General Finance News

This is the sixth of sixteen parts of a “book club” reading and discussion of Keith Ferrazzi and Tahl Raz’s Never Eat Alone, where this book on building a lifelong community of colleagues, contacts, friends, and mentors is teased apart and looked at in detail. This entry covers the eleventh and twelfth chapters, “Never Eat Alone” and “Share Your Passions,” which appear on pages 94 through 104.

One interesting aspect of making connections for me is that my career is pretty solitary. I stay at home most days, working from my office, without meeting people face to face.

Thus, quite often, my “networking” occurs online. That’s a big reason why I’ve signed up for so many social networks, like FriendFeed and GoodReads and Twitter and even BoardGameGeek – they serve as my “virtual” watercooler during the day. I dig into topics of intere

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The UK government has recently confirmed that the debt management companies, currently outside of the regulatory loop, will soon be regulated by the FSA (Financial Services Authority). These are the parties who act on behalf of their customers in organising loan consolidations and other debt arrangements for which they receive an upfront payment and potential payments further down the line. So are these debt management companies worth the money?

While debt management companies have for some time received a very difficult press in the UK they do serve a purpose for some people who are unable to understand the options available to them and need assistance. However, a number of people have complained that after being tied down to arrangements which include debt management schemes, they have eventually had to succumb to bankruptcy or IVAs. Read more…

A Senate committee charged with looking at the Australian banking industry has issued a report which suggested that the Australian Government should maintain its Four Pillars policy, and not give approval for mergers proposed between the Big Four banking groups. The powerful Senate committee also suggested that parliament should intensify its scrutiny over competition in the retail banking market.

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Current mortgage rates are lower as 10-year U.S. Treasury yields slip below 3.40 percent. Both conforming mortgage rates and jumbo mortgage rates are lower. Current 30-year mortgage rates are at 5.11 percent, down from 5.23 percent set earlier this week. 15-year mortgage rates  are down to 4.57 percent, down from 4.75 percent on Monday.

Current Adjustable Mortgage Rates

Average shorter term adjustable rate mortgages are also down. Conforming one-year adjustable mortgage rates are at 4.34 percent, down from 4.48 percent set on Monday. 3-year conforming adjustable rate mortgages are down to 4.46 percent, down from Monday’s rate of 4.65 percent.

Average conventinal 5-year adjustable rate mortgages are up to 4.30 percent, up from Monday’s average mortgage rate of 4.26 percent. 5-year j

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Are you serious about bringing down your auto insurance costs by reducing your premium dollars? Then your search stops here as this write-up will explain adjustments you need to make and point you to all you need to pay far less. I’ll share sure-fire ways for anyone to get the most affordable rate for their profile or coverage needs. In addition, the tips I’ll share will NOT force you to make do with inadequate coverage all in the name of realizing savings. Here they are…

*.Do your best to install theft-deterrent devices in your car. They usually get you an anti-theft discount for the simple reason that they make it less likely that you car will be stolen. Thieves prefer unprotected cars.

*Defensive driving helps so get trained in it. In addition to making you a better driver, it will get you a discount with your insurer provided such a class is recognized by them.

*You’ll get a No Claims bonus or discount if you do not make any claims for about four years. Read more…

In what is fast becoming a government v union battle of wills, it has been revealed that the unions want the UK government to maintain control of the former National Express rail franchise, the East Coast main line.

This is the rail franchise which National Express effectively gave back to the government because of increased losses and the impact it was having on the company’s balance sheet. In what many believe is phase 1 of a nationalisation of the rail network, unions are putting the UK government under immense pressure to maintain control of the East Coast main line. This comes at a time when rail workers are threatening more industrial action over pay and working conditions, pushing the UK government into a very tight corner.

Even though the authorities are committed to a free market in the rail network, there are concerns that reduce profitability across the board is placing more and more pressure on rail franchisees. Read more…

As competition intensifies in the $24 billion general insurance market, Australia’s largest general insurers may have to find other ways beyond increasing premiums to combat rising claims resulting from natural disasters.

A survey by professional services firm KPMG of the market for general insurance found that the entrance and emergence of new players such as Coles, Virgin Money and Australia Post may have placed pressure on larger rivals to maintain premiums or risk losing their market share.

Brian Greig, head of KPMG’s insurance practice, said new entrants had focused on price in order to build market share, providing robust competition to incumbents in the general insurance market, currently dominated by Allianz, Insurance Australia Group, Suncorp and QBE.

Mr. Gre

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Current mortgage rates are stable today as 10-year Treasury yields hover just below 3.50 percent. Today’s conforming fixed 30-year mortgage rates have risen slightly to 5.18 percent from yesterday’s rate of 5.15 percent. 15-year mortgage rates are averaging 4.58 percent currently, up from an average mortgage rate of  4.57 percent on Monday.

Looking for the lowest mortgage rates? MonitorBankRates.com has mortgage rate tables you can use to find the best mortgage rates in your zip code. Find Mortgage Interest Rates here

Average jumbo mortgage rates are mixed today, 30-year jumbo rate mortgages are lower and 15-year jumbo mortgage rates are higher. Current  30-year jumbo mortgage rates are just under 6.00 percent at 5.99 percent, down from last week’s average mortgage rate of 6.02 percent. The average r

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