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A matter of index

The performance of an investment may be an investor’s main consideration to determine its success. However, it’s also important to measure how it stacks up against a relevant benchmark, often known as an index. If you’re a novice investor, it may be very beneficial to have a good knowledge of an index.

What is an index?

An index is a measure or indicator of something. In the investment world, it generally refers to a measurement of change in the financial market. Essentially, it measures the performance of an investment against listed securities or a specific industry.

It should be understood that indices are comprised of a hypothetical portfolio that represents a subgroup of the market – you can’t invest directly in an index. In South Africa, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), FTSE/JSE All Share Index (ALSI) and Top 40 are prominent indexes.

Just like investments, no two indexes are the same. There are nearly 100 indexes in South Africa which means that investors can have a comprehensive overview of the performance of different industries.

As mentioned above, you can’t invest in an index, but investors’ can try to match their performance as accurately as possible – this is known as passive investing. Approaches to this type of investing include holding identical shares with equal weighting as the index that you choose.

Concentration

It’s vital to understand concentration because it can skew the performance of stocks in an index. Basically, if a stock has a higher weighting in an index, it’s performance can tilt towards the performance of the stock.

For example, Naspers makes up 20.35% of the ALSI. This means that fluctuations in the price of Tencent – a multinational entertainment and technology holding company (in which Naspers has a majority shareholding) can skew the performance of the ALSI.

To even out the slant, the FTSE/JSE Capped Swix All Share Index was introduced. This has aided the necessity of having a fair index that proportionately characterises the market.

It’s also important to note that an index can influence the stock of which it is comprised. The following example can help give you a better understanding of the principle. When a certain stock is added to a major index, the share price can potentially increase. The reason for this is that its inclusion as a prominent index can impact demand for that specific stock, which can drive up the unit trust prices.

Selecting an index

Here’s the crux of the matter. An investor should select an index that has an appropriate benchmark aligning with his/her financial objectives as well as restrictions of his/her portfolio.

An excellent example of an inappropriate benchmark is comparing a unit trust that is mostly invested in equities to the performance of a bank savings unit trust. Why? Because the risk of taking on equities is much higher than the risk of bank savings.

If all of this information is daunting, it’s worth speaking to an independent financial advisor. He/she has the knowledge to explain and advise, on which indexes align with your financial goals.

Investment,

Here’s How Pink Diamond Investments Can Give High ROIs

by slciconference4 weeks agono comment

Since the year ’08, the world economy has been going through tough times where the number of nosedives is much higher than ups! This is the primary reason why traditional investment mediums are losing their credibility since they are unable to deliver satisfactory results.

Investors now are keener on putting their money into investment mediums that are secure, stable and doesn’t depend on the market conditions. Two of the most popular investment mediums in recent years are the real estate sector and pink diamond investments. Both of these are physical commodities and investing in tangible mediums has a lot of advantages.

This post can be considered as a dedicated pink diamond blog which is why we will be discussing how pink diamond investments can give high ROIs to investors. Please pay attention to the sections that follow:

Pink diamonds don’t need much room for storage and they are durable

Pink diamonds can be moved, stored, transferred and liquidated easily. Thus making transactions and upkeep much easier, compared to traditional investment mediums.

Furthermore, since diamonds are the hardest naturally occurring material ever known to humans, you wouldn’t need to worry about natural wear and tear of your invested diamonds.

This means you won’t be spending tons of cash to keep your invested diamonds safe and when you do sell them off, you will be reaping the benefits of impressive ROIs. Get the idea!?

Market conditions don’t affect them

Market conditions don’t affect pink diamond investments since they fall under the physical commodity category.

Furthermore, the diamond industry is not dependent on the global financial market meaning whether the market is up or down, the diamonds you have invested in won’t depreciate in value.

This is great since you will be able to get your hands on some cash easily, irrespective of the financial condition of your country at any given point in time.

It is a sensible decision, by all means

It is expected that there will be a rapid increase in the demand for pink coloured Argyle diamonds especially from large countries like the USA, China and India.

The reason is simple – the middle-class population in these countries now has access to large amounts of disposable income. Furthermore, the millennial mindset has changed over the years. Instead of spending excess cash, they are now investing in stable investment mediums like Argyle pink diamonds so that they can look at their retirement years with a smile.

Now if you take the expected rise in the price of Argyle’s pink diamonds and the global demand into account, investing in this stable medium makes sense, doesn’t it!?

Pink diamonds have increased in terms of value and demand over the years globally. Furthermore, the imminent closure of Australia’s Argyle mine in the year 2020 is making pink diamonds a rare item thus contributing to their exponential rise in value. To sum it up, whether you are a serial investor or someone who is looking to diversify their investment portfolio, go for pink diamond investments. For the best results, it is recommended that you get in touch with leading and renowned diamond investment solutions providers.

Business,

The 3 Benefits That You Get When You Hire a Bookkeeper In The UK.

by slciconference3 months agono comment

The vast majority of new business startups in the United Kingdom go under within the first year as the owners try to take on too much and don’t dedicate their time to making a success of the business. It is your job to generate new business, create new leads and make sure that there is enough profit to cover the overheads. You can’t do this if you are trying to do the accounts yourself as your mind will be elsewhere and you might be doing them wrong anyway. Bookkeeping and accounting should be left to the experts.

With that in mind, there are firms that offer bookkeeping services for small business in Woking and by taking advantage of this excellent service, you get to experience the many benefits that come with it.

Your bookkeeper makes sure that you are submitting the necessary paperwork and payments on time. If you are late, there may be additional fines and maybe even an audit. You do not want one of these.
Your bookkeeper has been doing accounts for many years and understands the difficulties that businesses go through. They can offer valuable advice when it comes to running your business.
Your bookkeeper will have an objective point of view and won’t be distracted by other things like you would be, if you tried to do the books and keep the business going at the same time.

Using the services of a bookkeeper will allow you to make a success of your business and leaves you with one less thing to have to worry about.

Debt,

Why Need Professional Debt Counselling?

by slciconference5 months agono comment

Debt counselling is the advice offered through experts on several debt related issues. Debt counselling has a two-pronged technique. While the advice concentrates on methods to counter the current debt load, the client will also be informed of methods to prevent bad debts from originating. Thus, Debt counselling performs protecting as well as a precautionary part.

The protecting technique will be employed for situations where debt fill is sufficiently huge. With my situation, debt fill was substantially huge. My individual savings and monthly earnings would have reduced the burden a little. But, there were other expenses too that needed to be paid through the same limited earnings. By directing my earnings towards debt merging, I would only have introduced a way for newer bad debts.

Debt counselling showed the way out. A lot of people owes their freedom from bad debts to Debt counselling. In fact, the very first lesson that I learned from Debt counselling is that I was not the only person who had bad debts. There were many others who have an even messier financial predicament. The statistics are really terrible. How come so many people, belonging to so rich a country, are so vulnerable to debts? However, people do have bad debts. A desire to have almost every material comforts often drive people to spend rashly. On most occasions, the expenditure is without any consideration for the sources of payment.

Professional Debt counselling performs an important part in helping a number of people who are struggling with debt to one or other banking organisations. Many banking organisations refer their borrowers to expert Debt counselling before they file any lawsuit against them in a situation of non-payments of debt.

Owing to one simple availability of monetary loans and quick access to bank cards it is not that difficult to get into debt. You will find almost everyone around you managing one or other debt. The invoices are the most common amongst them. There is Credit score Act which makes provision for Debt counselling. It intends to provide help to those debt-strapped customers who are moving towards bankruptcy.

The precautionary part of Debt counselling is more of an advisory nature. The aim of this exercise will be to generate debt sense in the people; though this will prove a Herculean task, given the strange relationship of people with bad debts. The function may take the form of a face-to-face meeting with an individual, or a conference wherein lots of people are addressed at one time.

During these sessions, debt consultant suggests borrowers of methods to deal with bad debts. Loan consolidations and debt merging mortgages can at the best relieve people of monetary obligations for some time. However, if the individual does not enhance his spending habits, he will again have a huge debt fill. Through precautionary Debt counselling, debt consultant is designed to strike at the roots of debt.

No Debt counselling is complete without the customer’s contribution. Consequently, borrowers need to stand safely on any debt decision that they make. Click here what to look for in a debt merging service today to help you enhance financial predicament and the quality of your life.

Debt,

Choosing a debt collection company in London

by slciconference5 months agono comment

Debts are basically part of our lives and you might need to borrow money from someone or a financial institution, once or twice. When you lend someone money and they are unable to pay back or they are simply refusing to pay, you can hire a debt collection company in London to help you get back your money. Choosing the right debt collection company in London has many things involved, it even becomes more challenging if you are doing so for the first time. There are many debt collection companies in London and choosing the right company becomes even more desirable.

You can start by asking for recommendations from friends or family members. This could be anyone who might have used the services of a debt collection company in London. If they were satisfied with the services provided by the company, then there is a high probability that the company can help you with the collection of your debt. If you don’t know anyone who have used the services of a debt collection company in London, you can simply do a quick online search, which should give you a list of websites to work with. Choose a company from your search results and check if they have what it takes to help you collect your debt.

When choosing debt collectors London, you need to realize that knowing the cost of hiring the company is important. The right company should definitely have a strong online presence, which basically means you can visit their website to get such information. Check to see that you are comfortable with how much they charge for their services. If you are unable to find the information on their website, you can simply contact them and ask questions. The ideal debt collection company in London should not charge you for providing advice or suggestions, without actually collecting the debt for you.

The reputation of the company also matters. Choose a company that has a good reputation in London and possibly other cities in the UK. A reputable company will not waste too much time when it comes to remitting your money. Some debt collection companies take too long to pay you your money even after collecting it from the debtor. You can avoid this by making sure you check the testimonies given by previous clients. It is important to know what they have to say about the kind of service provided by the company. Customer reviews will tell you if they company always deliver as promised or not.

The flexibility of the debt collection company in terms of services offered is also important. The ideal company should be open to suggestions and requirements that are peculiar to individual clients. The right company should not insist on using the same approach for everyone, especially since people have different financial situations. The ideal London debt collection company should have good customer support in place. This is crucial because it will help them provide their clients with regular updates on the status of their debt.

Debt,

Debt Collection Agency Sydney

by slciconference5 months agono comment

Has it ever happened to you that you have given some debt to some person from your company’s money and n when you want to make more advances in your business you are stuck because your money is not getting paid back? Most of the times when you are not getting paid back the debt money some companies step in which is known as debt collectors. Each country has different debt collector companies as the rules and policies about the debt collection is different in each country. If you are running a business in Sydney then you should look for the debt collection agency Sydney. In the ancient times there were some other cruel means of debt collection which was then stopped and rules were made but because of this most people are unable to collect the debt from the debtors and this is why debt collection companies stepped in so the debt would get paid when needed. Debt collection companies have the convincing powers and skills that will motivate the debtors to pay back the debt.

Boston commercial services

Boston commercial services is a company that plays many roles in the improvement of your business and help you in many other matters like debt collection. Debt collection is one of the Skills of this debt collection agency Sydney. Boston commercial service has helped people a lot all over the Sydney and is the best debt collection agency Sydney. This is the debt collection agency that will help you collect all of your money within no time and without any additional trouble and will also provide you with the cost effective ways to collect your money from the debtors. All things that are done for the debt collection are in a legal way and won’t taint your reputation in any way as the business is all about reputation these days.

How to minimize and recover the bad debts

Some of the tips that you should follow according to this debt collection agency Sydney will get all of your money back in very less amount of time. The first thing is to avoid the problem of bad debts and to avoid or minimize the ratio of the bad debts you should do following something you must do

You should make the bill as soon as the project gets finished and make sure you are paid.
Make an invoice that contains all the billing information that has everything you might require.
Have friendly contact with your customers so they would respect the fact that your company need to get paid on time for its job.
Make a limit as if your services have reached that limit and you are still not paid then stop your services until you get paid.
If someone is asking for debt then you must demand security property or something like that so you are able to confiscate it in case the debtor fails to pay the debt

So these were some of the advice by the debt collection agency Sydney known as the Boston commercial services. This debt collection agency Sydney can also help you solve the disputes that arise due to some bad debt and will help you resolve the problem while staying and following the law. Debt collection agency Sydney is definitely one of the companies that you should know about if you are also having some debt problems.

Loans,

Why the interest rate matters in your loan

by slciconference5 months agono comment

The interest being charged on your home loan determines how expensive or affordable the loan product becomes. Choosing the right loan saves a lot of money in the long run.

If you are looking for your dream home, you may also be looking for a good home loan to fund the house’s purchase. The high costs of real estate in India make it impossible for most people to buy a house without borrowing a home loan. However, taking a home loan is the easy part – there are many options in loan products and several prominent housing finance companies who offer the best in class loan products with minimum hassle.

If this is your first house purchase, you might be a little daunted at the huge sums of money involved in the loan. The housing finance company provides up to 80% of the house’s cost by way of the home loan – lending institutions like PNBHFL may provide up to 90% of the house’s price for loans up to Rs 20 lakh – and the remainder must be paid from your own reserves.

The best time to take a home loan is NOW

Meanwhile, it is important to know the rate of interest being charged by the lending institution. The interest has a direct bearing on how expensive or affordable the loan becomes. In terms of interest rates, now is the perfect time to invest in a property of your choice. Whether a first home or a weekend house, home loans are more affordable with a drop in interest rates.

Post-demonetisation in November 2016, premier banks and financial institutions in India cut the lending rates on home loans – this was a response to a sudden influx of funds in their coffers. The first wave of rate cuts dropped home loan interest from the range of 9.6% to about 8.6%. Current home loan rates are hovering in between 8.5% to 9% across banks and housing finance companies.

While SBI Bank offers the lowest rate at 8.5%, reputed housing finance companies like PNBHFL offer interest rate from 8.9% onward. However, PNBHFL’s Ghar Utsav scheme offers 8.5% interest rate for 12 months after taking the loan, and the interest rate is adjusted later in accordance with the rates being offered at that time.

Current home loan rates being at their lowest point in several years spells good news for potential home buyers. The lower the interest rate, the more affordable the home loan becomes, and the lower is the amount of money the buyer repays to the lending institution. It translates into a lower EMI, thus making more of your monthly income available for other expenses in the house.

Normally, the EMI must not exceed 50% of the monthly income. An EMI amount higher than this can strain your monthly budgets. Thus, it is important to shop around for loans with lower interest rates, to save on repayments.

Loans,

Loan Broker: 7 Reasons Why You Should Use One

by slciconference5 months agono comment

Applying for a home loan or budgeting loan online is not the most enjoyable experiences. Calculating a budget and a complicated structure of interest rate can all cause a lot of stress. This is probably the reason why loan or mortgage broker come into place.

What Do Brokers Do?

A mortgage/loan broker doesn’t lend you money physically; his/her role is to help borrowers in finding a correct money lender based on their requisites. Most brokers don’t charge fees for budgeting loans, the lender pays a commission, and this does not affect the type of loan or the interest rate you receive.

7 Reasons Why Using a Broker May Be the Smartest Move

Save Your Time – The choices available in the loan market can seem limitless. You can examine the subject and the money lenders, or take help of a broker, who already has that knowledge.
Save Money – Choose a broker that offers a free service, comparing thousands of dissimilar loans from different lenders, making it lost more easily to come across if there is a superior home loan for you.
Give You Choice – A specialist broker has a healthy panel of lenders over 500 different loan types from which to choose.
Find the Right Loan – The best arrangement is not really the least expensive rate. A professional broker will look at your future plans and current circumstances; this enables them to suggest a loan that is right for you.
Help You Avoid Pitfalls – Your broker can help you avoid taking a loan you might later regret.
They Come To You – Brokers will come to you; appointments are scheduled in the comfort of your office or home, at a time that suits you.
Do All The Work – Your broker will prepare an application for you, submit your application and work with the lender throughout the process up to settlement.

Loans,

Options for Various Personal Loans for the Borrowers

by slciconference5 months agono comment

Personal loan can be a great support for many people when they are in need of some cash for some personal reason. The reason can be anything. From paying the medical bills to credit card bills or going for a holiday or buying some home décor items, people take personal loans for many reasons. There are different options for short term loans. These types of loans are good, because you do not need to follow any restriction about how you are going to use the money. Though the interest rates are higher than bank loans, it can solve many financial requirements at crunch time.

Choosing the right personal loan lender is a very vital task for any borrower. If you are not able to get the loan from a right lender, you may find yourself in some additional financial hazards. In this article we are going to discuss some of the ways of getting the right lender for your personal loan.

Getting Loans from Banks

Local banks are the best places where you can go for personal loans. And if you are already a customer of that bank, you can expect some added facilities while applying for the loan. A good banking history will secure your position as a premium customer of the bank and in such condition the bank will be pleased to provide you the loan. On the other hand, you know the bank very well so you do not need to worry about the lender’s market reputation while applying for the loan.

The point of concern with bank loan is the tiring process of credit check. You need to have good credit score to secure a good amount of personal loan from bank. Moreover, if you have low credit score you have to pay high rate of interest for the loan. In most of the cases, banks turn down loan application with low credit score. Thus, you have to look for other possible options for personal loans.

Online Bad Credit Loans

Internet can be a great source of opting for the right lender of personal loan. There are lots of financial organizations that offer their service online. You can do a search on internet to find out the top most names of such lenders. But since it is online, there can be scammers as well along with some genuine and professional lenders. So you need to be a little more careful about choosing the right online lender while option for the best personal loan lender. You should check at least 4 or 5 online lenders before you finalize the deal with one. Check their market reputation, experience in this field, their interest rate and other important rules.

The most popular online personal loan option is payday loan. Opting payday loans now is always beneficial, though high rate of interest is a concern. With such loans, you do not have to undergo the hassling process of credit checking. This is the reason why payday loan comes under bad credit loan category. You can still secure a handsome loan amount, even having bad credit score.

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