Invest Offshore Blog

Following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, at the luncheon hosted by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Berlin, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the Swiss-Hong Kong Business Association, in Zurich, Switzerland, today (January 27, Zurich time):

Dr Moser (Kurt Moser - President of the Swiss-Hong Kong Business Association), Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm very grateful for the introduction of Dr Moser. He described me as a friend of Switzerland. I now take this opportunity to tell you honestly that Switzerland has always been the role model as I govern Hong Kong.

We have similar size in terms of population of about 7 million. Your per capita GDP is twice of ours. You concentrate on services in excellence and we try to do the same.

You have a rich culture of serenity, democracy, openness. This is something we want to imitate as well. And I continue to admire your achievement over the years despite ups and downs in global performance whether it's economic side or during war times.

This is something which many people tend to overlook. This is a great place on earth and you have lots of admirers particularly from the East involving myself. To me it is a great pleasure to be back in Switzerland although I travelled here quite frequently in my previous incarnations.

Now with my new job as the Chief Executive, I'm supposed to look after the house, so I'm very much bound in Hong Kong and I traveled less, but my heart is with you. I admire your achievements particularly how you handled various crises, particularly the free spirits of the people whom we try to imitate in Hong Kong. I wish particularly to take this opportunity to thank the Swiss-Hong Kong Business Association for its work in promoting strong links between our two economies, and of course the Hong Kong Trade Development Council for its sterling work in promoting our manufacturing and services sectors abroad.

Some of you may know that we have just a few days ago celebrated Chinese New Year.

This year heralds the return of the most noble and auspicious of the celestial creatures, that is, the dragon. The dragon, unlike the western dragon, is considered a symbol of strength, a symbol of imperialism and a symbol of great power. It will be the Year of the Water Dragon.

We have Fire Dragon, the Water Dragon but this one is the Water Dragon.

Water has a calming effect on the dragon's fearless temperament and fiery spirit. Those born in the Year of the Water Dragon are said to be better equipped to take a step back, re-evaluate a situation and understand the art of patience. Given the state of the global economy at the moment, it sounds like we need a few Water Dragons to help chart a smooth course through this extremely uncertain period in the fiscal and monetary worlds.

We are just four days away from the end of January and it is hard to know where the first month of the year has gone.

I am just on my way to take part in the annual pilgrimage to Davos for the World Economic Forum meetings, but one thing is already obvious we are going to need all of the Water Dragon's patience, courage and resilience if Europe is to survive in its current shape and form, and for the US to return to a more robust and sustainable growth trajectory. I am sure it is going to be an extremely busy year for governments on both sides of the Atlantic.

Those of you who have been to Hong Kong will know that life in our neck of the woods is also often busy, some might even say frantic at times. We are fully plugged into the world economy, so we are watching the developments in Europe and the States with great interest and anticipation.

At the same time, we are not the kind of people or economy to stand around and wait for the things to get better, we have survived and prospered over the past 50 to 60 years because we are restless for progress in good times and bad.

That drive to succeed has taken on a new dimension since Hong Kong's return to our Motherland in 1997.

Do you want to economize AND own a new custom made beach villa with marvelous ocean views in Brazil? Here is a comprehensive new-build package for overseas investors. These are just some of the advantages of building a brand new home in Brazil

• Can be cheaper than buying a re-sale home
• Built to your specifications, taste and budget
• It`s new! Cheaper option over the long term
• Significantly lower maintenance costs
• Higher rentability potential
• Better investment returns on re-sale

Common Objections to building a new home in Brazil

• How am I going to take care of the project as I can`t be in Natal to oversee the build and don`t know enough about construction
• I can`t speak Portuguese and construction companies are a headache to deal with.
• It`s too big a responsibility. All kind of things could go wrong.

The highly professional project team of Brazilian architect, engineer and project manager, all speak fluent English and have extensive experience building residential/commercial properties for international investors all over Brazil.

You make the decisions and dictate the price. BrazilBeachHouse take on all the responsibility and have contractual guarantees in place to ensure your new Brazilian property is delivered on time and on budget.
Here are the basic steps they follow to help build your brand-new Brazilian home;

1)Consultation on design,price
2)Design chosen, Project submitted for planning permission
3)Materials and fittings decided on
4)Itemized cost analysis of all materials used from the kitchen sink to the door knobs!
5)Construction work begins. Length of time for house completion can be between 4-6months depending on size of your project
6)Project completed. Keys delivered.Champagne uncorked!

Building Costs in Natal, Brazil (R$ = Reals)

STANDARD: cost for a high-quality build is R$1000 per m2 or
ECONOMY: If you would prefer to economize on the building materials the price can fall to R$750 per m2.
LUXURY: standard with the very best of fittings and finishing will cost you in the region of R$1500 per m2.
(click here for currency converter)

To lean more, visit Brazbeachhouse.

Are you tired of the stock market whiplash? Are you looking for a lower risk investment, but bonds can't beat inflation, and high dividend stocks are too volatile? It is time to think outside the box for wealth creation.

Bateman Financial offers a legal financing fund that many of our investors have found very attractive. This fund provides capital security and consistent principle growth, which is uncorrelated to the financial markets, property prices or interests rates. The fund achieves capital appreciation by providing short term fixed rate loans to UK law firms, working on a no-win, no-fee basis. Loans are repaid when the case settles or in installments. To provide a high level of security to investors all loans are fully insured against non-repayment by third party insurance agencies. The fund has no entry fee, no exit fee, and no lock-in period. The fund is available in GBP, EUR, USD, AUD, CAD, & CHF and is a great tool for clients in seek of currency diversification. The fund targets an 11% return and the minimum investment of $40k USD.

The performance remains consistent and is summarized below:

Returns shown are using the fund's base currency of GBP. Due to hedging cost the returns in EUR, USD, AUD, CAD, & CHF are about 1% lower per annum than GBP.

So if you are tired of the whiplash of the stock market, or frustrated with the minimal returns on bonds, get the peace of mind, and capital appreciation you have been looking for. Please contact me for a prospectus including investment including risks, fees and objectives.

Josh at Bateman Financial: josh.vandyk@batemanfiancial.com +1.345.943.4766

There are many sites on the internet to buy gold and silver. These sites are responding to the the great demand for these type of services. With the economy going the way it is, the need for these type of websites has never been greater. With so many sites to chose from, it is often easy to get confused as you wade through the large amount scrap metal, to find the "gold". With Bullion Vault, there is no reason to look further if you are ready to trade in precious metals.

Bullion Vault is a well organized, professional, website with many user friendly and unique features. The site has easy to use menus, interfaces, is well ordered, and has a clean design. You can find useful information about the company on the site. You will find that Bullion Vault is a reliable, very solid firm which has developed many innovative steps that are effective and and are easy to use.

The premise of Bullion Vault is simple, to be a source of liquidity for precious metals. This is a service that has been lacking for investors for a very long time. This makes the company stand out from all of the rest of similar sites.

An average investor that owns gold and silver often finds liquidating the precious metals can be a huge problem. Being able to quickly turn your assets into cash when you see a rise in the market is a extremely valuable service. Bullion Vault allows you to do just this, quickly and easily.

Bullion Vault does this by selling and buying precious metals with in its vaults, transferring the ownership without actually transferring the gold and silver. In this way, Bullion Vault serves as a storage unit, a broker, and a salesman for all your gold and silver transactions. You can buy precious metals from the site and store it in their vaults. Once you find a buyer, Bullion Vault will handle the transaction and will make a direct deposit to your bank account with the proceeds.

Bullion Vault offers many additional services and features. The depth of services makes the vault one of the most convenient and well rounded of any of these type of website services. A few of the best features include:

- Transactions are denominated in Euros, U.S. Dollars, or British Pounds to give you a great international market.

- It is a 24hr, seven day a week marketplace. The trading goes on everyday, allowing you take advantage of any chance in the market.

- There is only a 0.12% storage fee for gold and silver annually. If you store $1,000 worth of metals, you pay only $1.20 for the storage. This is one of the lowest rates to be found anywhere.

- The Bullion Vault market place allows you to buy and sell directly from other vault clients. Using the site as your transaction service, you can set your own terms of the sale of your gold and silver.

One of the world's leading experts in financial services regulation and financial crime in offshore centres will give a talk to business leaders next month.

Stephen Platt, a professor in law at Washington DC's Georgetown University, who is based in Jersey, will talk to senior members of the trust and fiduciary industry including managing directors and compliance managers about financial services regulation and the impact on national and international economies, at an event hosted by Investec Specialist Private Bank.

He will address key issues in the market that include global risk, FACTA, the Bribery Act and Sanctions. Attendees will have the chance to quiz the professor after his presentation.

The event is an example of Investec's ongoing commitment to work in partnership with its clients by allowing access to experts in the field and to provide the best service and standards of an international financial centre.

'I am delighted to have been invited to speak to members of Guernsey's business community and impart some of my knowledge on current issues affecting the global financial services industry, which include in particular the ever-growing topic of regulation and financial crime,' said Professor Platt.

Professor Platt also regularly advises many of the world's largest non-US banks on risks of criminal and civil liability relating to breaches of Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions and Anti-Terror Act legislation. He acts primarily for institutional clients and regulatory authorities globally. For the former he advises on governance, risk management and regulatory compliance. For the latter he conducts regulatory inspections and provides advice on AML/CTF rules and the regulation of trust companies, banks and investment business.

Professor Platt regularly advises companies, individuals and governments on sensitive matters such as sanctions, money laundering, corruption and asset recovery, with international expertise and a strong knowledge of the inner workings of US state and federal regulations and legislation.

We have noted with disappointment the comments made by the leader of the opposition, Ed Miliband, over the weekend, in which he urges action by the EU against British Crown Dependencies, including Jersey.

It is disappointing when political leaders choose to make inaccurate accusations about Jersey which do not reflect the positive contribution that Jersey and the other Crown Dependencies make to the broader UK economy. Once again the confusion between the terms "tax avoidance" and "tax evasion" creates a false impression of Jersey's co-operative, well-regulated offshore financial centre.

Tax evasion is illegal in Jersey and it is a criminal offence - not a civil one -to facilitate or engage in tax evasion. The majority of Jersey's activities are focussed on the pooling of and structuring of international funds that have already been taxed.

The last Labour Government commissioned the Foot Review in December 2008. The report highlighted the value that Jersey provided to the UK during the banking crisis in the form of hundreds of billions of pounds of liquidity. That contribution continues to this day.

Furthermore, the report concluded that the amount of tax avoided by UK corporates using British Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories was "significantly lower than estimates produced by previous studies have suggested." Therefore, the Foot report and most recent analysis from the HMRC (September, 2011), both suggest that tax avoidance is considerably lower than the wildly inflated figures produced by self-appointed lobby groups such as the Tax Justice Network.

The characterisation of Jersey as a "tax haven" fails to recognize the regular endorsements that the island has received from the OECD and IMF. Moreover, the accusation made today that Jersey is not co-operative with the HMRC is quite simply wrong: Jersey has signed both a Tax Information Exchange Agreement (TIEA) and a Double Taxation Agreement (DTA) with the United Kingdom. Jersey has very clear, open and transparent lines of communication with HMRC and is fully co-operative on tax matters. We also work alongside the UK in fighting financial crime and tax evasion. Ian Gorst, the Chief Minister of Jersey has today extended an invitation to Mr Miliband to visit the island to learn first hand how Jersey actually operates as a stable, reliable and responsible international financial centre.

Few jurisdictions in Europe can truly act as an economic bridge between West and East. Cyprus can certainly lay claim to such a position, and just might prove to be the fundamental economic ace card in the years ahead. Cyprus' geographical location makes it more than just a hub for trade and ideal for so many time-zones. It instils a long history of collaboration and close cultural ties with nearby country markets. Indeed, not to be underestimated in international business relations and professional services.

For centuries, Cyprus has been a stepping stone for many major world powers; both from the West and (Mid) East. Not just a stepping stone, but a nation that has learned to be hospitable to foreigners, and in doing so, facilitating a healthy trade relationship. As such a unique multi layered culture was formed, and one that relates to Europe, the Middle East-Asia and Africa. This is a great asset to have in business and international geopolitical relations. In Europe, this affiliation naturally includes the European Union (EU), with Cyprus being a Member State since 2004 and in the Eurozone since 2008. However, the country also has close relations with Eastern Europe, the Balkans, Russia and the CIS - located towards the East and historically linked to the Orthodox world - exemplified by the many activities in Cyprus driven from this part of the world, as well as by Russia's recent government loan. In the Middle East, Cyprus maintains healthy relationships with all, and continues to grow its dealings with major emerging Asian countries such as China and India.

Infrastructure for professional services in Cyprus is superlative, no doubt assisted by the nation's Commonwealth status and take on the British (and to a lesser extent European) legal system. Furthermore, so many accounting and legal professional are educated and qualified in the UK, US, South Africa and Australia, understanding both advanced systems and well versed in the English language. Meanwhile, the not so recent influx of Eastern European and Russian professionals has helped Cyprus better service these markets.

Cyprus should continue to gain points over the next decade as the preferred jurisdiction for tax planning in the European Union, maintaining the lowest corporate tax rate at 10% and an extensive amount of double tax treaties with other nation, among other benefits. Cyprus is also the lowest non-offshore tax jurisdiction in the world. This attractive tax structure should help encourage inward investments to Cyprus and Europe, and act as an ideal bridge to business and investment activity in the Middle East and Africa.

The Cypriot economy has also over the years proven to be quite resilient, and particularly strong in key stronghold sectors that could make the difference over the next year, such as professional services and tourism. Cyprus' two key contributors to GDP should continue to perform and maintain the economy, even though initial estimates of Real GDP growth will drop for 2012 and only stabilize in 2013. Professional services in Cyprus are some of the most advanced in the world, in terms of infrastructure and corporate tax planning efficiency. In such times, Cyprus might prove to be a good option for tax restructuring and investment strategies. As such, it just might be able to attract inward investments where others can not.

Tourism and hospitality should also continue to benefit. Although global tourism should only stabilize in 2012, and perhaps even drop as businesses cut back on expenses and leisure travelers think twice, people still need to take some sort of vacation - previous downturns have already proven this. In fact, travelers tend to stay closer to home, and within their own region. Thus, Cyprus constitutes a good option for key feeder markets in Europe, such as the UK, Germany, France, Scandinavia, Switzerland, Poland, Russia, Ukraine and CIS, among other. Especially motivated by value-for-money half board or all-inclusive packages, and an increase in low cost carriers flying to Cyprus. Actually only recently leading low-cost carrier Ryan Air announced a base in Paphos and to increase service there. This will boost tourism to Cyprus dramatically, especially as continued instability in many destinations in the Middle East & North Africa further enhance Cyprus' appeal as a secure European summer destination.

Finally, we must highlight recent developments in natural gas findings in Cyprus, currently being extracted by US-based Noble Energy. This will prove to be a major boost for the local economy, for Europe, as well as other stakeholders. Although this should not have an immediate affect in 2012, even just the prospect of what might happen in the mid to long term should be enough to fuel foreign direct investor confidence in Cyprus and begin the process of new activities. Beyond this, great potential in natural gas (and thus far only fro what has been discovered in one block) should inject a massive multilayer boost to the European and Cypriot economy.

Offshore Gateway Cyprus

info@offshore-gateway.eu

Visit us at www.offshore-gateway.eu to learn about our global climate friendly initiative

Malaysia-based offshore services company Hans Advisory & Trust guides individual investors and companies to make judicious investments in offshore funds and offshore trusts.

Labuan, Malaysia (PRWEB) January 13, 2012

Now any individual or company can get assistance from Hans Advisory & Trust to invest in offshore funds. One can contact this Malaysian company anytime for advice and assistance regarding offshore investments. Companies and individual investors who want to keep their investments safe will find that investing in offshore funds has a number of benefits.

So if anyone who want to invest on mutual funds in Labuan, one can check out the website of Hans Advisory & Trust for detailed guidelines. For investment in mutual funds through Hans, it is needed to send them an application. A trustee, an administrator, a fund manager, and a custodian approved by The Authority must be appointed by all public funds.

There are some limitations on borrowing and investing on public funds that are authorized in Labuan. Recognized jurisdictions schemes do not follow such provisions. For instance, a fund cannot borrow more that 25% of its total asset value. It must go through the website of Hans Advisory & Trust for details of these restrictions on investment.

Hans can also can assist to get the ship registered at the Malaysia International Ship Registry (MISR). This body is responsible for registering and keeping track of international ships. Foreign and individual shipping companies can register ships in Malaysia directly at MISR. They don't need to meet the requirements of Malaysian shareholders. As a foreigner, it is allow to hold 100% equity.

For more information on ship registry and offshore fund in Malaysia, visit www.hansworldwide.com.

If anyone need any kind of assistance for ship registry or investment in offshore funds and offshore trusts, then kindly contact Hands Advisory & Trust for professional guidance. This Malaysia based company provides offshore banking services and helps investors to make the right choices and keep their investments safe.

About Hans Advisory & Trust Co. Ltd

Licensed under the Labuan Trust Companies Act of 1990, Hans Advisory & Trust Co Ltd provides offshore investment services, which include setting up of offshore trusts and helping to invest in offshore funds. With a corporate membership of Institut Bank-Bank Malaysia (IBBM), Hans is a licensed provider of escrow services.

Contact

Company Name: Hans Advisory & Trust Co Ltd
Telephone Number: 603 5637 7745
Fax: 603 5637 8845
Email Address: voon(at)hansworldwide(dot)com
Web site address: www.hansworldwide.com

Gold Settles $16.90 Lower ... ($1630.80)

This week the February Gold futures traded a choppy and volatile $57.20 range as traders attempted to decipher the geo-political and economic data. The news this week was mostly bullish for precious metals however, the past session and a half has forced traders to liquidate and take profits as the European Union's financial fragility has once again given strength to the U.S Dollar. Earlier in the week the precious metals rally momentum had been fueled by an assortment of bullish data that is still very prevalent but, is being over the financial crisis in the Euro region. Today we learned that Standard & Poor's intended to downgrade much of the Euro states with the exception of Germany and the Netherlands...

Thursday:

Today European Central Bank President Mario Draghi stated the underlying pace of the EU's monetary expansion is moderate and sees tentative signs of stabilization in the economy. He also expects a gradual recovery but, warned the Euro region still has substantial downside risks. Gold also rallied as borrowing costs for both Spain and Italy were lowered. It is my opinion that global investors are speculating that the FOMC, the ECB, and China may all have intentions of near future monetary easing...

Investors are turning toward the precious metals as of late simply because they lack confidence in the world's fiat currencies. There has been heavy gold buying coming from the Asian sector primarily China and India.

The weekly Initial Jobless Claims number was 399,000. This was projected to be 375,000.

The rating agency Egan James announced that they cut Portugal's credit rating from BB -B+.

Wednesday:

Today's February Gold futures traded a choppy $17.20 range as traders used more bullish data to extend yesterday's rally momentum. Chicago Fed President Charles Evans said the economy was in need of additional stimulus and stated he was in favor of "substantial" additional easing and to continue to leave rates low until unemployment falls below 7% or inflation reaches 3%....

A possible quantitative easing 3 would be negative for the U.S Dollar and therefore bullish for Gold. Evans also added that if indeed there is a need or a QE 3 it would likely be $600 billion. The Gold market's recent rally has also been fueled by strong physical demand from India (#1 consumer of Gold) and China (#2 consumer of Gold in the world).China is preparing for the Lunar New Year (January 23rd) which is a key Gold buying period.

Tuesday:

Today's February Gold futures traded a choppy $32.30 range and traded as high as $1641.50 as much of today's economic and geo-political news was bullish for the precious metals. News from Iran indicated that had convicted and sentenced to death and imprisoned an American and former United States Marine Amir Mirzaei Hekmati for espionage. This conviction will probably be used as a bargaining leverage against the west. Iran has been defiant in regards to its uranium enrichment process in order to achieve nuclear capability. The west has levied heavy sanctions against Iran and in retaliation Tehran has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz and disrupting the transportation of Crude Oil. News such as this raises the warring tensions and therefore causes concerns and speculations over the worlds crude oil supply.

Today's February Crude oil futures traded as high as $103.41 per barrel. Higher crude oil is inflationary and bullish for the precious metals.

The European Union and Japan announced that they are planning punitive cuts in oil imports from Iran.

After failing to import the 1000 ton on imported gold last year India's Central Bank allowed four more Banks to import Gold and Silver. Since India is the world's largest consumer of Gold this is considered to be very bullish Gold as well.

Also Sandra Pianalto Cleveland FED boss who has rotated to become a voting member of the FOMC has hinted that she would support more "Quantitative Easing"....Printing more U.S Dollars would be very bullish for the precious metals...

Monday:

The Gold market's momentum was halted as it reached the $1625.00 technical resistance level. It is my opinion that traders and investors alike are looking to re-enter the precious metals markets due the huge volatility in the global market place. I believe that investors are still a bit gun shy in the wake of the enormous sell-off that occurred in the Month of December. On December 2nd February Gold was trading at $1767.10 and traded as low as $1523.90 on the 29th. That's a drop of $243.00 in 27 days. I believe all eyes are still watching the situation with Iran as well as the continued concern with the European Union's fragility. As we know Gold and Silver retain value better than most commodities during times of crisis. The recent spike in crude oil prices is considered to be inflationary. And if there is a warring environment due to tensions with Iran speculators will buy Gold in anticipation of higher oil prices...

Monday is a national Holiday...Exchanges closed in observance of Martin Luther King Jr...

MY SWING NUMBERS FOR 1/16
February Gold
Resistance # 2.........$1661.00
Resistance # 1.........$1646.00
Pivot .....................$1636.00
Support # 1............. $1621.00
Support # 2............. $1611.00

There is a substantial risk of loss in trading futures and options. Past performance is not indicative of future results. The information and data in this report were obtained from sources considered reliable. Their accuracy or completeness is not guaranteed and the giving of the same is not to be deemed as an offer or solicitation on our part with respect to the sale or purchase of any securities or commodities. PFGBEST, its officers and directors may in the normal course of business have positions, which may or may not agree with the opinions expressed in this report. Any decision to purchase or sell as a result of the opinions expressed in this report will be the full responsibility of the person authorizing such transaction.

A sound investment idea is to replace under-performing assets in your existing IRA/Roth account to establish a Rare Industrial Metals and Silver (RIMS IRA). This is a wise asset protection choice.

Rare Industrial Metals are increasing in value and are estimated to continue growing due to their limited supply and high demand by key industries. Many individuals are using their IRA funds to take financial advantage of this opportunity and further protect assets through a RIMS IRA.

Although using a RIMS IRA in your existing IRA is a smart choice, it must be done correctly. It is a very different process than directly purchasing Stocks/Bonds and Mutual Funds in your existing IRA/Roth account. Utilizing your IRA/Roth liquid assets combined with a RIMS IRA can be a seamless process if you have our experienced London Metal Assets adviser and an appropriate custodian working with you from start to finish.

Having a RIMS IRA established properly for you with the help of Fyfield Metal Assets allows you to enjoy physical ownership of rare industrial metals in a fully appropriate IRS structure. This will give you full control of your assets with the continued tax benefits of a standard IRA/Roth account.

*Fyfield Metal Assets, its advisers and/or its affiliates are providing a service that facilitates the preparation of a Rare Industrial Metals and Silver IRA and are not giving any tax advice regarding rare industrial metals, silver or any other products. Please write to request an introduction to Fyfield Metal Assets.

New York, NY / Philadelphia, PA (PRWEB) January 11, 2012 - In November, global banks watched intently as international regulators identified and announced the largest, most globally connected financial institutions. With the global systemically important financial institution, or "G-SIFI," designation comes a marking that the bank is too big to fail, as well as a requirement to hold up to 2.5 percent of excess capital. In the recently released video series, "SIFI Rules are Recasting Global Banking," professionals from Knowledge@Wharton and Ernst & Young discuss how G-SIFI designations could impact international finance and where the opportunities may lie.

At the start of 2012, banks that compete both globally and domestically will be placed into stratified categories, forcing systemically important financial institutions to rethink their target customers, service offerings and approach to strategic growth. Customers will also have a say in the matter. They now have a choice whether or not to deal with G-SIFIs. Global banks must keep this in mind as the tension between too big to fail and moral hazard continues to intensify.

"The market's response to G-SIFI designations will be extremely interesting in that some counterparties may feel more comfortable transacting with the 29 banks that were identified," said Itay Goldstein, Professor of Finance at The Wharton School. "At the same time, G-SIFIs may see this as an opportunity to take on additional risk given their status as vital to the global economy."

In the feature clip, "What Does SIFI Status Mean for Banks?" Itay Goldstein, Bill Schlich, Ernst & Young Global Banking and Capital Markets Leader, and Don Vangel, Ernst & Young Senior Advisor Banking and Regulator Matters, discuss the complexities created by G-SIFI designations and how global banks will compete under the new capital requirements.

Schlich added:

"This is certainly progress towards minimizing the possibility of a large-scale bank failure, and in the worst case scenario, making it as soft a landing as possible. Global banks must view this as an opportunity to revise their growth strategies and make necessary changes to their operating models to thrive in the recast global banking environment."

This is the fifth installment in the video series. Upcoming installments will address topics such as the impact of mobile technologies and the future of the global banking industry.

About The Wharton School and Knowledge@Wharton
Knowledge@Wharton is the online business analysis journal of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. The site, which is free, captures relevant knowledge generated at Wharton and beyond by offering articles and videos based on research, conferences, speakers, books and interviews with faculty and other experts on current business topics. The Knowledge@Wharton network - including Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, Indian, Arabic and High School editions - has more than 1.7 million subscribers worldwide.

The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania -- founded in 1881 as the first collegiate business school -- is recognized globally for intellectual leadership and ongoing innovation across every major discipline of business education. The most comprehensive source of business knowledge in the world, Wharton bridges research and practice through its broad engagement with the global business community. The School has 5,000 undergraduate, MBA, executive MBA, and doctoral students; more than 9,000 annual participants in executive education programs; and an alumni network of 88,000 graduates.

About Ernst & Young's Global Banking & Capital Markets Center
In today's globally competitive and highly regulated environment, managing risk effectively while satisfying an array of divergent stakeholders is a key goal of banks and securities firms. Ernst & Young's Global Banking & Capital Markets Center brings together a worldwide team of professionals to help clients achieve their potential - a team with deep technical experience in providing assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The Center works to anticipate market trends, identify the implications and develop points of view on relevant industry issues. Ultimately it enables us to help clients meet their goals and compete more effectively. It's how Ernst & Young makes a difference.

About Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. Worldwide, our 152,000 people are united by our shared values and an unwavering commitment to quality. We make a difference by helping our people, our clients and our wider communities achieve their potential. Ernst & Young refers to the global organization of member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. For more information about our organization, please visit www.ey.com. This news release has been issued by EYGM Limited, a member of the global Ernst & Young organization that also does not provide any services to clients.

Thinking outside the borders

Are you nervous about the value of your domestic currency depreciating during these volatile times?

At Bateman Financial, we offer investments in top rated international hedge funds, mutual funds and fund of funds, which are denominated in strong currencies, with little exposure to toxic debt. We believe using managed funds can be a profitable strategy for clients with any risk tolerance; it is not limited to aggressive investors.

It is challenging to find reputable funds that are denominated in currencies outside of the Big Three (USD, EUR, and GBP). However, we feel that the reflective economies of the Big Three have lost some luster and that clients can profit from additional currency exposure in their portfolio.

Bateman Financial has access to managed funds that are denominated in several strong currencies: Norwegian Krone, Canadian Dollar, Swedish Krona, Australian Dollar, Danish Krone, Swiss Franc, and many others. As national debt increases in much of the world, these currencies have the potential to gain strength against the USD, EUR and GBP over the next few years.

To give an example, a client invests in a hedge fund that is denominated in a currency with the potential to strengthen over the domestic currency. If the hedge fund achieves a return of 10% that year, and the currency appreciates 10%, as well; the client doubles their profit relative to an investment in their domestic currency. This is a more lucrative way for clients to achieve currency diversification in their portfolio, than traditional cash diversification.

We know that our international reach and creative investment strategies are a formula for success. We also know that what separates good investors and great investors is the ability to clearly see out of the box, or in this case, out of the borders.

If you are interested in this concept, have further questions, or would like information on the funds we offer contact Josh at Bateman Financial: josh.vandyk@batemanfiancial.com +1.345.943.4766

NEW YORK, Jan 06, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Fitch Ratings says the potential credit impact on banks due to new US tax regulations designed to inhibit offshore tax evasion could be tough to gauge due to uncharted consumer response. A significant outflow of foreign deposits could occur, but other customers might simply stay put.

Skittish high net worth individuals opposed to deeper deposit transparency could cause a material dislocation of deposits, but many other depositors with smaller holdings might choose to keep deposits in place based on necessity and function.

However, banks are clearly opposed to the new tax parameters as they breed additional uncertainty for an industry already under massive regulatory pressure.

US banks are contesting the proposed Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act of 2010 (FATCA) rule requiring them to report to the IRS interest income on foreign deposits earned by non-US residents. Banks contend that heightened disclosure could spook investors, prompting them to withdraw cash and place it instead in accounts requiring less transparency. Cheap deposits mean cheap funding for banks. A meaningful dip in deposits could translate to increased capital risk. Still, we feel a low interest rate environment would diminish any pinch felt by banks regarding current cost of funds stemming from foreign deposits.

Banks in states with considerable immigrant populations (Florida, California, Texas, and New Mexico) would likely be at higher risk for a sudden decrease in foreign deposits, as those states tend to rely heavily on community bank businesses versus larger institutional firms. The Florida Bankers Association has estimated that between $60 billion and $100 billion in foreign deposits, or close to 20% of the state's total deposits, are held in Florida banks. That said, we feel the impact of a potential shift in foreign deposits for US banks would not be significant.

Additionally, overseas financial institutions will now need to report American clients with accounts of more than $50,000 to the IRS. Banks have deemed the new process both time-consuming and costly. We feel that banks will absorb the rules gradationally; keeping in mind that noncompliance will result in a stiff 30% withholding tax on payments received from the US.

While FATCA won't become effective until Jan. 1, 2013, many banks and depositors are beginning to make decisions in order to be compliant by the end of 2012.

On www.overseasradio.com 1PM to 2PM New York Time Monday-Friday

The Truth and Lies radio show, hosted by R David Finzer, the president and CEO of the Capital Conservator Group, is dedicated to revealing the truth and exposing the lies about:

• international living and expatriation,


• the pitfalls and rewards of the PT lifestyle,


• offshore companies, trusts, foundations and other structures, asset protection, and


• the implosion of the Western World and consequent collapse of the world financial system.

David does have a point of view. He is biased, opinionated and remorseless. He has lived in seven countries, survived multiple attacks by the US government, and for more than 25 years has built international asset protection structures, which to date have never been attacked nor pierced.

David describes himself as a "Christian Libertarian". He defines his philosophy in this way:

"The Judeo-Christian ethic and the societies which it has produced have provided the greatest amount of individual freedom and prosperity in the history of the modern world. A culture based on that ethic is essential for a truly free society. But, not everything that is a sin should be a crime! Despite the opinions or even the outrage of the majority, no action should be considered a crime unless there is a real victim of that action. Government should be limited to the protection of individual rights, not the arbiter of social disputes. Most especially, Government has no moral right to protect us from ourselves! In summary, the God who gave us life, gave us liberty as well, and preservation of that liberty should be the Government's highest goal."

Whether you love him or hate him, agree or disagree, are enlightened or outraged, you will not find David Finzer to be boring. He brings to Truth or Lies years of experience, the scope of which can be matched by few people.

Nicosia, Cyprus, 01/04/2012 - Offshore-Gateway.eu is now live online, following 12 months of development. The web platform is an initial point-of-contact for professional services via Cyprus, including company formations, tax planning, wealth management and international banking.

Offshore-Gateway.eu platform is now live, following 12 months of work by a team of young entrepreneurs, made up of international business consultants and information technology experts.

The new Offshore-Gateway.eu portal is an independent and impartial point-of-contact to leading supplier-firms in Cyprus that provide investment strategies to the EU and EMEA region, namely with regards to setting up a company formation, then subsequent professional services, including company administration and maintenance services, global tax planning solutions, accounting and auditing, wealth management, as well as international offshore banking.

The platform provides one initial point-of-contact with multiple service options. Visitors send through a quotation request, and Offshore Gateway pairs them up with the most suitable supplier who has been pre-qualified.
"Offshore-Gateway.eu is a unique service that does not exist anywhere else in the world. Although it is still early days, it should go a long way to promoting efficient international business activities and supporting investments to the EMEA region via Cyprus," states Managing Director, Offshore Gateway Michael Michaels. "Indeed, Cyprus is fast becoming one of the most popular jurisdictions for financial and professional services in the world; and for very good reason. Cyprus is in the EU and eurozone, has excellent infrastructure for professional services, a business friendly government, and a great geographical location - at the centre of the EMEA. Above all, Cyprus has the lowest corporate tax rate in the EU at 10%, and is the lowest non-offshore tax jurisdiction in the world, making it financially (tax-saving) attractive."

According to Offshore Gateway, although the EU, eurozone and global economy is facing some serious challenges at the moment, it was still the right time to launch the service. "Finalising the platform is only really half the work. It will take some time to build very good web presence, brand awareness and generate strong search engine optimisation - normally takes months to properly crawl websites. Besides, many companies will be actively looking to consolidate their own finances over the next year, whilst others might even be in a very good position to take advantage of the situation and invest intelligently," adds Michaels.

Aside from referring visitors to the most suitable supplier-firms in Cyprus for professional services, Offshore-Gateway.eu provides added-value business content and tools. This includes sector information, news, reviews from industry professionals, interviews, publications and documents from credible sources, as well as macro economic statistics in Cyprus and the EU.