% after rising 1.3% in the previous month. Sales excluding autos are expected to have risen 0.3% after rising 1.2% in November.
November business inventories, due after the start of trading, are expected to hold steady after rising 0.2% in the previous month.
The National Retail Federation issues its holiday sales report, a key measure of chain store sales during the critical November and December period.
Weekly initial jobless claims and December import and export prices are also on tap.
Friday: The Consumer Price Index (CPI) in December is expected to have risen 0.2% after rising 0.4% in November. The so-called Core CPI is expected to have risen 0.1% versus an unchanged reading in the previous month.
The Federal Reserve reports on manufacturing activity in the morning. Industrial production is expected to have risen 0.6% in December after rising 0.8% in November. Capacity utilization isxpected to have risen to 71.8% in December from 71.3% in the previous month.
The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index for January is expected to have risen to 73.8 in early January from 72.5 in late December.
The Empire Manufacturing survey, a regional manufacturing reading, is also due in the morning.
Federal Reserve Governor Jeffrey M. Lacker speaks Friday afternoon.
Talkback: With the economy in recovery mode and a new year underway, what's your 2010 plan for your portfolio? Will you invest more, less or not at all? Are you willing to take on more risk? E-mail your story to realstories@cnnmoney.com and you could be featured in an upcoming.
Euro at 3-week high as dollar nurses losses after jobs data
The euro charged as high as $1.4533, from $1.4414 late in New York on Friday, with stop losses triggered around $1.4480.
It pierced the $1.4500 barrier after St. Louis Federal Reserve President James Bullard said U.S. interest rates may remain low for some time.
The next big resistance is now seen around $1.4570 and a break of that would suggest a gradual recovery toward $1.4800, traders say.
"Expectations that the Federal Reserve will keep rates on hold for the foreseeable future, encouraged by Friday's weak employment report have held the dollar down," said Joseph Capurso, a strategist at Commonwealth Bank.
The dollar index .DXY was down 0.69 percent at 76.93, having risen to as high as 78.187 on Friday.
Latest data from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission showed speculators cut U.S. dollar long positions in the week to Jan 5, and traders say hat trend is likely to pick up.. Trading was thin with Tokyo shut for a holiday, encouraging some players to trigger stop-loss selling of the U.S. currency.
Traders expect the greenback to stay on the defensive as speculators cut long positions in the U.S. dollar following the U.S. jobs report.
Data on Friday showed U.S. employers cut 85,000 jobs last month. November payrolls, however, were revised to show the economy actually added 4,000 jobs.
Interest rate futures pared expectations the Fed will raise benchmark short-term rates any time soon. July futures contract implied a 22 percent chance of a rate hike by mid-2010, down from around 40 percent before the jobs data.
"The dollar's reaction soon after the soft employment data would suggest that traditional economic relationships i.e. soft data, weaker currency and vice versa, are starting to become a dominant theme again at the cost of last year's risk on/risk off theme," RBC Capital Markets said in a note to clients.
"This could partially explain the whippy trading on Friday.
"Over the medium-term, however, the risk on/risk off theme is expected to continue to fade with FX focus returning more to economic releases and the implication for monetary policy rather than blindly following global risk sentiment."
EARNINGS THE NEXT LITMUS TEST
The U.S. dollar's next litmus test is expected to be the U.S. earnings season which kicks off in earnest this week, U.S. retail sales, industrial production and inflation data.
"The new year is beginning with a gradual unwind of December's dollar rally, as the notion of early Fed tightening is put to rest," JPMorgan said in a report. "Ahead of earnings season, add to U.S. dollar shorts versus commodity currencies and also buy yen crosses."
Still, traders suspected the euro will have difficulty rising past the $1.4570 resistance, given the jobs situation in the euro zone is no better than in the United States -- it was at an 11-year high in November.
The European Central Bank will meet on Thursday and is expected to keep rates unchanged.
Jitters about more sovereign debt downgrades could keep a leash on the euro. The Financial Times reported on Monday that Portugal has been warned about a threat to its ratings.
That is likely to compound worries already caused by Greece's credit battle and Iceland's row with the Netherlands and Britain over its banking collapse.
The Australian dollar rallied to a 26-month high versus the euro, rising to as high as 0.6442 euros. The Aussie also struck a new five-week high of $0.9318 buoyed by strong Chinese export numbers.
The Aussie was also bolstered by a rise in gold prices. Spot gold rose to a five-week high early on Monday.
Against the yen, the Aussie hit a 15-month high above 86 yen, with sell orders at around 86.10 yen levels, traders said.
The yen was, however, firmer on the dollar, rising to 92.15, from 92.68 yen late in New York on Friday.
On Friday, the yen recovered some ground after Japan's new finance minister backed off from his earlier call for a weaker yen following a rebuke from the prime minister.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Detroit motor show goes electric
The event, which is set to premiere 60 new models, remains the most important motor show in the US, in spite of the crisis that has rocked the industry. lectric cars are to take centre stage, as Detroit tries to reinvent itself as a base for new automotive technologies.
Small petrol-powered cars are also due to be popular, a shift from previous years when large cars dominated. The change in emphasis towards more fuel efficient cars comes as US drivers are becoming increasingly concerned with the cost of petrol.Regulatory requirements are also being tightened amidst an increasing focus on the importance of reducing carbon dioxide emissions from cars in order to curb global warming.
Chrysler, which is now controlled by Fiat, is pinning its hopes on rebadged versions of the Italian carmaker's cars, while GM will unveil its Chevrolet Spark city car.
Ford, meanwhile, is unveiling its new Focus, hot on the heels of its introduction of the smaller Fiesta at the Los Angeles motor show last month.
The hope is that Detroit's automotive industry can be revived, thus helping to create jobs in Michigan, where unemployment reached 15.8% last year.
But Detroit's incumbents will face tough competition from non-US carmakers.
European and Asian carmakers will place great emphasis on petrol-electric hybrids or electric concept cars at this year's show. Beyond the ageing Cobo centre, an alternative show venue has popped up this year at the MGM Grand Detroit casino, where a string of European luxury car makers that have been staying away from Detroit in recent years are showing off their wares.
Supercars made by the likes of Lamborghini and Ferrari will be on display, as will a stable of cars from UK carmakers Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Aston Martin, all of them attracted back to the city by the ease and low cost of displaying at the casino rather than creating entire stands at the main show.
Banking on Foreign Employment
Even while it is being said that the number of banks and finance institutions in Nepal has crowded the market, the Nepal Rastra Bank is granting license to new players. The good news, however, is that the new players are coming up with new visions and ideas.The latest new entrant into the market is Nepal Development and Employment Promotion Ltd., a Category B financial institution with Rs. 192 million paid up capital. And as the name suggests, it is going to be dedicated for the promotion of employment - both within and outside Nepal .
In fact NDEP was originally conceived by the promoters as a joint venture with the association of manpower agencies that send Nepalis for foreign employment. However, that could not materialise as the association of the manpower agencies broke up due to wrangling among themselves. Therefore, the promoters approached the Employee Provident Fund offering 15 per cent shares which the fund management readily picked up. Despite that, the promoters are planning to induct selected manpower agencies as shareholders in the company in the near future, according to the company's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Lok Bahadur Shrestha, a veteran bureaucrat and also former Finance Secretary and Chief Secretary of the Nepali government and former Nepali ambassador to Bangladesh . Meanwhile he was also the Chairman of the Board of Directors of various banks including the state-owned Rastriya Banijya Bank and Nepal Bank Ltd. as well as private sector Nabil Bank and Nepal Indosuez Bank (now Nepal Investment Bank).
The other major names in about five dozen promoters of NDEP include Ganesh Bhakta Saakha (Chairman of Saakha Group), Min Bahadur Gurung (owner of Bhatbhateni Supermarket) and Subarna Bajracharya (Associate Professor of Financial Management).
Being conceived as an employment promotion bank, the focus of NDEP will be to provide loans to those who have to finance their trip to the country where they have found work. "I have seen many villagers coming to Kathmandu with some money by selling off their land or houses and by the time they get selected for foreign employment and get their visa, they are left without money and they can't buy their ticket. That has ruined many families. We want to help to avoid such disasters," says Shrestha.
"In fact, the foreign employment business is such that all the risks are borne by the poor villagers who go abroad and toil in an alien environment while all the others including the manpower agencies, the remittance companies and the banks that take the lion's share of benefit from foreign employment bear little or no risk. NDEP will try to develop a business of protecting these workers," he adds.
To provide such loans for foreign employment, NDEP has developed a system of taking a collateral or a guarantee from the manpower agency. "Unfortunately, we can't help those who can't offer collateral. For this type of people, a guarantee from the manpower agency would be helpful. As the agencies know the employers well, they can arrange to have the amount deducted from the worker's salary and send it here on an installment basis to repay the loan," says Shrestha. This is likely to be accepted by agencies as one manpower agency has already deposited an amount as a standing guarantee against which NDEP would be extending loan to those recommended by the agency.
Also being considered is a proposal to tie up with manpower agencies and set up joint offices at all the major centres abroad where Nepalis are working. These offices can work with the employers and provide a number of services to the workers. Thus these can be made separate entities with the costs and profits shared between the NDEP and the manpower agencies.
For other types of financing, NDEP has offered schemes under the home loan, vehicle loan, education loan, festival loan and all purpose loans targeting middle-class people. For collecting deposits, it has put forward a number of schemes including basic saving (minimum balance Rs. 500 but maximum only up to Rs. 100,000), saving multiplier, fixed plus and recurring deposits. "We also want to provide an ATM facility to those who wish to use ATM but have no access to it as this facility is still limited to only those who can maintain a handsome deposit. Our basic saving account is designed specifically for those people, hence the cap on maximum deposit," Shrestha explains.
Perhaps an equally important plan NDEP has is to introduce lease financing. Though this type of financing is still not picking up in Nepal in the absence of a proper law, an improved draft prepared with the support from the Asian Development Bank is expected to be introduced as a law very soon. Meanwhile, Shrestha himself is planning to visit Mumbai to study how HDFC, a finance institution there, is doing excellent job in lease financing.
Similarly, Shrestha is pinning hope also on the venture capital fund that Asian Development Bank is providing to the Ministry of Industry. "Management of that fund is being entrusted to NDEP," he confides.
In fact NDEP was originally conceived by the promoters as a joint venture with the association of manpower agencies that send Nepalis for foreign employment. However, that could not materialise as the association of the manpower agencies broke up due to wrangling among themselves. Therefore, the promoters approached the Employee Provident Fund offering 15 per cent shares which the fund management readily picked up. Despite that, the promoters are planning to induct selected manpower agencies as shareholders in the company in the near future, according to the company's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Lok Bahadur Shrestha, a veteran bureaucrat and also former Finance Secretary and Chief Secretary of the Nepali government and former Nepali ambassador to Bangladesh . Meanwhile he was also the Chairman of the Board of Directors of various banks including the state-owned Rastriya Banijya Bank and Nepal Bank Ltd. as well as private sector Nabil Bank and Nepal Indosuez Bank (now Nepal Investment Bank).
The other major names in about five dozen promoters of NDEP include Ganesh Bhakta Saakha (Chairman of Saakha Group), Min Bahadur Gurung (owner of Bhatbhateni Supermarket) and Subarna Bajracharya (Associate Professor of Financial Management).
Being conceived as an employment promotion bank, the focus of NDEP will be to provide loans to those who have to finance their trip to the country where they have found work. "I have seen many villagers coming to Kathmandu with some money by selling off their land or houses and by the time they get selected for foreign employment and get their visa, they are left without money and they can't buy their ticket. That has ruined many families. We want to help to avoid such disasters," says Shrestha.
"In fact, the foreign employment business is such that all the risks are borne by the poor villagers who go abroad and toil in an alien environment while all the others including the manpower agencies, the remittance companies and the banks that take the lion's share of benefit from foreign employment bear little or no risk. NDEP will try to develop a business of protecting these workers," he adds.
To provide such loans for foreign employment, NDEP has developed a system of taking a collateral or a guarantee from the manpower agency. "Unfortunately, we can't help those who can't offer collateral. For this type of people, a guarantee from the manpower agency would be helpful. As the agencies know the employers well, they can arrange to have the amount deducted from the worker's salary and send it here on an installment basis to repay the loan," says Shrestha. This is likely to be accepted by agencies as one manpower agency has already deposited an amount as a standing guarantee against which NDEP would be extending loan to those recommended by the agency.
Also being considered is a proposal to tie up with manpower agencies and set up joint offices at all the major centres abroad where Nepalis are working. These offices can work with the employers and provide a number of services to the workers. Thus these can be made separate entities with the costs and profits shared between the NDEP and the manpower agencies.
For other types of financing, NDEP has offered schemes under the home loan, vehicle loan, education loan, festival loan and all purpose loans targeting middle-class people. For collecting deposits, it has put forward a number of schemes including basic saving (minimum balance Rs. 500 but maximum only up to Rs. 100,000), saving multiplier, fixed plus and recurring deposits. "We also want to provide an ATM facility to those who wish to use ATM but have no access to it as this facility is still limited to only those who can maintain a handsome deposit. Our basic saving account is designed specifically for those people, hence the cap on maximum deposit," Shrestha explains.
Perhaps an equally important plan NDEP has is to introduce lease financing. Though this type of financing is still not picking up in Nepal in the absence of a proper law, an improved draft prepared with the support from the Asian Development Bank is expected to be introduced as a law very soon. Meanwhile, Shrestha himself is planning to visit Mumbai to study how HDFC, a finance institution there, is doing excellent job in lease financing.
Similarly, Shrestha is pinning hope also on the venture capital fund that Asian Development Bank is providing to the Ministry of Industry. "Management of that fund is being entrusted to NDEP," he confides.
Sherpa's Drive to Mustang
Nepal 's indigenous vehicle manufacturing business has completed 10 years. Hulas Agro Engineering, a thresher manufacturing company that also imported and marketed water pumps, was renamed Hulas Motors and till now it has already sold about 500 units of vehicles.
The story of how the idea originated and was implemented into making more refined utility vehicle is interesting.
According to Surendra Golchha, Managing Director of the Biratnagar-based Hulas Motors and the Director of Golchha Organisation, the idea originated when the staff of Hulas Agro were discussing how to overcome the high price burden of the water pumps that the company was selling. One pump engine then would cost about Rs. 30,000, a hefty sum for the average Nepali farmer. One idea that came up during the discussion was to find ways to make the engine fulfil a couple of other purposes as well. "So we decided to put this engine on a cheap chassis and make it capable to do threshing, running pumps and carrying people and goods to and from the farm and around the village. Luckily I found a person from India who accepted to make such a machine for the cost of Rs. 40,000," recalls Golchha.
After the vehicle was made ready in Patna , it was brought to Nepal with much hassle in the customs as it did not fall under any category of the customs code. The power supply was with the fan-belt and all the components were second or third hand. "It had no roof, no headlight, nothing", says Golchha. Experimenting and improvising it, the company sold 2-3 such vehicles with the same technology that the Indian mechanic had used. The price was Rs. 80,000. But the performance was not good and the company was not in a position to give any warranty. So, plenty of complaints were received. Then there were further improvements made by using first hand components and the price was hiked to Rs. 200,000 and Rs. 250,000. Still it was not ok as Mahindra pick ups then were available for Rs. 600,000 or Rs. 700,000 in case of new and Rs. 300,000 or Rs. 400,000 in case of second hand.
Then came the new body though the engine and chassis were the same. "But when I test drove the vehicle, I noticed that the vehicle's performance was not matching with its looks. So we decided to change the engine and chassis as well," he recalls.
However, the vehicle was placed in the Auto Exhibition in Kathmandu by hauling it all the way from Biratnagar on a truck. Though it was a hard time to get it climb the incline from Tinkune of Kathmandu to the International Conference Centre at Baneswor, the visitors admired it and one of them suggested the name "Sherpa" (the mountain porter) instead of "power cart" (the name it was given earlier as it was originally conceived to replace the bullock carts in the village). The first Sherpa was, however, produced only after one year. Then came the 20D model (for 20 HP diesel engine), of which 3-4 units were sold. It was followed by 32D (about 50 units sold) and by 46D (about 35 units sold). The added features in 46D made it useful also in the hills.Meanwhile, the Nepal Vehicle Emission Standard was promulgated by the government and the company had to change the product drastically. The result was 46NES (representing Nepal Emission Standard). Then the E-Drive with new engine and the 'e' on the name representing economy, easy driving etc. was introduced. It sold about 130 units. Then alas, the government imposed a 32 per cent excise on vehicles, thus bringing the Nepal-made vehicles under the excise net. Golchha says, though his product was selling well during that time, the excise made it costly. As the imported vehicles were subject to 110 per cent duty, the company still enjoyed a protection because all the duties and excise on its product added up to only about 60 per cent, Golchha says this is not enough protection as the company as well as the brand is new. Then came Mustang and Mini-V - the latter being a Maruti Van size vehicle with option for petrol and gas engine. According to him, the company is selling about 70-80 units of Sherpa, Mustang and Mini-V together and for the fiscal year 2006-07 the target is to reach 200 units. However, Mini-V is not being improved because of the problem of duty.The company is focusing on the commercial use of its vehicles, not for personal use, thus pitting them against major brands such as Mahindra of India. Now the company is marketing Mustang also as a commercial vehicle for the urban areas. According to Golchha, about 10 to 20 per cent of the customers decide to buy his products due to patriotism. "Being cheaper and better suited for some hill terrain when compared with the competition are the prime motivators for the buyers. But patriotism too figures in the calculation, I think," he says.
But that level of patriotism is not there in the case of government, complains Golchha. "The officers want luxurious cars and the drivers too want to drive luxurious cars. Even in such a situation, we have been able to sell so many vehicles. For that I must thank my customers who encouraged us," he says.
So, what are the plans of the company now? "Making newer models that are more efficient," says the indefatigable Golchha.
The story of how the idea originated and was implemented into making more refined utility vehicle is interesting.
According to Surendra Golchha, Managing Director of the Biratnagar-based Hulas Motors and the Director of Golchha Organisation, the idea originated when the staff of Hulas Agro were discussing how to overcome the high price burden of the water pumps that the company was selling. One pump engine then would cost about Rs. 30,000, a hefty sum for the average Nepali farmer. One idea that came up during the discussion was to find ways to make the engine fulfil a couple of other purposes as well. "So we decided to put this engine on a cheap chassis and make it capable to do threshing, running pumps and carrying people and goods to and from the farm and around the village. Luckily I found a person from India who accepted to make such a machine for the cost of Rs. 40,000," recalls Golchha.
After the vehicle was made ready in Patna , it was brought to Nepal with much hassle in the customs as it did not fall under any category of the customs code. The power supply was with the fan-belt and all the components were second or third hand. "It had no roof, no headlight, nothing", says Golchha. Experimenting and improvising it, the company sold 2-3 such vehicles with the same technology that the Indian mechanic had used. The price was Rs. 80,000. But the performance was not good and the company was not in a position to give any warranty. So, plenty of complaints were received. Then there were further improvements made by using first hand components and the price was hiked to Rs. 200,000 and Rs. 250,000. Still it was not ok as Mahindra pick ups then were available for Rs. 600,000 or Rs. 700,000 in case of new and Rs. 300,000 or Rs. 400,000 in case of second hand.
Then came the new body though the engine and chassis were the same. "But when I test drove the vehicle, I noticed that the vehicle's performance was not matching with its looks. So we decided to change the engine and chassis as well," he recalls.
However, the vehicle was placed in the Auto Exhibition in Kathmandu by hauling it all the way from Biratnagar on a truck. Though it was a hard time to get it climb the incline from Tinkune of Kathmandu to the International Conference Centre at Baneswor, the visitors admired it and one of them suggested the name "Sherpa" (the mountain porter) instead of "power cart" (the name it was given earlier as it was originally conceived to replace the bullock carts in the village). The first Sherpa was, however, produced only after one year. Then came the 20D model (for 20 HP diesel engine), of which 3-4 units were sold. It was followed by 32D (about 50 units sold) and by 46D (about 35 units sold). The added features in 46D made it useful also in the hills.Meanwhile, the Nepal Vehicle Emission Standard was promulgated by the government and the company had to change the product drastically. The result was 46NES (representing Nepal Emission Standard). Then the E-Drive with new engine and the 'e' on the name representing economy, easy driving etc. was introduced. It sold about 130 units. Then alas, the government imposed a 32 per cent excise on vehicles, thus bringing the Nepal-made vehicles under the excise net. Golchha says, though his product was selling well during that time, the excise made it costly. As the imported vehicles were subject to 110 per cent duty, the company still enjoyed a protection because all the duties and excise on its product added up to only about 60 per cent, Golchha says this is not enough protection as the company as well as the brand is new. Then came Mustang and Mini-V - the latter being a Maruti Van size vehicle with option for petrol and gas engine. According to him, the company is selling about 70-80 units of Sherpa, Mustang and Mini-V together and for the fiscal year 2006-07 the target is to reach 200 units. However, Mini-V is not being improved because of the problem of duty.The company is focusing on the commercial use of its vehicles, not for personal use, thus pitting them against major brands such as Mahindra of India. Now the company is marketing Mustang also as a commercial vehicle for the urban areas. According to Golchha, about 10 to 20 per cent of the customers decide to buy his products due to patriotism. "Being cheaper and better suited for some hill terrain when compared with the competition are the prime motivators for the buyers. But patriotism too figures in the calculation, I think," he says.
But that level of patriotism is not there in the case of government, complains Golchha. "The officers want luxurious cars and the drivers too want to drive luxurious cars. Even in such a situation, we have been able to sell so many vehicles. For that I must thank my customers who encouraged us," he says.
So, what are the plans of the company now? "Making newer models that are more efficient," says the indefatigable Golchha.
Nepali Garments Products (Garments in Nepal)
We are leading manufacture, wholesaler and exporter of the garment, Hemp and Woolen product in Nepal. Nepalese garments are the products of low economic background men and women of the mountainous and Terrain parts of the country. The farmers cultivate cotton plants in the West for the thread or yarn to produce cotton products. In spite of heavy rainfall and scorching sun the farmer harvest the cotton plants and spin for the production of raw cotton thread. After the collection of the bolls different sized of yarn and designed garments are produced with the help of handloom.We have been working on this (making, exporting and whole selling) for ten years. All fabrics are natural, And dyed in different colors by hand. Different techniques are used to work on the material: The main objective is to make authentic clothes, not following other fashions, but visually very recognizable because of the use of a lot of handwork and own color choices and fabrics. All our clothes are handmade in Nepal. We produce garment product, hemp product, wollen product and knitting product in nepal.We are one of the best and unique kids and adult wear garments manufacturer in Nepal. We have natural raw matrial and nepali design garment, hemp and woolen products.We manufacture and export different kinds of Nepali products like Kids garment wear, Adult garment wear, hemp product and woolen products. Nepalgarments.com is owned and managed by Unique Creative Export , a company registered with Nepal Government, Department of Commerce.It is our great pleasure to introduce ourselves in the world of fashion."Unique Creative Exports", is one of the best manufacturer, wholesaler and exporter of unique kids and adults wear including Garment or Cotton product woolen product , and hemp product from Nepal. We have our shop and office at Thamel, Kathmandu, Nepal. So, any customers they are interested for products shopping, can visit our shop and make choices themselves with the different designs and sizes. And, the customized orders are acceptable.We have our own factory and the showroom at the heart of kathmandu city in Nepal. So, we are fully confidence about to provide the cheap price and best qualities to our customers.Unique Creative export has established with the experienced company of garments and handicrafts in Nepal. We manufacture, Wholesale, export, & Retail readymade garments, woolen, felt, hemp such as bags, hats, skirts, shirts, trousers and knitted products with a well-deserved reputation for quality, value and reliability.We believe in development through business, providing product with best quality, high level service and competitive prices on scheduled delivery with good working condition, fair wages and respect for the environment. Unique creative export is always against child labour and we don't employ children.Unique creative export manufactures and exports quality products in wholesale price. All our products are environment friendly and they are never relates with deforestation rather control it. We are manufacturing different products and are maintaining our quality standard in each and every individual product. All of our product is made by the experts of skillful hands and 100% free from child-labor whom we select carefully under our strict supervision.OUR PHILOSOPHYWe are mainly concentrate in promotion of Nepalese garment product and Nepalese handmade products to encourage and develop the skill as well as the lifestyle of the people from the hilly and mountainous regions where the raw materials comes from. We are employing as many workers as possible from different society & economic field and offering them benefits such as health-care and education to their children. We believe on fair trade, this is why we are not involved in the capitalist mode of production, which only seeks profits.OUR PRODUCTSWe have varieties of quality Nepalese handicrafts such as fashion garments, Nepali pure lokta papers, woolen sweaters, bags and hats, Pashmina stoles etc. to export all over the world. Custom designs are always possible and encouraged to implement on our products as we believe that designs are based on the imagination.Besides the paper products, bags and hats, pashmina shawls, apparels and Silver jewelry we can provide you the range of merchandise such as Thanka paintings, Nepalese and Tibetan carpets, Buddhist items - prayer flag, stupas, statues, incense, etc.Furthermore Wooden Craft, Metal Craft, Mask, Musical Instruments, Puppet, Stone Craft, Beads, Ceramics Product, Arts, Herbal Tea and other herbal Products are also be available with us.RAW MATERIALSMost of our raw materials such as Hemp, Nettle, Cotton, Silk, Natural Pashmina and paper products comes from the mountains and they are made by expert hand locally. The local village people collets Hemp and Nettles from the source area of mountain regions. They grows in the wild still collection of these raw materials does not affects to the nature, thus it is eco friendly too. Production first begins with the soaking of the plant, it is boiled with ash to naturally bleach it and make it soft.After drying on rocks in the sun, the product is turn into thread by hand and delivered to looms to be woven into fabric. Hemp is a bit harder than Nettles and more durable than cotton which lasts the products long. These natural products are very important due to these fiber’s healthy effect to the users. Wearing these garments makes you feel warmer in the cold and cooler in the hot weather.EXPORT We export our products to any part of the world. Our number of frequent consumers from Europe and American continent are using our export facilities and we are proud enough to make keep happy with our service. Our cargo service:Air cargo, Sea cargo, Air/sea cargo, Land/sea cargo, Documentation, Custom clearance, Forwarding, packing and safe storage.
India shuns scooters as cars take over
After spending hours tinkering with them, he carries them to his 10-year-old scooter and ties up the TV set or the tape recorder to the back seat with a long coir rope.
Once his precious electronic products are secured he kick-starts his trusty second-hand motor scooter and off he goes from house to house. Not very different from a pizza delivery service.
Mr Ali's livelihood now depends on his old Bajaj motor scooter, bought second-hand for $10.
Cheap and easy
Once the most popular two-wheeler on Indian roads, the scooter is now an increasingly rare sight, but it still has many loyal fans. Mr Ali says he cannot imagine life without his scooter.
"I carry all my products on it and deliver equipment around crowded Delhi streets," he says.
"I keep my tool kit and a spare set of clothes in the side in case there is an emergency at work. It is cheap to use and easy to maintain."
Production cut
The Bajaj scooter is an iconic Indian brand first launched in 1972.
Inspired by the Italian Vespa, these scooters captured the essence of a generation of Indians.
Entire families - husband, wife and two children - could be seen sitting on the Bajaj scooter, riding around small and big towns across the country.
They were so much in demand that there were waiting lists to buy one. Many sold at high premiums.
But as the country's economy grew rapidly, many people bypassed the scooter, instead buying fancy motorbikes or even cars.
So the parent company Bajaj has decided to do phase out scooter production.
After March 2010, the company, which is one of the largest two-wheeler manufacturers in the world, will stop producing scooters and focus on selling motorbikes.
Better vehicles
Bajaj Motors is aiming to capture a 35% share of the bike market in India where some 7 million units of motorcycles and scooters wereTheir scooter was once the once the best-selling scooter in the world. These days, they manufacture just 1,000 a month.
But Bajaj has four-wheeler ambitions too. It is building a $2,500 car with the help of Renault and Nissan Motors, which it hopes will rival the Tata Nano.
With growing affluence, many Indian middle class families are upgrading their scooters and aspire to buy cheap compact cars.
Catering to their demand is not just Bajaj, but every other auto major in the world from General Motors to Toyota who have their versions of the small car ready for the new Indian consumer. t this week's Delhi motorshow the focus is firmly on the small car segment with nearly 10 new compact car launches.
But does this mean the small car is now replacing the scooter as the main means of transport?
While India's roads may be packed with traffic, demand for cars is showing no signs of slowing.
Nearly 1.4 million vehicles are being added to the congested roads every year.
Even so, only a fraction of Indians are car owners. Compared with China's 27 cars per 1,000 citizens, India has only seven car owners per 1,000 citizens.
More than 75% of all vehicles sold in India are still two-wheelers. But they are predominantly motorcycles rather than scooters. Dilp Chenoy of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers says cars alone can never be the only solution for mobility in India.
"The evolution in transport depends on per capita income." he says.
"If you take China as an example, you may have five million cars being produced, but you still have twenty million two-wheelers being produced.
"China's per capita income is almost three times India's. So let us say for the foreseeable future, if we look at the same models, two wheelers will stay the pre-dominant mode of transportation in the country." sold last year.
Once his precious electronic products are secured he kick-starts his trusty second-hand motor scooter and off he goes from house to house. Not very different from a pizza delivery service.
Mr Ali's livelihood now depends on his old Bajaj motor scooter, bought second-hand for $10.
Cheap and easy
Once the most popular two-wheeler on Indian roads, the scooter is now an increasingly rare sight, but it still has many loyal fans. Mr Ali says he cannot imagine life without his scooter.
"I carry all my products on it and deliver equipment around crowded Delhi streets," he says.
"I keep my tool kit and a spare set of clothes in the side in case there is an emergency at work. It is cheap to use and easy to maintain."
Production cut
The Bajaj scooter is an iconic Indian brand first launched in 1972.
Inspired by the Italian Vespa, these scooters captured the essence of a generation of Indians.
Entire families - husband, wife and two children - could be seen sitting on the Bajaj scooter, riding around small and big towns across the country.
They were so much in demand that there were waiting lists to buy one. Many sold at high premiums.
But as the country's economy grew rapidly, many people bypassed the scooter, instead buying fancy motorbikes or even cars.
So the parent company Bajaj has decided to do phase out scooter production.
After March 2010, the company, which is one of the largest two-wheeler manufacturers in the world, will stop producing scooters and focus on selling motorbikes.
Better vehicles
Bajaj Motors is aiming to capture a 35% share of the bike market in India where some 7 million units of motorcycles and scooters wereTheir scooter was once the once the best-selling scooter in the world. These days, they manufacture just 1,000 a month.
But Bajaj has four-wheeler ambitions too. It is building a $2,500 car with the help of Renault and Nissan Motors, which it hopes will rival the Tata Nano.
With growing affluence, many Indian middle class families are upgrading their scooters and aspire to buy cheap compact cars.
Catering to their demand is not just Bajaj, but every other auto major in the world from General Motors to Toyota who have their versions of the small car ready for the new Indian consumer. t this week's Delhi motorshow the focus is firmly on the small car segment with nearly 10 new compact car launches.
But does this mean the small car is now replacing the scooter as the main means of transport?
While India's roads may be packed with traffic, demand for cars is showing no signs of slowing.
Nearly 1.4 million vehicles are being added to the congested roads every year.
Even so, only a fraction of Indians are car owners. Compared with China's 27 cars per 1,000 citizens, India has only seven car owners per 1,000 citizens.
More than 75% of all vehicles sold in India are still two-wheelers. But they are predominantly motorcycles rather than scooters. Dilp Chenoy of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers says cars alone can never be the only solution for mobility in India.
"The evolution in transport depends on per capita income." he says.
"If you take China as an example, you may have five million cars being produced, but you still have twenty million two-wheelers being produced.
"China's per capita income is almost three times India's. So let us say for the foreseeable future, if we look at the same models, two wheelers will stay the pre-dominant mode of transportation in the country." sold last year.
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