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Why Uranium Will Make Someone Rich - Invest Offshore

2010-06-17T19:38:26Z

Uranium is a very unusual sector. For one, it's small. So small, that at one point in history top-producing nations like Canada and France tried to form a uranium cartel to control prices for the metal.

The "uranium OPEC" failed. But production today is de facto controlled by a handful of companies.

Consider this. The world's top ten uranium mines account for 59% of global production. (The top mine, Saskatchewan's McArthur River, alone puts out 15% of the world's supply.)

This is very concentrated, compared to other sectors. In the copper sector, the top ten mines turn out just 30% of global supply. For gold, the number is even lower. About 19%.

This means that what happens at a just few uranium mines around the world makes a big difference to the price for the metal.

For this reason alone, good uranium projects are interesting. Any deposit that could become a significant supplier will garner a lot of interest. From would-be producers who want to break the stranglehold existing suppliers have on the market. And from same existing suppliers, who want to keep as much control as possible over the sector.

But the severe concentration of global production is just one reason to look at uranium projects. Another (perhaps better) reason is the extremely skewed grade distribution of the world's uranium mines.

]]> Let's look at some charts. The first two show average reserves grade at the world's top ten biggest-producing copper and gold projects (thanks to Dan Edelstein and Micheal George from the U.S. Geological Survey for help in putting these together). The grade distribution for both is fairly even, forming an orderly curve.

For gold, the world's highest-grade mine (West Wits in South Africa) is 230% higher in grade than the second richest mine. And 1,970% higher in grade than the tenth richest.

Copper grades are even more clustered. Russia's Taimyr Peninsula runs 2.6% Cu, which is 250% higher-grade than the second-richest mine. And 960% richer than the tenth richest mine.

The point being: there is about an order of magnitude difference in grade amongst the world's top gold and copper mines.

Now look at the same chart for uranium.

Top producer McArthur River grades a towering 17.7%. After this, the world's other top mines barely show up! McArthur is 2,360% richer than number two Rabbit Lake. And a staggering 59,000% higher than the number ten mine, Rossing.

In fact, four of the world's top ten uranium mines (Budenovskoye 2, Tortkuduk, Olympic Dam and Rossing) grade less than 0.1%. (Although mines like Olympic Dam make up for some of this shortfall by producing by-product metals.) The grade discrepancy across the top ten mines is over two orders of magnitude. Significantly more out-of-whack than copper or gold.

Here's another way of looking it. This chart shows the grade of the world's top ten mines in all three sectors, presented as a percentage of the highest-grade mine. Gold and copper ramp down fairly smoothly. Uranium grades, however, cliff-dive into low numbers very quickly.

All of which is to say that there is a big disparity across uranium deposits. The world has one very rich production center (Saskatchewan), and a bunch of much, much lower-grade mines.

This has some important implications for price. I've shown the chart below before, but it's instructive to look at it again here.

The cost "curve" for uranium is more like a hockey stick. We have a good deal of low-cost production in the world, which can be extracted for $10 to $15 per pound. Much of this comes from Saskatchewan, where high-grade ore makes for lower costs.

But once demand pushes past what these mines can deliver, costs ramp up fast. The move from $20 to $50 uranium (and even higher) comes quickly.

And we are pushing that curve right now. The World Nuclear Association estimates 2010 global uranium requirements at 81,000 tonnes. Putting us squarely on the far right side of the chart above.

Here's the project opportunity. The disparity in grade and production cost across the global uranium sector creates a chance to "poach the curve".

Most current uranium projects are focused on low-grade deposits that come in at the high-end of the cost curve. A number of such deposits are known globally (and have been known for decades), so the exploration work required is minimal.

But what the world is lacking is low-cost production. Anyone who can come up with a sub $30 deposit capable of producing on any kind of scale will have something very valuable to the world's uranium producers, most of whom are still skeptical about buying projects with costs above $40. The successful team is going to make a lot of money.

(The majors' fear of high-cost deposits is largely due to uncertainty over Saskatchewan's Cigar Lake deposit. Cigar would rival McArthur River in terms of grade and scale, producing a projected 8,200 tonnes yearly at 17% U3O8. Except that it flooded in 2006, and the development timeline has been unclear since. If Cigar does come on-line, it will displace the need for a good chunk of higher-cost production, likely lowering prices. If it goes bonk, the need for new uranium projects is going to be all the more urgent.)

Finding new, low-cost deposits requires some work and fresh thinking. A few ideas spring to mind. Go after high-grade, Athabasca-basin look-alikes (or near look-alikes) in under-explored places like West Africa. This is capital intensive, and would likely key off of new technology.

Or, take the Olympic Dam approach and go after low-grade deposits that come with significant credits from other metals, lowering the attributable uranium production cost. This is my personal favorite. North African phosphates are a great candidate.

The case is there for pursuing good, new ideas in uranium. The next step is to pick out some specific plays for a more detailed economic and technical evaluation. Over the next few weeks, I'll be putting together an "idea sheet" and directions for future work.

Source: http://oilprice.com/Metals/Commodities/Why-Uranium-Will-Make-Someone-Rich.html

By Dave Forest for Oilprice.com who offer detailed analysis on Oil, alternative Energy, Commodities, Finance and Geopolitics. They also provide free Geopolitical intelligence to help investors gain a greater understanding of world events and the impact they have on certain regions and sectors. Visit: http://www.oilprice.com

Perth Mint UNallocated metals storage - Invest Offshore

2010-05-25T03:59:24Z

QUESTION: Do UNALLOCATED metal assets held under the Perth Mint Certificate Program need to be reported on the IRS TDF90-22.1? I recently purchased your book "Reporting Foreign Financial Accounts" as well as the 2010 Update and searched both of them for an answer on this point, and have also searched your online Q&A looking for an answer, but I have not found one.

You have covered the ALLOCATED aspect of the Perth Mint Certificate Program and also the Perth Mint DEPOSITORY SERVICES (a completely different service, which operates like a private client bank account or stockbroking account, except with balances of precious metals in troy ounces---and IS reportable); however, the UNALLOCATED aspect of the Mint's Certificate Program appears to have not been addressed.

With the UNallocated Bullion program, one has title to precious metal deposited in an UNsegregated storage account, and is issued a Perth Mint Certificate. This is not a "managed fund"; it is simply a pool of unsegregated precious metal in which one purchases an interest.

The following description of the Certificate Program appears on the Perth Mint's website:

"With unallocated storage, also known as a metal account, clients purchase an interest in a pool of precious metal held by The Perth Mint. The Mint purchases an ounce of precious metal from the spot market for every unallocated ounce it sells to clients. Accordingly every unallocated ounce is 100% backed.

"The precious metal purchased by the Mint is recorded on its balance sheet as an asset and the unallocated amounts sold to clients are recorded as a liability.

"At purchase, clients only pay for the precious metal. There are no fabrication charges or storage fees, until clients elect to convert their unallocated into a specific coin or bar, which they can do at any time."

Since this question has not previously been specifically addressed or answered, I would really appreciate your view on the UNALLOCATED aspect of the Certificate Program in relation to the FBAR disclosure requirements.

]]> REPLY (by Vern Jacobs): My comments about allocated metals accounts and about the Perth Mint depository services are simply my interpretations of some very brief information in the relevant law and the IRS communications about the treatment of gold. In the relevant part of the law passed by the Bank Secrecy Act in 1970, Title 31, Sect. 5312 refers to money, credit, securities and gold as examples of typical transactions of a "financial agency".

When asked about whether gold bullion is a reportable account in a national phone forum between the IRS and a large number of tax professionals, the IRS said, "Yes".

Section 4.26.16.3.2 of the IRS Internal Revenue Manual states that "Other financial accounts generally encompass any accounts in which the assets are held in a co-mingled fund and the account owner holds an equity interest in the fund."

I can see the reasons why many people would not regard the Perth MInt Certificate Program to be a "financial Account." However, based on the published positions of the IRS, it seems to me that they would take the position that an unallocated gold storage account is a reportable account. But that's just my best guess and other tax professionals might not agree with me.

The problem is that if your Certificate program is not reported and is somehow discovered by the IRS, they would be likely to take the position that your failure to disclose the account represents a willful failure, for which the potential penalties are far greater than for a non-willful failure to file the form. The cost of taking the matter to court would be substantial and I believe that most judges would not regard privacy concerns as a justification for non-reporting.

But that's just my two cents.

Vern
http://www.offshorepress.com/fbar.htm

For information about The Jacobs Report, see http://www.offshorepress.com/jacobsreport/
Send email comments to Jacobs@offshorepress.com

Maitland Among Fastest Growing Administrators - Invest Offshore

2010-05-13T22:21:48Z

LONDON, May 13, 2010 - Maitland which administers more than $70bn on behalf of 80 fund manager clients was ranked the third fastest growing hedge fund administrator globally in a recent international survey by hedgefund.net. Assets under administration grew by $21bn over the past year and have more than doubled over the past three years.

According to Maitland Fund Services CEO, Veit Schuhen, the success of the business can be attributed to its unique service offering which is based around offering clients a comprehensive outsource solution. "We look to becoming a strategic business partner of our clients. This requires state of the art systems and skills levels that clients would like
to have in their own businesses."

Maitland offers extensive fund and investor administration services covering long only and alternative investment strategies that extend from front through middle to back office activities. In addition to administration services, Maitland also offers legal advisory, corporate secretarial and domiciliation services. According to Schuhen the
comprehensive offering is especially attractive to specialist fund managers who seek to achieve sharp business focus by means of a comprehensive outsource solution.

Maitland offers a fully integrated asset management and fund accounting platform to clients based on the InvestOne and Decalog systems provided by SunGard Systems. According to Schuhen the increasing complexity of investment strategies and underlying securities requires administrators to deploy state of the industry systems with large user bases in order to sustain the high level of investment necessary to keep them current. "The aim is to provide clients with a fully scalable platform on a "plug and play" basis but this is very demanding and skills intensive because it extends us way beyond just providing commoditised services."

]]> The hedgefund.net survey can be read at www.hedgefund.net/reports/Admin_Survey/q409_fast.htm

Ranked 3rd fastest growing hedge fund administrator globally, Hedgefund.net Ranked as Top 20 Offshore Firm, The Lawyer Awarded Nelson Mandela Children's Fund Lifetime Founder Club Membership

NOTES TO EDITORS

Maitland Fund Services

Is an independent specialist fund administrator providing automated and integrated front, middle and back-office administration services to hedge funds and institutional asset managers. Clients trading a wide range of asset classes outsource to Maitland to reduce technology investment and operational risk, and to focus resources on asset generation and portfolio management.

Maitland

Maitland's international services are run on a unique business model that integrates the firm's cross-border expertise in legal advisory, trust and corporate, asset management and fund services.

Maitland provides services to both institutions and private clients, particularly family and owner managed businesses, devising and implementing strategies and solutions for the creation, preservation and management of its clients' wealth and commercial success.

Maitland employs over 550 staff and has a network of 12 offices across Europe, South Africa and the Caribbean.

In addition to fund services, Maitland also provides legal advisory, trust and corporate and asset management services.

- Maitland's asset management division is focussed on managing the wealth of private clients through a range of tailored investment solutions. We offer investment consultancy services, portfolio management services and a suite of multi-manager and multi-asset class funds dedicated to the protection and growth of our client's wealth for current and future generations.

- Maitland's legal advisory division serves an international client base throughout Europe and the rest of the world. We are a leading provider of cross-border corporate, tax and wealth management solutions to international businesses, families and high net worth individuals.

- Maitland's trust and corporate services division provides sophisticated and personalised management, accounting and administration services to corporate and private clients involved with companies, trusts, investment management and private equity structures across multiple jurisdictions. We offer a full spectrum of local and international estate planning and related
administration services.

www.maitlandgroup.com

For further information please contact Bernie Williams, Maitland, head of marketing
Tel: +44(0)20-3077-1226 ; Mobile: +44(0)7595-055973
bernie.williams@maitlandgroup.com

The Allure of Australian Real Estate - Invest Offshore

2010-05-11T00:12:27Z

How Law Changes Have Drawn in More Foreign Real Estate Investors

by Nadine Davis ~ Thanks mostly to new laws regarding the foreign ownership of land in Australia, there are more offshore investors in Queensland property than ever before. The Foreign Investment Review Board changed laws concerning foreign ownership in late 2008. Before that, offshore investors could only own up to 50% of any Australian property. Under the new laws, full foreign ownership in brand new residential construction is now permitted.

The Allure of Australian Real Estate:

Although the pace has picked up significantly in recent years, foreign investors have long been enamoured of the Australian real estate market. Indeed, buyers agents Brisbane are regularly hired by investors from Russia, China, Malaysia, South Africa and other far-flung places. Along with the assistance of a buyers agent, investors like these are able to make extraordinary money from well-chosen investments in property in Qld - especially in Brisbane and the Gold Coast. With full ownership now possible, it's clear that foreign investments in Australian property are only going to escalate.

Who's Doing the Investing?

There are two main players when it comes to offshore investing in Australian property: Russia and China. The Chinese invested approximately $22.76 million in the last year alone; Russians invested approximately $22.7m themselves. Since it's only been a little more than a year since the new laws went into effect, it is quite likely that these numbers are only going to grow going forward. It's easy to see that the Russian, Chinese and many others are experiencing very favorable outcomes from their investment in Australian property.

The Chinese have been investing in Australian property for quite some time. and continue to be the biggest foreign buyers of property in the country. Russia is quickly catching up, though, as its economy and changing demographics prompt more and more of its citizens to get into the real estate market. Success in the mining and oil industries has armed many Russians with the means to invest seriously in real estate - and Australia is a natural choice. Furthermore, a growing middle class in Russia means that there are more people with expendable income than ever in that country.

The Dubai Connection:

In addition to the changing laws in Australia, developments in Dubai have also played a role in the increasing popularity of offshore investing in Australian property. The real estate market in Dubai collapsed, leaving many investors high and dry - and scrambling for new, more reliable opportunities. For many of them, Australia was a natural choice. Close on the heels of the Dubai real estate market crash, Australian rules and laws changed, opening up the playing field to more foreign investors. All of these converging factors have created key opportunities for offshore investors in the Australian real estate market.

About the Author

There's no doubt that Buyers Agents Brisbane assist local residents with property investment. Did you realise, that it's very common for a foreign investor to hire a Buyers Agent Brisbane like Hot Property Specialists www.hotpropertyspecialists.com.au/ to assist in the purchase of their investment?

How to Become a Sovereign Person - Invest Offshore

2010-05-08T14:57:30Z

addressed to Vern Jacobs (from the Jacobs Report): I was given your e-mail address in the hopes of learning more about how to become sovereign. I would like to know the process and what steps to take in order to do this as well as information regarding any offices or people here locally who could help me in attaining this status.

REPLY: Based on the theory in "The Sovereign Individual" and in the Judeo/Christian bible you don't need to become a sovereign person because that is an inherent element of being human. In the Bible, humans are given free will by God. As for the secular aspects of free will, that is limited by the government where you live and where you consent to be governed. (Your consent is presumed as long you choose to live in that country.) Therefore, you are already a sovereign person, but your freedom is limited by the laws of the country where you live.

The U.S. government structure was designed to permit every citizen to be a sovereign person to the maximum possible extent. However, in the course of two centuries the system has been subverted to the point where the U.S. is essentially a near socialist state. So that begs the question of whether there are any countries in the world today that provide maximum personal freedom. Switzerland is the only country that comes to mind but I admit to having a limited awareness of the lifestyles available in other countries. The Sovereign Society seems to favor Panama. If you have substantial financial resources, there are other countries that give you a tax incentive to live there.

Freedom House (www.freedomhouse.org ) has a public web site that provides a lot of interesting information about the extent of civil, political and economic freedom in countries around the world.

]]> With respect to personal sovereign status in relation to government laws, I am not aware of any legal or practical way to escape from being subject to the laws of a jurisdiction where you reside or where you are a citizen. And without being a citizen of some recognized jurisdiction, you can't get a passport and therefore you are not free to travel. I suppose that a few people with great wealth have been able to acquire ownership of a private island that is subject to minimal jurisdiction by some larger country. Somalia is a country where the laws have broken down, but it's not a place where I would choose to pursue a quest for greater personal sovereignty.

Within any specific country, keeping a low profile is the most effective way to have maximum personal freedom by avoiding confrontations with the authorities. Mark Nestmann writes frequently about personal privacy, keeping a low profile and asset protection. (See http://nestmannblog.sovereignsociety.com/)

Some writers have advocated a concept called the "3 flags", "5 flags" or "6 flags" theory whereby you have citizenship in one country, reside in a second, house your business or investments in a 3rd country, separate your investments into a "4th flag", separate your official residence (domicile) from your physical residence (the "5th flag") and utilize the Internet to tie everything together (the "6th flag").

You can escape from the tax and other laws of the U.S. by expatriating (giving up your citizenship) after you acquire citizenship in another country. Although you are still subject to the laws of each country where you have some connection, you can minimize your exposure to the laws of any single country with the 6 flags concept.

However, some of the proponents of this keeping a low profile also advocate the use of legal gimmicks like the "pure trust" (or its many variations) and such things as the Panama Foundation. See my portal on scams and schemes for tips on how to identify false prophets. (www.offshorepress.com/scams.htm)

Vern

For more ....
See http://www.wepin.com/store/sovrgn.html
and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-ownership
and http://www.answers.com/topic/sovereign-immunity
and http://www.huna.org/html/perssov.html
and http://sovereignsociety.com/
and http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=1
and http://www.qwealthreport.com/blog/does-the-pt-five-flags-theory-really-work/
http://nestmannblog.sovereignsociety.com/

IFC International Newslinks - Invest Offshore

2010-05-07T16:43:28Z

Safe Swiss Passage

Swiss reporter Myret Zaki, who sacrificed three months' salary to probe the UBS financial scandal, was both prophetic and cryptic. "India will never get to know the names of those having accounts in banks across Switzerland. New Delhi has neither the will, nor the clout," Zaki told TEHELKA. "You have to be very rich to investigate," she said in her presentation. On the German Swiss side, Lukas Haessig also investigated UBS as a freelance reporter. But after several months of looking for a book deal, he ended up writing for a publisher on the global financial crisis -- not the actual UBS mess. "Banks love secrecy," says Haessig.

http://www.tehelka.com/story_main44.asp?filename=Bu080510Safe_Swiss.asp

Americans Seeking Reward Money Inform IRS on Others

Americans seeking reward money are turning in neighbors, clients and employers they suspect of cheating on taxes to the IRS at a rate of nearly eight per day, the director of the agency's whistleblower program said. "Right after we got the new law" containing the minimum award, "the fax machine was running the next day," Whitlock told the Offshore Alert Financial Due Diligence Conference. The rate of submissions is on pace to eclipse the 476 applications filed in 2008, a number that was four times the previous year. Whitlock said the submissions have "stabilized."

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-05-04/americans-seeking-reward-money-inform-irs-on-others-update2-.html

I-T asks IPL franchisees to reveal details of offshore stakeholders

The I-T authorities, probing the ownership details of the Indian Premier League (IPL) teams, have asked the owners of the teams to disclose details of offshore companies who have a stake in these teams. Though the team owners claim these offshore companies are legitimate, the I-T authorities suspect that atleast some of them had been set up just a year ago or less. "Some of them may be table companies, with just a table and a chair duplicating as offices," said a senior I-T officer.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/I-T-asks-IPL-franchisees-to-reveal-details-of-offshore-stakeholders/articleshow/5878680.cms

]]> The Fight to Be the Next Caymans

With alternative hedge fund managers taking flight from such offshore bases as the Cayman Islands, Luxembourg is looking to be the domicile of choice, The Financial Times

reported. Figures from Hedge Fund Research show that the percentage of global hedge funds domiciled in the Cayman Islands dropped from 39.6 percent in the first quarter of 2009 to 37.3 percent in the first quarter of 2010. Dublin is currently the go-to spot for alternative investment managers, but Luxembourg is confident it can take its place. Luxembourg has seen 540 funds, totalling $186 billion in assets under management, relocating to the territory over the past five years.

http://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/03/luxembourg-and-dublin-vie-to-be-new-caymans/?src=busln

McDermott's New Tax Bill is Wrought With Problems

It wasn't that long ago that many British gambling firms left the country to start an online business because they felt they couldn't compete with other Internet offshore gambling companies that were operating in tax havens. Last week Jim McDermott announced the details of his online gambling tax bill that was announced in March. But there are several questions that arise regarding the bill's fairness and viability that must be addressed. The first question is why there is a different onus placed on internet bets versus land based ones. No land based casino is expected to pay a tax on deposits made at the casino and infact I can't find any cases in the U.S. where a business is expected to pay a tax on anything other than its net income.

http://majorwager.com/index.cfm?page=27&show_column=801

US to probe thousands more offshore tax evaders

The U.S. government expects to probe thousands more cases of wealthy individuals dodging taxes through offshore bank accounts, on top of the high profile case against UBS AG, a U.S. tax attorney said on Monday. Since the start of the U.S. crackdown on tax evasion, money has moved from the Caribbean to Switzerland and Asia. UBS agreed last year to pay $780 million and hand over 4,450 client names to settle charges after it admitted helping U.S. clients evade U.S. tax law.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSSGE64207X20100503

IoM Is 'A Force For Good'

The Isle of Man's Treasury Minister, Anne Craine highlighted the Isle of Man's position as an innovative and successful business centre during an international finance conference in Dublin on May 5. Delivering a keynote speech on the 'Re-invention of Offshore Centres,' she said the island should be viewed as a positive contributor to the global economy, rather than a threat. The Minister rounded on critics who linked smaller jurisdictions 'with all of the world's woes,' and focused on the many benefits derived from the Isle of Man's continued growth. The Minister said: "I am not saying that we don't still have work to do, that is to be expected, but the essence of the reports is quite clear; the Isle of Man is an expert international financial services centre with high grade regulation, the rule of law and a seriously-embraced policy of international co-operation."

http://www.tax-news.com/news/IoM_Is_A_Force_For_Good____43111.html

Julius Baer whistleblower cites Swiss tax edge

A former private banker at Julius Baer, who alleges the Swiss bank knowingly helped rich clients dodge taxes, said on Monday that U.S. clients have long paid a premium for Swiss firms' tax advantages. As a former chief operating officer for Julius Baer in the Cayman Islands, Elmer says he has files that show the bank helped clients skirt taxes. Julius Baer denies Elmer's allegations. They fired him after he flunked a polygraph test and has been trying to retrieve client data in his possession.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6424RU20100503

Madoff's Sons May Be Hit With Tax Evasion Charges

While their father serves a 140-year sentence in federal prison, Mark Madoff and Andrew Madoff have been claiming that they, too, are victims of their father's massive Ponzi scheme. But now it appears that the feds may be ready to charge them: A source told the AP that the pair, who were executives at Bernard Madoff Investment Securities, "are likely to face tax fraud charges later this year, but may escape more serious securities fraud charges if authorities fail to come up with solid evidence they knowingly participated in the massive fraud."

http://gothamist.com/2010/05/01/madoffs_sons_may_be_hit_with_tax_ev.php

For a free subscription to IFC International Newslinks for yourself or a friend, go to Capital Conservator.

Gold Soars off European Debt Crisis - Invest Offshore

2010-05-07T00:45:49Z

Thus far this week has provided plenty of fuel for higher Gold prices as the economic climate in the European Union continues to drive savvy investors out of the traditional "fiat currencies" and in to "safer havens "especially gold as it has a history of performing better than most commodities in times of crisis. It has been reported that the European states have increased their already vast amounts of gold reserves and the IMF (International Monetary Fund) reported it had sold 18.5 tons of Gold bullion in March. As of this writing the price of Gold has breached the $1200.00 per ounce level as the U.S Dollar continues to ride twelve month high's ....yes indeed the inverse relationship appears to de-coupled...

This European Union continues to put out contradictory information that is as clear as "mud". European Central Bank Officials voted Thursday to keep the bank's key lending rate at 1%. The Euro regions fiscal crisis is threatening the bank's of Portugal, Spain, Italy, and the United Kingdom. Moody's Investors Services was quoted as saying
"Overall, moody's notes that each of these countries banking systems faces different challenges of different magnitudes, but warns that contagion risk could dilute these differences and impose very real, common threats on all of them"...

European Stocks sold-off for the third straight session sending the STAXX Europe 600 to a two month LOW on the continued concern of the Euro regions fiscal crisis will spread....

European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet Is certainly not calming fears as he has resisted to take a solid stance to combat the Greek crisis. Trichet stated "The ECB didn't discuss buying government debt today and that Spain and Portugal didn't have the same challenges faced by Greece".... Then stated "Greece will not default".....
Trichet also stated that loans to Greece were "appropriate" ...

]]> The Greek's took to the streets in protest for the second straight day in reaction to the stringent measures imposed on them in return for the joint financial bail-out package from the IMF and the European Union. This may actually work against the nation of Greece as tourism is a huge part of their economy and the violence will most certainly deter travelers.

The number of Americans filing claims for Jobless benefits fell 7,000 to 444,000 in the week ending May 1st. This is the lowest level in a month....Since the recession began in December 2007 Americans have lost 8.4 million jobs. So we certainly have a long way to go! However, it is a step in the right direction and it does show the economy is heading in the right direction.... Well....let's wait and see what the Unemployment data due out FRIDAY...7:30 am (CST)......REFLECTS .....

GOLD IS TECHNICALLY OVER-BOUGHT and has been for two weeks....BUT the world's consumers don't care!!! They are seeking investments that have a history of retaining value in times of financial stress...Believe me the European union is under stress... Therefore the "flight to safer havens".....

Let's Talk Gold .........

Mike Daly / Gold Specialist
PFG BEST
mdaly@pfgbest.com
877-294-4669
312-775-3014
312-563-8029

*THERE IS EXTREME RISK TRADING FUTURES, OPTIONS, and FOREX*

ADB Launches $9 Billion Plan for Solar Energy in Asia - Invest Offshore

2010-05-05T22:46:00Z

The Asian Development Bank launched a $9 billion solar power initiative to develop projects generating 3,000 megawatts by 2012.

The announcement, which came at the regional lending agency's annual meeting in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, said that Central Asian countries would be prime candidates for siting the projects.

"Given Central Asia's growing demand for electricity, the availability of desert land for large- scale solar energy development, and their stated commitment to offset high carbon emissions, several countries in the region are excellent candidates for ADB support through this initiative," ADB managing director general Rajat Nag said.

The development bank will provide $2.25 billion in direct financing, expecting to leverage another $6.75 billion in private financing for the projects. It will experiment with other methods to attract private-sector investment, such as soliciting $500 million from donor countries to "buy down" some of the up-front capital costs in solar power projects.

"With energy demand projected to almost double in the Asia and Pacific region by 2030, there is an urgent need for innovative ways to generate power while at the same time reducing greenhouse gas emissions," Nag said. "Sustainable solar energy can be the clean power of the future if there are appropriate incentive and financing mechanisms in place."

The initiative also includes a Solar Energy Forum to function as a knowledge-sharing platform. This forum will hold a conference in July in Manila, the headquarters of the ADB.

]]> Separately, the ADB said it would provide $70 million for a 73-megawatt solar power plant in central Thailand, which would be one of the largest solar photovoltaic projects in the world. The project is being mounted by a joint venture that includes Mitsubishi of Japan.

"This private sector undertaking should demonstrate clearly to other investors the viability of investing in solar projects if the right financing structure including carbon credits is in place," Joe Yamagata, deputy director general in ADB's Private Sector Operations Department, said in a statement.

Solar power investment in North America and Europe was hit by the financial crisis, leading the industry to hope for Asia to boost its spending on this form of renewable energy.

Source: http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Solar-Energy/ADB-Launches-$9-Billion-Plan-for-Solar-Energy-in-Asia.html

By. Darrell Delamaide for Oilprice.com who offer detailed analysis on Crude Oil, Geopolitics, Gold and most other Commodities. They also provide free political and economic intelligence to help investors gain a greater understanding of world events and the impact they have on certain regions and sectors. Visit: www.oilprice.com

Offshore Fixed Rate Bond - Invest Offshore

2010-05-04T23:16:48Z

New Six Month Sterling Bond

ST PETER PORT, Guernsey, May 4, 2010 - Skipton International Limited is offering a six month bond paying 2.26%AER or 2.17% AER as a monthly income option.

The bond matures on 30 November 2010 and it is a limited edition issue which will be withdrawn when fully subscribed, so savers are advised to move quickly. The minimum deposit is GBP10,000, whilst the maximum is GBP5m. No withdrawals are allowed during the fixed rate term.

Jim Coupe, commercial director, Skipton International Limited comments, "In response to client demand, we are pleased to be offering this competitive fixed rate bond. With the backing of our parent, Skipton Building Society, the fourth largest in the UK, this account provides both safety and security, giving savers a known return over the next six months, whatever happens in the markets."

To apply for an account or for more information, visit www.skiptoninternational.com or call +44(0)1481-727374

]]> Editor's notes:

1) Skipton International Limited (SIL) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Skipton Building Society (SBS), the UK's 4th largest building society with over GBP15 billion assets.

2) SIL is licensed under the Banking Supervision (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law 1994, as amended.

3) Skipton Building Society has given an undertaking agreeing to discharge the liabilities of SIL in so far as SIL is unable to discharge them out of it own assets and whilst SIL remains a subsidiary of Skipton Building Society.

4) As a Licensed Bank in Guernsey, Skipton International Limited is a participant in the Guernsey Banking Deposit Compensation Scheme (the "Scheme") established by The Banking Deposit Compensation Scheme (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Ordinance, 2008 (the "Ordinance"). The following is a brief summary of the Scheme, but is not intended as a substitute for the actual wording of the Ordinance, a copy of which is available on request.

- The Scheme only applies to 'qualifying deposits', which broadly means deposits made by natural persons for their own benefit; with a few limited exceptions such as, for example, deposits made by trustees of retirement annuity trust schemes, the Scheme does not apply to companies, trusts, partnerships or charities.

- The Scheme will provide compensation in the event that a Licensed Bank is unable to repay its depositors. Under normal circumstances, payment will be made within 3 months of receipt of a valid claim form.

- Compensation is limited to a maximum of GBP50,000 per individual claimant; in the case of a joint account each depositor would be entitled.

- Total Scheme compensation in any five year period is limited to GBP100 million. If claims exceed this cap, compensation would be reduced pro rata. The cap also means that compensation in respect of any one bank cannot exceed GBP100 million.

- The amount payable may be reduced if the Bank has any contractual right of set-off against the account. The Scheme is entitled to recover compensation from any funds subsequently paid out by the Bank.

- Further information and a leaflet about the Scheme is available at:

Website: www.dcs.gg
Telephone: +44(0)1481-722756
Post: P.O. Box 380, St Peter Port, GY1 3FY

5) Deposits made with SIL are not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme established under the UK Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.

6) SIL places funds with SBS and thus its financial standing is linked to SBS. Publicly available information, including reports and accounts, is available from www.skipton.co.uk.

7) Copies of the latest SIL audited accounts are available on request.

Media contacts: Please contact:
Guy Stephenson/Jennifer Duffy
Nacelle Limited
Tel: +44(0)20-8333-9125
+44(0)7980-241-558
E-mail: jenny@nacelle.co.uk

Who wants to become an Expat? - Invest Offshore

2010-05-03T23:11:48Z

Eighty-Two Percent of Executives Willing to Move Out of Region, Country or State

LOS ANGELES, May 3, 2010 - A wide majority of global executives are willing to relocate for the right career opportunity, according to Korn/Ferry's latest Executive Quiz. The Executive Quiz, commissioned by The Korn/Ferry Institute, surveyed executives from 65 countries about their motivations to relocate.

Overall, a staggering 82 percent of global executives said they are willing to relocate to a different region, state or country. In the April survey, 47 percent of the respondents expressed an "extreme willingness" to relocate to a different region, state or country, and 35 percent said they are "somewhat willing."

Career acceleration is the primary reason to move, according to 78 percent of the surveyed executives. However, compensation is not necessarily the No. 1 motivating factor that is driving relocation. Nearly half of the global executives - 42 percent - say the "quality of life" in a new location would most motivate them, while only 20 percent chose "job title and promotion" or "salary" as the top motivator. Eighteen percent of executives cite "the reputation of the company" as the primary motivating factor.

"It is a major life decision to move away from family and friends for the sake of one's career and there are two significant factors which are driving this phenomenon," said Michael Distefano, Korn/Ferry chief marketing officer. "First, there is no doubt that the global recession has taken its toll. Today's talented professionals realize that it's a buyer's market, which is forcing them to relocate to where the action is. Additionally, the speed of globalization is tearing down boundaries at an unimaginable pace. Although the global business community is operating seamlessly around the world, there are still hubs of economic activity which attract the best and brightest."

Only 8 percent of executives reported turning down an international work assignment. More than half of the global executives have accepted an international work assignment; 41 percent have never been asked to relocate internationally. Additionally, 81 percent of surveyed executives have relocated to a different region, state or country during their careers.

Global executives say the top four most desirable regions to work in are North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and South America.

]]> Executive Relocation Survey Results

1) How willing would you be to relocate to a different region, state or country for your next job?

Extremely willing 47%
Somewhat willing 35%
Neither willing nor unwilling 8%
Somewhat unwilling 7%
Extremely unwilling 3%

2) Which of the following would most motivate you to relocate for a job?

Quality of life in new location 42%
Salary 20%
Job title/promotion 20%
Reputation of company 18%

3) Do you believe that moving to a new location might accelerate your career?

Yes 78%
No 7%
Unsure 15%

4) Have you ever been asked to take an international work assignment?

Yes, and I took it 51%
Yes, but I turned it down 8%
No, I've never been asked 41%

5) Have you ever relocated to a different region, state or country for a job?

Yes 81%
No 19%

6) In which region would you most like to work?*

Africa 1%
Asia Pacific 16%
Europe 20%
Middle East (including India) 4%
North America 45%
Russia 1%
South America 8%
Other 1%
None -I would not work
outside my home country 6%
*Due to rounding, please note percentages do not equal 100 percent.

Methodology

The Korn/Ferry Institute Executive Quiz is based on a global survey of executives registered within the firm's online Executive Center, ekornferry.com. Respondents from more than 65 countries, representing a wide spectrum of industries and functional areas, participated in the most recent Executive Quiz from April 7, 2010 to April 21, 2010.

About The Korn/Ferry Institute

The Korn/Ferry Institute was founded to serve as a premier global voice on a range of talent management and leadership issues. The Institute commissions, originates and publishes groundbreaking research utilizing Korn/Ferry's unparalleled expertise in executive recruitment and talent development combined with its preeminent behavioral research library. The Institute is dedicated to improving the state of global human capital for businesses of all sizes around the world.

About Korn/Ferry International

Korn/Ferry International, with a presence throughout the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, is a premier global provider of talent management solutions celebrating 40 years in business. Based in Los Angeles, the firm delivers an array of solutions that help clients to attract, develop, retain and sustain their talent. Visit www.kornferry.com for more information on the Korn/Ferry International family of companies, and www.kornferryinstitute.com for thought leadership, intellectual property and research.

Why Go Offshore With Your Savings and Banking? - Invest Offshore

2010-05-01T14:31:10Z

Offshore Savings Accounts Can Offer Valuable Tax Savings

ST PETER PORT, Guernsey, April 30, 2010 - Each year, according to the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR), around 400,000 UK nationals move abroad to work or retire. Opening an offshore savings account could bring significant tax benefits once they cease being UK residents for tax purposes.

Firstly, let's get rid of the age old myth that offshore banking is just for the super-rich or super-sophisticated. As Jim Coupe, commercial director, for Skipton International (www.skiptoninternational.com/) in Guernsey comments, "This is just not the case in today's offshore financial environment where choice of product, competitive rates and tight regulations in offshore centres such as Guernsey make it an attractive marketplace for all types of expatriates. With many familiar names in the offshore financial environment such as Skipton International (www.skiptoninternational.com/) Limited, and of course all the main UK high street clearing banks, there is a wide range of products to choose from to suit every facet of expatriate life - from easy access deposit accounts, sterling higher interest notice products and euro or US dollar savings accounts. With minimum opening balances starting at GBP10,000 in many cases, this is not a market the ordinary saver needs to feel excluded from"

For many expatriates the type of banking relationship they are going to need during their time abroad is often not available or not appropriate from the UK high street. Expat customers tend to be retiring with capital, on short-term placements for career development or perhaps on a more attractive salary package (but possibly not the lavish salaries of previous years). Their needs are therefore different and require a different approach. Working expats will firstly be looking for a safe home for sterling or a safe place to deposit foreign earnings. International expatriates will be looking for flexibility and accessibility to match their global lifestyle, while others will be looking for tax planning advantages. Those who are retired will be looking for ways to generate a greater return on their savings, perhaps with a notice account or a fixed term bond.

]]> Jim Coupe continues, "As the offshore subsidiary of Skipton Building Society, the 4th largest UK building society, we are committed to passing on the benefits of mutuality to our clients. That's why we consistently offer attractive rates and products to our expatriate clients, understanding their need for reliable and competitive investment products. We have just introduced our Two Year International Bond paying 3.25% gross p.a./AER. For example, or for those needing shorter term access, sterling fixed deposit rates are available from 2.25% to 2.40% gross p.a./AER. With the two year product, on balances of GBP10,000 plus, savers can earn 3.25% Gross p.a./AER."

Offshore residents tend to have complex, multi currency income situations and therefore require a flexible and bespoke approach to savings.

One of the potential benefits of opening a deposit account offshore is taxation planning. Whilst everyone's individual circumstances vary and customers should always seek independent tax advice from specialist and regulated advisers, when living offshore you can potentially enjoy significant tax planning and other benefits. These could include receiving gross interest on your savings and the higher interest rates that are often available from specialist savings accounts found offshore. Many expatriates simply move abroad and leave their savings in accounts that lag the market onshore, where moreover unnecessary UK tax can still be deducted, further depressing returns.

Finally, remember that offshore banking for expatriates living and working abroad is thriving - use the web to help you access and research the comprehensive services and products available to help you in your expatriate life. Don't hesitate to take advice and review your financial planning at every stage of your expatriate life.

Editor's notes:

1) Skipton International Limited (SIL) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Skipton Building Society (SBS), the UK's 4th largest building society with over GBP15 billion assets.

2) SIL is licensed under the Banking Supervision (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law 1994, as amended.

- Compensation is limited to a maximum of GBP50,000 per individual claimant; in the case of a joint account each depositor would be entitled.

5) Deposits made with SIL are not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme established under the UK Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.

6) SIL places funds with SBS and thus its financial standing is linked to SBS. Publicly available information, including reports and accounts, is available from www.skipton.co.uk.

7) Copies of the latest SIL audited accounts are available on request.

For more information on Skipton International savings products, visit
www.skiptoninternational.com or call +44(0)1481-727374

Further information and a leaflet about the Scheme is available at:

Website: www.dcs.gg
Telephone: +44(0)1481-722756
Post: P.O. Box 380, St Peter Port, GY1 3FY

Media contacts: Please contact:

Guy Stephenson/Jennifer Duffy Nacelle Limited
Tel: +44(0)20-8333-9125, +44(0)7980-241-558
E-mail: jenny@nacelle.co.uk

How to profit from gold trading - Invest Offshore

2010-04-30T15:03:53Z

The 2010 gold price is forecast to reach USD1226 (historical peak) again in Q2 of 2010, and in the last quarter, gold is forecast to achieve a new all time high price between USD1300-1360.

Forecast: Q1: Price correction, Q2: Rally, Q3: Correction, Q4 Rally

How can you profit from trading spot gold?

1.) Spot gold trading is different from investing in physical gold, such as gold bars and gold coins. Investing in physical gold, you can only make profits when gold prices rise. While in spot gold trading you can profit when prices rise or fall.

2.) Keys to successful spot gold trading:

a.) Learn and understand what spot gold trading is all about: you can place long positions if you think gold price is rising, or short positions when you think price may fall.

b.) Spot gold trading involves margin trading, and offers a normal leverage of 70:1. And with most online trading platforms, each USD 1 rise in spot gold price, it gives you USD100 profits.

c.) Never use more than 1/3 of your account to trade. As you need plenty of margins to maintain your open positions. (Play safe)

d.) Conduct detailed research and analysis - technical and fundamentals. Technical (charting) analysis is a great way to predict gold price movements both short-term and long-term. Most analysis gives you indications of what the upper levels (resistance prices) and lower levels (support prices) are for the trading day. You can make profits from trading within the specified range.

Fundamental analysis is also important, as macro economic news, key economic indicators often affect the gold price trends.

e.) Read forecasts on gold prices. Many analysts give good predictions of how the overall trend will look like. So you can avoid buying when price is too high, and shorting when price is already at day low price. It is actually not difficult to work out the trading range, as the charting tools are very smart these days.

]]> 3.) 2010 - trading strategies:

Goldtrades.info's 2010 forecasts:

Q1: Price enters a correction after 2009 Dec peak of USD1226. (Trading range: 1085 - 1140)

Q2: Seasonal rally: (Trading range: 1125 - 1176, 1180 - 1200)

Q3: Correction period: (Trading range: 1135 - 1180)

Q4: End of year rally: (Trading range: 1160-1200, 1200-1300)

You should study 2010 forecast on gold price before entering the markets.

4.) Day trading: you should aim to take USD5 - USD8 profits. For example in Q2: a rising trend is expected, you should place long positions at daily support levels and take profits when gold price reaches 1st resistance.

5.) Medium term trading: Q2: place long positions at key support prices such as 1125, 1130, 1135, and aim for a USD30 - USD50 profit.

6.) Always place cut loss positions: for example if you open a long position at 1st support level of the day, then always place a cut loss price within USD6 off the 1st support price.

7.) Take notes of daily pivots: which gives predictions of daily resistances and supports price levels, you can place your positions at or near these prices.

Successful traders generate profits from careful studies of daily analysis, pivot points, key resistance and support levels. They never enter the markets trying to catch the trend without reading daily and weekly analysis.

You can get detailed analysis from our Daily Gold Price Trends Analysis and 2010 forecasts.

Hilda Chan Senior Analyst hildachan@sbihk.com www.goldtrades.info

About the Author

Hilda Chan is an analyst and has over 15 years of investment markets experiences. Graduated from the University of Warwick, UK with an Economics degree. Goldtrades.Info - 24 hours gold price analysis and trades signals. We also provide real-time trading strategies and gold markets news. Investors can trade through our online platform. For more analysis on gold price, please visit: www.goldtrades.info

Offshore Credit Cards - Invest Offshore

2010-04-29T15:32:56Z

One of the problems most investors come across once they have moved offshore is how to repatriate their offshore funds.

Sending wires directly back to your home bank account could involve dangerous invasions of privacy, whereas physically going to your offshore bank and withdrawing cash may also breach customs restrictions and invite the risk of theft.

For larger payments, you could ask your offshore bank to wire funds directly to the vendor, but the time and effort this involves would not be appropriate for smaller sums. In this article we look at using offshore credit cards to repatriate funds.

It is widely recognized that the easiest way of spending your offshore money is with an offshore credit or debit card. An offshore Visa or Mastercard will allow you access to your offshore funds from pretty much anywhere in the world. Here are some typical features of offshore cards: -

Offshore Credit Card - almost all good offshore credit cards are secured. This means that along with the offshore credit card application you will have to deposit a certain amount, (usually 100-150% of the credit line), to use one. For a credit line of 10,000USD at 150%, you would need to deposit 15,000 USD for example. Although this means that they are not strictly credit cards, it does mean that credit checks are not required as with most onshore credit cards.

Furthermore, you can expect from an offshore credit card the same privileges as for any major credit card such as cash advances, car rental benefits, insurance, and travel freebies.

Unsecured Offshore Credit Cards - are not issued by offshore banks except to well-known clients. Due to the global nature of offshore banking, credit checks would be too complicated and the risk of non-payment too great.

The vast majority of 'unsecured' offshore credit cards are scams, because such credit lines would simply not be offered without extensive KYC (know your client due diligence). Most unsuspecting investors who are lured into unsecured credit card schemes end up paying an initial card registration fee and then never hearing from the 'bank' or 'offshore service provider' again.

Offshore Debit Card - offshore debit cards function in almost the same way as secured credit cards, the difference being you can only spend what is actually funded on the card. The advantage is that they will offer the same privileges, benefits and worldwide acceptance as a major international credit card.

]]> Where can I Use an Offshore Credit Card?

Although many successfully use their offshore credit cards, there are some pitfalls associated with their use. For example, a US citizen has recently ended up in court charged with tax evasion because he used his offshore card to buy luxuries in the US with un-taxed dollars from an offshore account.

Many people use offshore credit cards in their home countries, however this man did not count on there being video cameras in 400 of the cash points he visited. It is difficult to disprove video being caught on camera using a card with your name on it.

It is still possible to use offshore credit cards at home as long as certain precautions are taken, and if possible, a corporate or even an un-embossed offshore card is used. A corporate card for example can be used to legally pay for equipment, expenses or employee salaries for your offshore company.

Personal offshore credit cards can still be usefully employed on holiday, or if you travel abroad regularly. Using the card abroad will carry less risk than using it at home, while you can still enjoy the benefits of your tax-free nest egg.

So next time you're out with your buddies, you can whip out your offshore Visa or Mastercard and graciously pick up the tab...they only have to know that you're doing so out of the tax savings from your offshore account if you choose to tell them.

But be careful, envy is a dangerous thing!

Please note: whilst it is not illegal to have funds offshore, depending on the jurisdiction in which you live you may be legally obliged to declare these funds.

This article was supplied to Invest Offshore by Capital Conservator which has more than a decade of experience in helping people to move and grow their assets offshore. Capital Conservator offers a range of offshore credit cards, the most popular being the Platinum Card which offers a 10,000EUR daily limit and can be used in 170 countries, 1 million ATMs and 3 million merchants worldwide within the Platinum card network. For more information please visit Capital Conservator's website.

PIPE Funds - Invest Offshore

2010-04-28T23:46:33Z

There have been a number of PIPE Funds that have gained notoriety over the years because of the gains they have been able to attain with this strategy.

It is now categorized as a separate hedge fund strategy along with others like long only, long/short market neutral, special situations, emerging markets and distressed equity.

The strategy is also sometimes referred to as "Reg D" which is short for "Regulation D".

Domestic funds in the U.S. are usually set up as limited partnerships while offshore funds are typically set up as corporations for tax purposes. Here is some more information if you are considering a Hedge Fund Start-up.

PIPE FUND OVERVIEW:

First of all, PIPE stands for Private Investment in Public Equity. Private Investment means the capital comes from a private source like a hedge fund, wealthy investor or investment banker.

Public Equity simply means it is a publicly traded company, so the PIPE Hedge Fund is purchasing stock, usually restricted common stock, in a publicly listed company. So a PIPE Fund is a hedge fund that makes investments in publicly listed companies.

About ten years ago there were only a few of these Funds around. The annual returns for most of these Funds were well above average, and so quite a few more were formed by other managers. Some of them failed because they were run by managers that either lacked the years of experience needed to run such a Fund or they took on too much risk and made investments that were very illiquid.

Second, PIPE Funds are formed either as limited partnerships, if they are made of U.S. investors that are not tax exempt, or offshore corporations, if they are made up of offshore investors or U.S. tax exempt investors.

U.S. tax exempt investors are usually endowments, pension plans and charitable trusts. If the PIPE Fund is set up properly U.S. tax exempt investors can take advantage of investing in these and other types of hedge funds. Of course before investing in any hedge, investors need to conduct thorough due diligence. Some investors hire a hedge fund attorney to help them perform due diligence and discuss issues that evolve during that process.

Third, these investments in public companies can take a number of different forms and structures. They can be straight common stock with a discount to market, common stock with a discount and a reset feature, convertible preferred stock, convertible debentures, a self amortizing loan or even a Warrant structure.

Sometimes these structures have a built in "hedge" sometimes they don't. Obviously, investors in such Funds would prefer to have a hedge, but it is not always possible and some of the PIPE investments in companies with good balance sheets won't have a reset or floorless convertible feature.

]]> Another interesting thing about PIPE Funds is that they can structure their investments in a number of different ways. A PIPE investment can be structured as a straight common stock investment or it can be a convertible debenture, convertible preferred, or a unit comprised of common stock and warrants. Some of my PIPE fund clients and now more active than ever since commercial credit and bank lending has tightened up considerably.

Microcap companies with market capitalizations under $300 Million have always had difficulty obtaining funding. They usually don't have significant assets to get bank financing. Microcaps have traditionally relied on hedge funds, private investors such as wealthy individuals, and private equity firms to raise capital.

The economic crisis of 2008 has brought its share of casualties such as Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers. Bank lending is difficult to obtain and midcap and largecap companies are even obtaining PIPE funding. The most significant PIPE transaction was the Berkshire Hathaway PIPE investment in Goldman Sachs.

Corporate funding based on PIPE structures is likely to increase in 2010 and beyond, so companies in need of working capital or funding for acquisitions need to educate themselves in this area and develop the right contacts. It's always better to line up funding in advance of when it is actually needed.

Over the years I have seen too many companies wait until it was almost too late to close on the funding they needed.

About the Author

Alvin Donovan, Institutional investor partner substantial funds, bestselling author, hedge fund industry pioneer, completed several billion dollars transactions, consultant to fortune 500 companies, faculty member most of the world's largest management institutes, raised over USD$1.5 billion for funds www.alvindonovan.com

Expat Explorer Returns Again in 2010 - Invest Offshore

2010-04-27T19:01:26Z

Calling Expats Everywhere - Make Sure You Have Your Say!

LONDON, April 27, 2010 - This week marks the official launch of Expat Explorer - the largest global survey of expats - where expats from all over the world can have their say about life as an expat and the challenges and opportunities they face living and working abroad.

2010 is the third year of the highly insightful survey, which in 2009 saw over 3,100 expats participate from more than 50 countries across the globe, making it the largest independent survey of expats, worldwide.

This year, HSBC Bank International is calling for even more expats to take part to ensure that their adopted country makes it into the 2010 survey and features in the league tables published in the Expat Explorer reports.

"Expats from a huge range of countries took part in the survey last year but we couldn't feature some locations because there weren't enough respondents to meet our statistical criteria," said Lisa Wood, Head of Marketing and Communications at HSBC Bank International.

"We would love to have them involved in 2010 and that's why we are asking expats from all over the globe to not only fill in the survey themselves, but to also pass it around to any expat friends, family and colleagues in order to make sure that their country doesn't miss out again."

The 2010 survey will continue to take an in-depth look at expat life, examining how this unique group experience new cultures, new lifestyles and, importantly, how they have been dealing with a new financial landscape as the world continues to recover from the global economic crisis. Last year's survey found that a large percentage of expats had been strongly affected by the global downturn, with a higher number in the UK and US admitting that they were considering a move back to their home country.

]]> Other key findings from the 2009 research included:

- The US, Thailand and South Africa were the most affected by the global economic crisis
- Emerging markets ranked above established centres for expat finances
- Despite the economic crisis, expats were wealthier and saved more than in their country of origin
- Canada, Australia and Thailand were the top three locations for expat lifestyle, with established markets in general outperforming emerging markets
- Expats generally enjoy a better quality of life
- Australia ranked number one for raising children, followed by Singapore and Hong Kong

"In 2009 we were given an excellent insight into how expats had been affected by the changes in the global economic climate, how they had adapted their lifestyles accordingly and also how there was a stark contrast between countries that offered strong prospects for an expat's finances, and those that offered high quality of living," said Lisa.

"If you're an expat and want to find out how your country compares, how your expat counterparts have managed over the last year and even where you might want to go next, make sure you get involved today!"

If you're an expat, please share your experience of life abroad by filling in the Expat Explorer 2010 survey at
www1.gfk-wi.com/wix/p76220993.aspx.

Follow the updates and join the debate online:

Tweet at: twitter.com/expatexplorer

Share your experiences: expatexplorer.blogspot.com/

Notes to editors:

About the Expat Explorer survey

The Expat Explorer survey, now in its third year, is the largest global survey of expats. Commissioned by HSBC Bank International and conducted by a third party research company, more than 3,100 expats took part in 2009.

Individuals from four continents described the opportunities and challenges they experienced living away from home. The survey provided an insight into how expat life differs from country to country, continent to continent and from an expats' country of origin.

An expat is defined as someone over the age of 18 years old and currently living away from their home country (country of origin). The survey was designed to capture the views of the internationally representative expat population.

HSBC Bank International

HSBC Bank International is an award winning provider of offshore financial services, with its head office based in Jersey, Channel Islands. It also has representation in the Isle of Man, Dubai, Hong Kong, South Africa, Singapore and an affiliate office in London. Being a part of HSBC Holdings plc, HSBC Bank International has the experience to offer customers living and or working abroad, tailored offshore financial solutions.

For more information visit: www.offshore.hsbc.com