In the United States, asset servicing firms have great prospects. Among the notable hedge fund trends is the steady increase of outsourcing practices among fund managers over the past few years, as they grapple with developments in the industry.
Driving this surge in the demand for asset services are the following factors:
Need to comply with regulatory requirements. In the face of more stringent regulatory demands, hedge fund firms are pressed to undertake improvements in their processes and their reporting capabilities, to withstand the scrutiny of regulatory bodies. Reporting is a tedious, day-to-day affair that requires proper data management and warehousing, and sometimes, they simply cannot afford deploying more people and devoting more of their budget for these functions. Outsourcing partners come in handy in this scenario, offering their expertise, manpower, and technology towards the swift accomplishment of the task.
Emergence of new markets. As the investments and securities sector becomes more and more globalized, the Asia-Pacific and Europe have emerged as the new markets to conquer for American hedge funds. This also means a host of new jurisdictional policies to navigate, some more strict than those in the United States. At the same time, this poses challenges in terms of monitoring one’s performance across asset classes, and across various markets, to allow for quick decision-making from wherever in the world, as well as wise allocation of resources. The best asset servicing firms have mastered the rules for different markets, and can capably handle the demands of entering new domains.
Interest in offering new products. As today’s hedge funds strive to provide more product options to their client-investors, they need to be able to claim the support of third-party firms as they expand their offerings. More products means more middle and back-office needs, more accounting, tax reporting, data warehousing, risk modeling, fund administration, and account reconciliation requirements. As they invite investors to lend their funds towards these new products, having a first-class asset servicing firm as an outsourcing partner can be a major point for their sales pitch.
In the end, asset servicing firms are a helpful addition to the array of tools that fund managers can use to adapt with hedge fund trends. As they take on the grueling middle and back-office operations, they let hedge funds focus on core functions, achieve growth for the assets under their management, and leave client-investors satisfied and willing to take more chances.
Monday, November 7, 2016
Wednesday, October 5, 2016
On North Korea’s nuclear testing
As of this writing, North Korea is on the news after the detection of a magnitude five earthquake – one attributed to another incident nuclear testing. Naturally, the international community is alarmed. It is the fifth time, and the government has been keen on reporting its success in developing its nuclear program.
North Korea is already a pariah of sorts. It a closed economy, and only a limited number of members of the media from the outside are able to get a glimpse of life north of the 38th parallel. What we know of their country is based on very few reports, of defections, of alleged spies or idiotic tourists (for example, the American student who supposedly thought it to be a good idea to steal a propaganda poster) being punished.
So when the North Korean government’s own media makes announcements, it can be expected to land on major news outlets. And that is what just happened.
Before this, over the course of 10 years, Pyongyang has made various claims regarding its nuclear capability. In 2006, it supposedly released a nuclear bomb with an energy discharge of one kiloton. Three years later, it was a 2-8 kiloton bomb. Four years later, it is said to have developed a bomb with uranium. Then it talked about having conducted a test of a thermonuclear warhead or H-bomb.
Nobody is able to confirm all of these reports. On the part of the United States, the White House appears to have a policy of not taking the threats seriously. At the same time, it has been strengthening its military relationship with South Korea. It is likewise notable that North Korea has been careful to describe its efforts as a “pre-emptive strike” as US and South Korea are set to hold joint military exercises.
This squarely places the onus on the United States’ shoulders: If the Americans are not to make provocative moves, they will not be conducting the nuclear tests.
The fact is that the US has not much of a moral ascendancy to lecture other countries about activities that can potentially harm the innocent. As we speak, drones funded by the US taxpayer money are being flown, and airstrikes are regularly conducted in cooperation with the NATO allies. Both the US and North Korea are spending a lot on all these measures while so many are hungry and poor.
There has got to be an end to this madness.
Note: Rick Kimball is a blogger and online writer. He enjoys writing about history. To read more of Rick's work, you can check out Rick Kimball's War, Peace and Freedom Blog. You can also check him out on Facebook and Twitter.
North Korea is already a pariah of sorts. It a closed economy, and only a limited number of members of the media from the outside are able to get a glimpse of life north of the 38th parallel. What we know of their country is based on very few reports, of defections, of alleged spies or idiotic tourists (for example, the American student who supposedly thought it to be a good idea to steal a propaganda poster) being punished.
So when the North Korean government’s own media makes announcements, it can be expected to land on major news outlets. And that is what just happened.
Before this, over the course of 10 years, Pyongyang has made various claims regarding its nuclear capability. In 2006, it supposedly released a nuclear bomb with an energy discharge of one kiloton. Three years later, it was a 2-8 kiloton bomb. Four years later, it is said to have developed a bomb with uranium. Then it talked about having conducted a test of a thermonuclear warhead or H-bomb.
Nobody is able to confirm all of these reports. On the part of the United States, the White House appears to have a policy of not taking the threats seriously. At the same time, it has been strengthening its military relationship with South Korea. It is likewise notable that North Korea has been careful to describe its efforts as a “pre-emptive strike” as US and South Korea are set to hold joint military exercises.
This squarely places the onus on the United States’ shoulders: If the Americans are not to make provocative moves, they will not be conducting the nuclear tests.
The fact is that the US has not much of a moral ascendancy to lecture other countries about activities that can potentially harm the innocent. As we speak, drones funded by the US taxpayer money are being flown, and airstrikes are regularly conducted in cooperation with the NATO allies. Both the US and North Korea are spending a lot on all these measures while so many are hungry and poor.
There has got to be an end to this madness.
Note: Rick Kimball is a blogger and online writer. He enjoys writing about history. To read more of Rick's work, you can check out Rick Kimball's War, Peace and Freedom Blog. You can also check him out on Facebook and Twitter.
Monday, August 29, 2016
Do targets matter more than receptions in the NFL?
One of the most electrifying and coveted positions to play in the National Football league is Wide Receiver and it’s pretty simple why. These guys aren’t allowed to be touched without the ball after five years and are constantly on the highlight reel for hauling in memorable touchdowns. From an accountability standpoint, receivers are rarely at fault because usually it is either a poorly thrown ball or better yet just good old fashion defense. For fantasy football analysis, receivers are always held to a gold standard expecting to reel in any ball in sight. In reality that’s not always possible so we will break down the value between receptions and targets.
Targets and receptions only differ with the end result similar to a field goal attempt and a field goal made. Targets are balls that are thrown in the area of the receiver but not are not completed; a reception is simply when the receiver cleanly makes a catch and controls possession. Granted different types of receivers will have different ratios when comparing receptions and targets. Possession receivers and those who run shorter routes are going to have a higher conversion rate for balls that target them; compared to the deep ball threats that only going to be a catching a few of those electrifying spirals but boy are they worth when they do! Now you should be asking yourself: Is this gonna effect my NFL fantasy picks? That depends on just how savvy a player you want to be. Granted there is no formula that will optimize your lineup to have the best conversion rates for their targets. Conversely, targets should be looked at with a grain of salt. Reason being if a player is consistently high in targets and only bringing in 50-70% of them; it shows the player’s lack of ability to create separation to easily possess these throws. At the same time,having a guy that is always catching 4-6 balls a game w/ 100% conversion on their targets shows that the player has limited opportunity thus a very limited ceiling on the maximum amount of points they can attain. Daily fantasy football picks can be darn near impossible to try and match up every receiver with their respective stat line compared to the defense's NFL fantasy ranking. Fortunately there’s plenty of resources out there to divulge into to be able to stack and spread your odds out in the most desirable way.
Targets and receptions only differ with the end result similar to a field goal attempt and a field goal made. Targets are balls that are thrown in the area of the receiver but not are not completed; a reception is simply when the receiver cleanly makes a catch and controls possession. Granted different types of receivers will have different ratios when comparing receptions and targets. Possession receivers and those who run shorter routes are going to have a higher conversion rate for balls that target them; compared to the deep ball threats that only going to be a catching a few of those electrifying spirals but boy are they worth when they do! Now you should be asking yourself: Is this gonna effect my NFL fantasy picks? That depends on just how savvy a player you want to be. Granted there is no formula that will optimize your lineup to have the best conversion rates for their targets. Conversely, targets should be looked at with a grain of salt. Reason being if a player is consistently high in targets and only bringing in 50-70% of them; it shows the player’s lack of ability to create separation to easily possess these throws. At the same time,having a guy that is always catching 4-6 balls a game w/ 100% conversion on their targets shows that the player has limited opportunity thus a very limited ceiling on the maximum amount of points they can attain. Daily fantasy football picks can be darn near impossible to try and match up every receiver with their respective stat line compared to the defense's NFL fantasy ranking. Fortunately there’s plenty of resources out there to divulge into to be able to stack and spread your odds out in the most desirable way.
Monday, August 22, 2016
To outsource or not to outsource: The big question for hedge funds
In the United States and all over the world, the prevailing economic climate has made the investment and securities industry more complicated than it ever was. Hedge funds firms, in particular, face immense pressures in terms of performance, as well as transparency and accountability amid a highly volatile climate.
Outsourcing has emerged as a viable solution for many firms dealing with such pressures. But it is worth noting that the idea is always first met with a few apprehensions: Would it not simply bloat the operational costs? How hard would it be to find an outsourcing partner that meets our firm’s needs? How can an outsider understand our asset management goals as a company?
Over time, however, more asset managers are seeing the value of outsourcing, and how it can be truly optimized for meeting the demands of hedge fund management in this day and age,
Through outsourcing, asset managers are able to drive costs down in the long-term. While it requires initial capital outlay, the investment eventually pays off as it eliminates the costs of recruiting and retaining employees, as well as setting up the infrastructure, to accommodate the tasks in-house.
Through outsourcing providers, these asset managers gain access to a pool of professionals as well as innovations that could otherwise take years and millions of dollars to put together on their own. Their level of specialization allows these providers to devote time towards the development of technologies that are tailorfitted to their clients’ needs. As a result, with outsourcing, a firm only pays for the products and services that the company actually needs and uses, and need not spend on so much overhead cost.
By delegating select functions to outsourcing partners, hedge fund managers are able to offer increased focus on core functions. They can dedicate more time and attention towards developing strategies for fund growth, and finding opportunities in emerging markets. That is, with the support of middle and back office, which will provide them with pertinent data properly sourced and warehoused, accounting services, as well as compliance management. At a time when the industry very closely scrutinizes hedge funds, outsourcing companies can offer much-needed support in terms of creating and filing reports, conducting compliance audits on a regular basis.
To make the most of outsourcing services, the key is to find firms with scalable and flexible solutions, a team of qualified professionals, and thorough understanding of the demands of today’s market.
Outsourcing has emerged as a viable solution for many firms dealing with such pressures. But it is worth noting that the idea is always first met with a few apprehensions: Would it not simply bloat the operational costs? How hard would it be to find an outsourcing partner that meets our firm’s needs? How can an outsider understand our asset management goals as a company?
Over time, however, more asset managers are seeing the value of outsourcing, and how it can be truly optimized for meeting the demands of hedge fund management in this day and age,
Through outsourcing, asset managers are able to drive costs down in the long-term. While it requires initial capital outlay, the investment eventually pays off as it eliminates the costs of recruiting and retaining employees, as well as setting up the infrastructure, to accommodate the tasks in-house.
Through outsourcing providers, these asset managers gain access to a pool of professionals as well as innovations that could otherwise take years and millions of dollars to put together on their own. Their level of specialization allows these providers to devote time towards the development of technologies that are tailorfitted to their clients’ needs. As a result, with outsourcing, a firm only pays for the products and services that the company actually needs and uses, and need not spend on so much overhead cost.
By delegating select functions to outsourcing partners, hedge fund managers are able to offer increased focus on core functions. They can dedicate more time and attention towards developing strategies for fund growth, and finding opportunities in emerging markets. That is, with the support of middle and back office, which will provide them with pertinent data properly sourced and warehoused, accounting services, as well as compliance management. At a time when the industry very closely scrutinizes hedge funds, outsourcing companies can offer much-needed support in terms of creating and filing reports, conducting compliance audits on a regular basis.
To make the most of outsourcing services, the key is to find firms with scalable and flexible solutions, a team of qualified professionals, and thorough understanding of the demands of today’s market.
Monday, June 13, 2016
Trends in hedge fund management
The past decade has been marked by various developments in the investments and securities sector, as well as in the global economic situation. As a result, the hedge fund management industry is set to witness the rise of new trends that portfolio managers and client investors must contend with.
Here is a list of such trends:
Transparency becomes a priority. Following the many controversies in the investments domain, both the government and the investor clients have become keen on examining how portfolio management firms handle the funds under their care. And to keep up with the new laws and regulations created, the industry authorities and the pertinent government bodies have also adopted more thorough processes and advanced technologies to ensure tighter implementation. Real-time monitoring of transactions has become a possibility in these times. Hedge fund managers then face immense pressure to ensure their company’s compliance. Towards this goal, some are adopting more manpower to ensure that the relevant data are collected properly, that reporting deadlines are met, and other transparency-related procedures are conducted promptly.
New markets and distribution patterns will emerge. According to a 2014 report by PricewaterhouseCoopers, assets under management will rise to $102 trillion by 2020. Markets will emerge in the growing economies of Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and South America, and the distribution network will see some changes, as the North Asia, South Asia, Latin America, and Europe are set to build trade linkages. PwC believes that portfolio managers based in North America should act in anticipation of these changes.
Alternative investments to grow. As a result of the increased regulation and demands for transparency and performance on traditional investments, more firms and individuals will be drawn towards alternative investments. Other enticing features of alternative assets include a level of protection from inflation, as well as greater opportunities for asset diversification and exposure. And this sector – which includes hedge funds, private equity, and venture capital – might grow to a $13 trillion in four years.
Amid these changes and developments, hedge fund management firms need to adapt, especially by investing in services and solutions that will help ease their workload. Third party asset servicing firms, for example, can provide valuable assistance in taking care of middle- and back office functions such as accounting, data warehousing, tax and financial reporting, and compliance management. To aid them in these functions, the best ones also invest n top-of-the-line porftolio management technologies.
Here is a list of such trends:
Transparency becomes a priority. Following the many controversies in the investments domain, both the government and the investor clients have become keen on examining how portfolio management firms handle the funds under their care. And to keep up with the new laws and regulations created, the industry authorities and the pertinent government bodies have also adopted more thorough processes and advanced technologies to ensure tighter implementation. Real-time monitoring of transactions has become a possibility in these times. Hedge fund managers then face immense pressure to ensure their company’s compliance. Towards this goal, some are adopting more manpower to ensure that the relevant data are collected properly, that reporting deadlines are met, and other transparency-related procedures are conducted promptly.
New markets and distribution patterns will emerge. According to a 2014 report by PricewaterhouseCoopers, assets under management will rise to $102 trillion by 2020. Markets will emerge in the growing economies of Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and South America, and the distribution network will see some changes, as the North Asia, South Asia, Latin America, and Europe are set to build trade linkages. PwC believes that portfolio managers based in North America should act in anticipation of these changes.
Alternative investments to grow. As a result of the increased regulation and demands for transparency and performance on traditional investments, more firms and individuals will be drawn towards alternative investments. Other enticing features of alternative assets include a level of protection from inflation, as well as greater opportunities for asset diversification and exposure. And this sector – which includes hedge funds, private equity, and venture capital – might grow to a $13 trillion in four years.
Amid these changes and developments, hedge fund management firms need to adapt, especially by investing in services and solutions that will help ease their workload. Third party asset servicing firms, for example, can provide valuable assistance in taking care of middle- and back office functions such as accounting, data warehousing, tax and financial reporting, and compliance management. To aid them in these functions, the best ones also invest n top-of-the-line porftolio management technologies.
Monday, June 6, 2016
How to get started with Fantasy Sports - FanDuel MLB Daily Fantasy
As the 2016 Major League Baseball season is currently ongoing and heating up in the months leading up to the playoffs, more and more players are getting their MLB daily fantasy fixes from a variety of sources. These include websites such as DraftKings and FanDuel. For fans of the latter, we’ve got another beginner’s guide for you right here.
FanDuel’s daily fantasy baseball, as many can attest to, is simpler in nature than that of DraftKings. One key difference is that it comes with only one minus statistic, instead of more than one. There are also less stats to deal with, which makes this a more ideal site to visit for daily fantasy newbies. As usual, you will need to live in certain parts of the world if you want to make money by playing daily fantasy MLB, you’ll have to pay the same entrance fees to join leagues in hopes of winning the prize money, and you’ll get to choose the same positions for your daily lineup, but aside from those similarities, the mechanics, particularly the scoring, is different.
Let’s first take a look at the stats accumulated by hitters. Home runs will still get you the most points – it’s 12 points per homer driven in by one of your players. After that, it’s nine points for a triple, six points for a double, and three points for a single. While DraftKings scores runs scored and runs batted in as equal, it’s also different over at FanDuel, as the site gives you 3.2 points per run and 3.5 points per RBI. Stolen bases are worth six points apiece, while getting hit by a pitcher is worth three points each time this happens.
There are only four pitching stats tallied, and you don’t need to worry if you’ve got a wild-throwing pitcher who nonetheless strikes out a lot of batters. Winning games, still, is most important, as that will get you 12 points if you chose a winning pitcher. A strikeout is worth three points each, and so is an inning pitched; you want starting pitchers who throw strikes, and definitely not relievers, with that in mind. There is one minus stat you still need to watch out for, and that’s earned runs – you lose three points per earned run allowed by your pitchers.
We hope this guide was helpful to you, and we hope you keep scouring fantasy expert blogs for more MLB daily fantasy tips in the future.
FanDuel’s daily fantasy baseball, as many can attest to, is simpler in nature than that of DraftKings. One key difference is that it comes with only one minus statistic, instead of more than one. There are also less stats to deal with, which makes this a more ideal site to visit for daily fantasy newbies. As usual, you will need to live in certain parts of the world if you want to make money by playing daily fantasy MLB, you’ll have to pay the same entrance fees to join leagues in hopes of winning the prize money, and you’ll get to choose the same positions for your daily lineup, but aside from those similarities, the mechanics, particularly the scoring, is different.
Let’s first take a look at the stats accumulated by hitters. Home runs will still get you the most points – it’s 12 points per homer driven in by one of your players. After that, it’s nine points for a triple, six points for a double, and three points for a single. While DraftKings scores runs scored and runs batted in as equal, it’s also different over at FanDuel, as the site gives you 3.2 points per run and 3.5 points per RBI. Stolen bases are worth six points apiece, while getting hit by a pitcher is worth three points each time this happens.
There are only four pitching stats tallied, and you don’t need to worry if you’ve got a wild-throwing pitcher who nonetheless strikes out a lot of batters. Winning games, still, is most important, as that will get you 12 points if you chose a winning pitcher. A strikeout is worth three points each, and so is an inning pitched; you want starting pitchers who throw strikes, and definitely not relievers, with that in mind. There is one minus stat you still need to watch out for, and that’s earned runs – you lose three points per earned run allowed by your pitchers.
We hope this guide was helpful to you, and we hope you keep scouring fantasy expert blogs for more MLB daily fantasy tips in the future.
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Proxy wars
Things are not always what they seem, including wars. Especially wars, which often involve the economic, social, and geopolitical interests of entire populations. Nothing is a better example than the subject of the war in Syria, whose ramifications are still unclear to most people. But as the crisis develops, the world is now seeing a country apparently torn by a proxy war.
A proxy war refers to a war where the supposedly warring parties are simply acting as pawns (or proxies) of the bigger powers who, for one reason or another, cannot entertain the possibility of fighting these wars themselves.
In the case of Syria, many have opined that it appears to be a proxy war between US-Russia, and there is a good case for it.
Officially, the reason why US and its allies are backing rebels to topple the rule of Bashar al-Assad is to stop its despotism, with Obama issuing statements to condemn Assad’s alleged acts of state repression. But critics of American foreign policy have called out the hypocrisy on US’ part, as it is generally quiet about the excesses of dictatorships in its allied countries, especially the notorious Saudi Arabian monarchy. But a closer look at the different parties involved – as well as their vested interests in this war – will make us think twice.
Fighting for or alongside US are the rebel Free Syrian Army, Israel, United Kingdom, Turkey, France and some countries in the Gulf region such as Qatar, Kuwait, and Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.
Russia, for its part, maintains a naval base Syria, and needs a loyal ally in that region, which the regime of Assad has proven to be. Iran and Iraq have also supported Syria, which, like them, has a predominantly Shiite population. Iran’s Hezbollah has since also deployed militias to complement Assad’s troops, in their fight against the rebels.
This topic merits our attention because if the real warring parties’ political and economic agenda are not being discussed openly, the world opinion simply becomes part of their script and no one becomes accountable for the consequences of their actions. In the meantime, many innocent lives people on the ground are becoming ruined by the war, and the ulterior motives of other parties are preventing the formation of an honest-to-goodness unified resistance to ISIS.
In the end, the civilians of Iraq, Syria, and other countries now being destroyed by ISIS deserve better help.
A proxy war refers to a war where the supposedly warring parties are simply acting as pawns (or proxies) of the bigger powers who, for one reason or another, cannot entertain the possibility of fighting these wars themselves.
In the case of Syria, many have opined that it appears to be a proxy war between US-Russia, and there is a good case for it.
Officially, the reason why US and its allies are backing rebels to topple the rule of Bashar al-Assad is to stop its despotism, with Obama issuing statements to condemn Assad’s alleged acts of state repression. But critics of American foreign policy have called out the hypocrisy on US’ part, as it is generally quiet about the excesses of dictatorships in its allied countries, especially the notorious Saudi Arabian monarchy. But a closer look at the different parties involved – as well as their vested interests in this war – will make us think twice.
Fighting for or alongside US are the rebel Free Syrian Army, Israel, United Kingdom, Turkey, France and some countries in the Gulf region such as Qatar, Kuwait, and Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.
Russia, for its part, maintains a naval base Syria, and needs a loyal ally in that region, which the regime of Assad has proven to be. Iran and Iraq have also supported Syria, which, like them, has a predominantly Shiite population. Iran’s Hezbollah has since also deployed militias to complement Assad’s troops, in their fight against the rebels.
This topic merits our attention because if the real warring parties’ political and economic agenda are not being discussed openly, the world opinion simply becomes part of their script and no one becomes accountable for the consequences of their actions. In the meantime, many innocent lives people on the ground are becoming ruined by the war, and the ulterior motives of other parties are preventing the formation of an honest-to-goodness unified resistance to ISIS.
In the end, the civilians of Iraq, Syria, and other countries now being destroyed by ISIS deserve better help.
NOTE: This is a guest blog post by Rick Kimball. Rick is a freedom lover. He enjoys researching and writing about US history and shares them on his blog rickkimball.org. For more on him, check out his LinkedIn and Google+ profiles.
Tuesday, March 29, 2016
What to look for in a portfolio management software
With the growth of the Internet and the increasing popularity of cloud computing, there has been a consequent surge in the number of asset and portfolio management software from various web-service providers. As the number of providers increase, so have claims to functionalities and features that, in reality, create more confusion than clarity for many customers. What does your portfolio manager need to look for in a portfolio management software?
Here, we identify the features that are essential to any portfolio manager.
Trade processing. First and foremost, the software should be able to aid your portfolio manager in processing trades. This includes trades in any currency, with multi-currency cash balances for each of your portfolios. On top of this, the software should afford the ability to monitor all transactions, whether they are based on trades made, contracted settlements, records of settlements, and relevant dates. The software should be able to communicate through confirmations that are flexible and customizable. Finally, trade processing should be fast, especially for money market trades.
Securities and valuation. The software should be flexible enough to accommodate user-defined security types and have a facility to maintain several price points for each security. Provisions should also be provided for sinking funds and extendable, retractable, and maturity schedule. Finally, it is imperative to have private placement and obscure bond issues that are manually or matrix priced, along with built-in standard industry calculations.
Accounting. No portfolio manager software is complete without accounting features. Commissions for the dealer and the broker of each trade should be carefully tracked. There is also online processing of future trades, on top of accounting records and audit trails for historical activities. Calculations for accrued interest, realized, and unrealized gains and losses are also incorporated in the accounting function.
Reporting. The final inexpendable feature of portfolio manager software is the ability to generate reports that provide the user with all relevant information. Report templates can be made customizable, with the software offering templates and automated report writing. Aside from report templates, query tools are made available to easily navigate through a myriad of data that reside in an integrated database designed to optimize portfolio management.
Truly, a state-of-the-art portfolio management software is indispensable for firms that aim to effectively facilitate, monitor, control, and manage any investor’s growing and evolving portfolio. Such a technology is available through some of today’s top asset servicing firms – the ideal partners for growth of asset managers.
Here, we identify the features that are essential to any portfolio manager.
Trade processing. First and foremost, the software should be able to aid your portfolio manager in processing trades. This includes trades in any currency, with multi-currency cash balances for each of your portfolios. On top of this, the software should afford the ability to monitor all transactions, whether they are based on trades made, contracted settlements, records of settlements, and relevant dates. The software should be able to communicate through confirmations that are flexible and customizable. Finally, trade processing should be fast, especially for money market trades.
Securities and valuation. The software should be flexible enough to accommodate user-defined security types and have a facility to maintain several price points for each security. Provisions should also be provided for sinking funds and extendable, retractable, and maturity schedule. Finally, it is imperative to have private placement and obscure bond issues that are manually or matrix priced, along with built-in standard industry calculations.
Accounting. No portfolio manager software is complete without accounting features. Commissions for the dealer and the broker of each trade should be carefully tracked. There is also online processing of future trades, on top of accounting records and audit trails for historical activities. Calculations for accrued interest, realized, and unrealized gains and losses are also incorporated in the accounting function.
Reporting. The final inexpendable feature of portfolio manager software is the ability to generate reports that provide the user with all relevant information. Report templates can be made customizable, with the software offering templates and automated report writing. Aside from report templates, query tools are made available to easily navigate through a myriad of data that reside in an integrated database designed to optimize portfolio management.
Truly, a state-of-the-art portfolio management software is indispensable for firms that aim to effectively facilitate, monitor, control, and manage any investor’s growing and evolving portfolio. Such a technology is available through some of today’s top asset servicing firms – the ideal partners for growth of asset managers.
Monday, March 7, 2016
Things You’re Doing Wrong on Social Media
Social media marketing is and will continue to be a leading platforms for brand promotion. Some companies are doing it wrong, however, and so fail to achieve the growth in following and loyalty that they had in mind.
Here are some of the things your brand is possibly doing wrong on social media – and how to move forward as your company’s New Year resolution for community management.
Cross-posting without tweaking content. You most likely want your customers and business partners to follow you on your accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. There is a feature to post the same content on different platforms, but it’s not one to be abused. You don’t want to make your followers feel like you are lazy or unimaginative. Find a way to present the same information without just copy-pasting the content to another platform. Otherwise, your customers should just subscribe to one account, right?
Sounding like different entities across different platforms. The other extreme not to fall into concerning content management on social media is to sound as if an entirely different team is handling each of the various brand accounts. Content across platforms may come in perhaps slightly different tones, but they should convey the same brand messaging and the same buzzwords. Obviously, they should all use the same company logo and taglines, and other official corporate identity materials
Not caring about analytics. Facebook, Twitter, Wordpress, and other social media websites generally have features that offer some insight to the impact that your posts are making. But how many times have you actually looked at their graphs on user behavior? Are you listening to your customers by checking how they respond to your posts? Do you know what types of content elicit the most engagement especially shares and comments? Do monitor analytics, and change what and how you deliver social media content based on the data.
Not checking the competition. Monitoring is part of the tasks of a committed social media community manager. After all, it is a must to be kept abreast of developments in the industry, as well as current events. It is particularly important to be aware of what the competition is offering, so you know how to offer something better for your target market.
In need of guidance in conquering the domain of social media marketing? Talk to marketing experts today, and partner with them in building and growing your brand online.
Here are some of the things your brand is possibly doing wrong on social media – and how to move forward as your company’s New Year resolution for community management.
Cross-posting without tweaking content. You most likely want your customers and business partners to follow you on your accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. There is a feature to post the same content on different platforms, but it’s not one to be abused. You don’t want to make your followers feel like you are lazy or unimaginative. Find a way to present the same information without just copy-pasting the content to another platform. Otherwise, your customers should just subscribe to one account, right?
Sounding like different entities across different platforms. The other extreme not to fall into concerning content management on social media is to sound as if an entirely different team is handling each of the various brand accounts. Content across platforms may come in perhaps slightly different tones, but they should convey the same brand messaging and the same buzzwords. Obviously, they should all use the same company logo and taglines, and other official corporate identity materials
Not caring about analytics. Facebook, Twitter, Wordpress, and other social media websites generally have features that offer some insight to the impact that your posts are making. But how many times have you actually looked at their graphs on user behavior? Are you listening to your customers by checking how they respond to your posts? Do you know what types of content elicit the most engagement especially shares and comments? Do monitor analytics, and change what and how you deliver social media content based on the data.
Not checking the competition. Monitoring is part of the tasks of a committed social media community manager. After all, it is a must to be kept abreast of developments in the industry, as well as current events. It is particularly important to be aware of what the competition is offering, so you know how to offer something better for your target market.
In need of guidance in conquering the domain of social media marketing? Talk to marketing experts today, and partner with them in building and growing your brand online.
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Preparing for Your Wedding Day at The Hamptons
In the beautiful neighborhood of the Hamptons are some of the most spectacular locations you and your future spouse could have for when you mark the start of your forever.
Are you planning your wedding at any of the Hamptons wedding venues? Take note of these tips.
Give thoughtful pointers to your guests. On some seasons, the Hamptons can get really crowded with holidaymakers and beach-lovers from all over the world. Have you thought of where can your guests stay during your wedding weekend? Give them useful pointers about which hotels are great. Inform them as well if there are worthwhile things to do or visit while they’re here, so they can make the most of the trip. Inquire with your own hotel concierge if there are any big events your invitees can attend, such as a wine-tasting fair, or a fruit-picking event. Also ask about nearby museums, nature trails, or resorts that your relatives and loved ones can come to especially if they are bringing their entire family with them. And tell them to pack swimwear, outdoor gear, and whatever else they might need during this stay. Make it a cute portion of your invitation entitled “Tips from (the groom’s name) & the bride’s name)!”
Be picky about the food. Try to recall the weddings you’ve attended, and you’ll notice that the memorable ones where those which had awesome food. Do pick your caterer well. Schedule food-tasting sessions before booking one. Try to request a special menu created just for your big day. Speak with the chef, and consider the season, the profile of your guests, even the local ingredients available. From the appetizers to the desserts to the drinks, subscribe to only the highest standards.
Find a way to entertain everyone. Who are your invitees? Surely, there would be a mix of different people that you have known from your childhood, from school, from work, among other journeys you have taken in life. Prepare something that will entertain everyone: from the kids to the oldies but kids at heart. Ask your wedding band or DJ to play hits from different eras. Set up a table where the kids can have fun while attended to by an adult. It can have crayons or modelling clay, among other toys that are child-safe. Also prepare a booth displaying photos and other keepsakes that everyone can look at during the waiting times.
Have a good time planning your wedding day at The Hamptons!
Are you planning your wedding at any of the Hamptons wedding venues? Take note of these tips.
Give thoughtful pointers to your guests. On some seasons, the Hamptons can get really crowded with holidaymakers and beach-lovers from all over the world. Have you thought of where can your guests stay during your wedding weekend? Give them useful pointers about which hotels are great. Inform them as well if there are worthwhile things to do or visit while they’re here, so they can make the most of the trip. Inquire with your own hotel concierge if there are any big events your invitees can attend, such as a wine-tasting fair, or a fruit-picking event. Also ask about nearby museums, nature trails, or resorts that your relatives and loved ones can come to especially if they are bringing their entire family with them. And tell them to pack swimwear, outdoor gear, and whatever else they might need during this stay. Make it a cute portion of your invitation entitled “Tips from (the groom’s name) & the bride’s name)!”
Be picky about the food. Try to recall the weddings you’ve attended, and you’ll notice that the memorable ones where those which had awesome food. Do pick your caterer well. Schedule food-tasting sessions before booking one. Try to request a special menu created just for your big day. Speak with the chef, and consider the season, the profile of your guests, even the local ingredients available. From the appetizers to the desserts to the drinks, subscribe to only the highest standards.
Find a way to entertain everyone. Who are your invitees? Surely, there would be a mix of different people that you have known from your childhood, from school, from work, among other journeys you have taken in life. Prepare something that will entertain everyone: from the kids to the oldies but kids at heart. Ask your wedding band or DJ to play hits from different eras. Set up a table where the kids can have fun while attended to by an adult. It can have crayons or modelling clay, among other toys that are child-safe. Also prepare a booth displaying photos and other keepsakes that everyone can look at during the waiting times.
Have a good time planning your wedding day at The Hamptons!
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Onward and Upward: The Implications of Investing in Private Equity
When considering non-traditional holdings, one must not discount the vast potential to be realized in private equity investing.
Private equity firms align with private corporations, university endowments, funds of funds, private and public pension funds, and charitable organizations to raise money for acquiring ownership in businesses that, while established, are struggling and can stand to benefit from a cash infusion. Upon purchase, the company is rehabilitated from bottom to top, so that in about four to 10 years’ time and after a notable increase in value, the stake can be sold at a generous profit favoring the original investors.
Similarly, venture capital firms pool together resources from various professional and institutional investors and wealthy individuals alike, in order to procure equity ownership in startups built around innovations in technology, health care, renewable energy, and lifestyle. This growth capital is used to develop the young enterprise in its early stages, helping it get off the ground and find its footing in the industry. When the company reaches a certain level of maturation and bankability, the capitalists can then exit their ownership in exchange for substantial gains.
Though private equity enjoys quite a few key advantages—the long-term absolute returns that are impossible to obtain with IPOs, the low exposure to volatility and inflation, and the high degree of influence stakeholders have over company management are just some of this type of offering’s featured benefits—this investment category is not without its challenges.
But apart from the retrieval and maintenance of adequate capital commitments from its institutional and individual investors, a private equity firm’s main concerns involve the sourcing, orchestrating, and closing of deals and buyouts, portfolio company improvement with an emphasis on lowering costs, enhancing operations, and recalibrating management in order to spur revenue and net earnings growth, and the arrangement of high-paying portfolio company ownership exit.
Fortunately, asset servicing firms can provide any private equity or venture capital firm with all the administration, accounting, tax, and intelligence support it can possibly need, at the quality and velocity that allows its fund managers and partners to focus on soldiering forward and staying ahead of the curve. Leveraging exceptional staff, state-of-the-art cloud-based domestic and international trade market software, ultra efficient data collation and processing techniques, and globally esteemed client care, asset servicing solution providers can deliver with the utmost integrity, accuracy, and speed, ensuring private equity clients the highest of yields, using the industry’s most advanced methods.
Private equity firms align with private corporations, university endowments, funds of funds, private and public pension funds, and charitable organizations to raise money for acquiring ownership in businesses that, while established, are struggling and can stand to benefit from a cash infusion. Upon purchase, the company is rehabilitated from bottom to top, so that in about four to 10 years’ time and after a notable increase in value, the stake can be sold at a generous profit favoring the original investors.
Similarly, venture capital firms pool together resources from various professional and institutional investors and wealthy individuals alike, in order to procure equity ownership in startups built around innovations in technology, health care, renewable energy, and lifestyle. This growth capital is used to develop the young enterprise in its early stages, helping it get off the ground and find its footing in the industry. When the company reaches a certain level of maturation and bankability, the capitalists can then exit their ownership in exchange for substantial gains.
Though private equity enjoys quite a few key advantages—the long-term absolute returns that are impossible to obtain with IPOs, the low exposure to volatility and inflation, and the high degree of influence stakeholders have over company management are just some of this type of offering’s featured benefits—this investment category is not without its challenges.
But apart from the retrieval and maintenance of adequate capital commitments from its institutional and individual investors, a private equity firm’s main concerns involve the sourcing, orchestrating, and closing of deals and buyouts, portfolio company improvement with an emphasis on lowering costs, enhancing operations, and recalibrating management in order to spur revenue and net earnings growth, and the arrangement of high-paying portfolio company ownership exit.
Fortunately, asset servicing firms can provide any private equity or venture capital firm with all the administration, accounting, tax, and intelligence support it can possibly need, at the quality and velocity that allows its fund managers and partners to focus on soldiering forward and staying ahead of the curve. Leveraging exceptional staff, state-of-the-art cloud-based domestic and international trade market software, ultra efficient data collation and processing techniques, and globally esteemed client care, asset servicing solution providers can deliver with the utmost integrity, accuracy, and speed, ensuring private equity clients the highest of yields, using the industry’s most advanced methods.
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