ABC Money

Money-saving Valentine’s Day

Finance

Elliot

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8 February 2017

Dining at home instead of eating out, making your own cards and buying prosecco rather than champagne are just some of the ways you can save money this Valentine’s Day or simply trying to be funny this year and buy a funny Valentine’s Day gift?

The penny-pinching gurus from PromotionalCodes.org.uk have put together a list of ways you can enjoy 14^th Feburary with your loved one without breaking the bank.

They recommend organising fun things to do at home, like a home-spa day for yourself and your lover, or a stay-at-home cocktail night.

They also recommend making your own chocolates and buying red roses at supermarkets to save money.

Darren Williams from PromotionalCodes.org.uk said: “Valentine’s Day is a special day for all couples, but you don’t have to splash the cash in order to have a romantic evening with your partner.

“You can save a lot of money by staying in rather than going out. But just because you’re having an evening in does not mean it has to be boring.

“By following our top tips, you can organise a fun night in with your partner that won’t break the bank.”

Here are the site’s money-saving Valentine’s Day ideas:

Dine in at home instead of eating out

Save a bit of money this Valentine’s day and opt for dinner at home rather than eating out. Cooking a three-course meal with a bottle of wine will cost far less than dining at a restaurant. You can even pick out a menu that will suit yours and your partner’s taste buds down to a T.

Spa day

Booking a spa day for yourself and your partner will set you back anything between £40-£250. But if you don’t want to spend this kind of money, why not put together a home-spa day for yourself and your partner instead? Buy some massage oils and bath bombs and get relaxed for far less money.

Home-cinema

A cinema date for two with popcorn and drinks in a UK cinema will cost you around £40. Instead of forking out over-priced cinema costs, instead, why not have a movie night in with your other half? Buy or cook some popcorn, make a drink and stick a film on that neither of you have seen before.

Cocktail night

Taking your lover out for cocktails will set you back a lot of money, especially on Valentine’s Day when the offers may not be that great. A stay-at-home cocktail night won’t break the bank. Buy a cocktail recipe book or use YouTube videos to help you concoct some delicious drinks.

Champagne

Most people can’t tell the good champagne from the bad, so why bother? Refrain from buying it for your partner and instead, opt for a bottle of prosecco, just as delicious and a fraction of the cost.

Stay at home city break

Instead of forking out for a weekend city break for yourself and your partner, why not explore the place you live in? Every town has history and a lot of it you probably didn’t know about. Get together and go for a walk, or visit your local castle or cathedral. It’ll save you money and you may learn a thing or two.

Homemade chocolates

A box of chocolates will set you back from anything between £10-£50. An alternative option that can end up saving you money on your partner this Valentine’s Day, is by making your own. DIY truffles can cost just £3 and can be just as delicious as expensive shop-bought ones..

Romantic picnic

A romantic picnic in the park is not only cheaper than going out to a restaurant, but it is also a great way to get outside in the fresh air. Make up some picnic treats such as cakes and sandwiches, and get a flask of hot chocolate and spend the day strolling around with your loved one.

Red roses

Whilst red roses are a Valentine’s Day tradition, don’t be fooled into buying expensive ones from online retailers. These will only last a day or two because there are no refrigerators in delivery lorries. Instead, buy from supermarkets or warehouse stores, as these will be a lot fresher and also lower in cost.

Cards

This year, instead of buying a usual Valentine’s Day card, be different and make a homemade one for your partner. Get crafty, whilst saving money at the time. You can even make it more personable than the ones you buy at the store, by including a sweet couple photograph.

What makes a great Businessman?

Business

ABC Staff

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8 February 2017

0

Don’t be too stern, have time for leisure. Happiness and victory go hand in hand. In fact, (in the sense of motivation) they boost each and other up. Even for business reasons, socializing is imperative for somebody at the head of a company. Socializing is networking; by meeting new people you are basically building a business alliance, people who you can reach out to for assistance or vice versa. A hobby is a great idea, something particular that you appreciate and dedicate time to. Even your basic luxuries like television and gaming are forms of leisure, they can be improved, by buying the best T.V or going out to find the best gaming monitor or console. But what I am trying to say is, simply prioritize YOU time. A contented businessman is more likely to be a successful businessman.

Maintain your health. Stay hydrated throughout the day, it is very important. Hydration is a huge contributor to a stimulated mind, as is a balanced diet and regular exercise. Being healthy is vital in life anyway but when you are working a busy schedule and dealing with multiple things at one time it is critical that you put your body first. Health is key in the workplace. You mustn’t overwork yourself and you must get a reasonable amount of hours sleep a night so that you do not lose motivation.

When you are at the top of a company, it becomes your responsibility to stay up to date on technology, especially if it is specific to your field of work. In this day and age technology pretty much runs the world. The concept of “going paperless” is completely removing all paper documents, keeping it all in one software. HR Systems are a good example of this. It keeps all employee records and data in one place, easily accessible and very safe and secure. Make sure you are always on top of updates, software’s and devices, which could improve your business.

Because you are the brains behind everything, it is important that you broaden your horizons. Become a more calm and content person and modify your perception. Internal and mental peace is what lifts your willpower to a level, which enables you to have control and patience, and with that will naturally come respect. A great way to find peace is to travel, whether that is somewhere inside or outside of Europe- that is down to you. But when travelling inside of the EU remember to carry your European health insurance card (Only if you live within the European Economic Area). If you do not have one of these, apply here. That doesn’t mean, go abroad and come back a laid back, pushover of a boss! It means create a mindset for yourself that pushes your behaviour to be professional. Shouting at your employees creates tension, negativity and triggers a lack of respect.

In order to be great businessmen, you need to have initiative and imagination. Every slight decision you make, affects your company, inevitably. Think to yourself on a weekly basis; “why am I doing this?” “What do I want to achieve?” regularly remind yourself of your aims and draw up objectives, plans and consider your visions. Make your vision your biggest motivator; try a new method within the company, change the systems, be brave and be confident because you are uniqueness behind the enterprise, do what it takes to reach your success.

Service With A Smile Could Boost Consumer Spending By £64.6 Billion

Business

Jack Peat

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8 February 2017

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Service With A Smile Could Boost Consumer Spending By £64.6 Billion

It’s a business adage that is as old as time, but it turns out it really does pay to be kind.

New research has quantified the cost of good customer service in the UK, finding service with a smile could increase UK consumer spending by £64.6 billion a year.

On average, people spend a £142.91 each week in shops and restaurants – however they would be willing to spend an additional £19.08 every week if they were to receive more attentive service.

Despite this, just 11 per cent of Brits said they usually receive friendly service when shopping or eating out.

The research of 2,028 UK adults was commissioned by low cost airline and holiday company, Monarch.

Nils Christy, Chief Operating Offer at Monarch, said: “We are often described as the nicer airline and we pride ourselves on this, so we wanted to see just how much the UK values this quality from other service providers.

“With the research proving that niceness could be a major boost to our economy, hopefully Brits will put it higher up on their agenda.”

Households with a total income of £45,000 – £55,000 per year were found to be the most responsive to nice service and would be willing to reward it with £44.68 more each week on average.

In comparison, individuals with salaries of over £55,000 per year said they would be happy to typically spend £24.48 extra a week on kind service.

People from Glasgow said they would be willing to spend an extra £28.84 a week on average on good service – the most generous in the UK.

While respondents from Norwich said they would reward friendly staff with an additional £9.08 extra per week on average – the lowest among those polled.

On average, 97 per cent of Brits consider themselves to be nice people – with kindness, respecting others and honesty the key ingredients of what makes someone nice.

And three quarters of UK adults said it’s important to be kind because it encourages others to treat you the same way.

For nicer flights and holidays visit: www.monarch.co.uk.

London’s Skyline: 6 Iconic Buildings

News

ABC Staff

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6 February 2017

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London is one of the most fascinating cities on the planet, that’s a fact. Just take a look at the UK capital’s skyline towards the City of London and marvel at the innovative architecture that’s been brought to life here. Dakota Murphey, an independent content writer working alongside MC Property Maintenance, shares 6 iconic buildings with you.

South Quay Plaza

https://www.berkeleygroup.co.uk/new-homes/london/canary-wharf/south-quay-plaza

Also known as ‘Toothpick Towers’, South Quay Plaza, designed by Norman Foster, is a high-rise that’s as cool as they come. The tallest residential building in the UK at 250 metres, the towers contain over 900 flats and were designed as two squares interlocking at their corners. Situated in Canary Wharf, these two magnificent sentinels rise high above a 1.5-acre public park, and are a model of style and elegance.

The glass facades of the towers are split in two, giving the impression of a cluster of six wonderfully thin, sleek shafts. South Quay Plaza was modelled on Foster’s design for New York’s 610 Lexington Avenue, and joins a growing number of stylish, pencil-thin towers that are rising across the city.

Trellick Tower

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3511333/Truth-concrete-tower-block-inspiration-new-film-High-Rise-Breathtaking-structure-residents-excited-soon-known-tower-terror.html

Soaring high above the busy terraced streets of Notting Hill, Trellick Tower has become a west London icon, appearing on T-shirts and featuring in songs, films and advertisements. The residential complex, which has a brooding, medieval, sci-fi look, was designed by Hungarian-born Ernö Goldfinger as social housing for the Greater London Council. Its 200 flats are arranged over 31 floors in neatly stacked ‘streets’, connected by sky-bridges to a freestanding service area. This narrow tower has thin arrow-slit windows and a glass boiler-house on top.

One Wood Wharf

This uniquely-structured 55 floor residential building, with a height of 154 metres, resembles a tall cylindrical stack of sugar cubes or a thin stick of white coral poking out from Canary Wharf’s sea of glass and concrete.

When it’s due to complete in late 2018, One Wood Wharf will be a stylish new residential addition to London’s financial centre. The individual apartments appear to shuffle in and out of the overall façade, creating terraces and balconies of different sizes. The apartment types are layered in groups, each offset to form a spiral of large bay windows that curl all the way up the facade.

Centre Point

http://www.markbetonphotography.com/UK/LONDON/Christmas-in-London-2011/i-FWJHV2p

At the crossroads of Oxford Street and Tottenham Court Road stands a glistening white beacon of offices and residential apartments. Designed by George Marsh of the architects R. Siefert and Partners, and completed in 1967, Centre Point was one of London’s first skyscrapers and comprised a 33-storey office tower and a 9-storey block that contained shops, offices, retail units and maisonettes.

This Grade II listed building has bold pop-art patterns and the sleek, tailored lines of a Swinging Sixties dress. But for many years it stood empty, leading to it being referred to as ‘London’s Empty Skyscraper’. It was seen as a brash monument to the greed of its developer, property tycoon Harry Hyams. In 2015, it was converted from office space to luxury flats.

The Shard

https://www.theviewfromtheshard.com/en/gallery

As if beamed from another planet, the Shard presents an unearthly sight on the south London skyline. Designed by Renzo Piano and completed in 2012, the Shard is a 300-metre, 95-storey, skyscraper in Southwark, London, with offices, hotel, shops and apartments.

Irvine Sellar, the Shard’s developer and joint owner, had an ambitious vision to create an architecturally striking vertical city. In 1999, he set about planning a world-class building that would capture people’s imagination. He arranged lunch in Berlin with award-winning architect Renzo Piano, who told Sellar that he hated tall buildings because they were arrogant and aggressive, like fortresses. Sellar thought his lunch meeting would be a short one, but there was something about London’s church spires and tall ships on the Thames that appealed to Renzo. Quickly turning over his menu he started to sketch. What he drew in a matter of seconds bears a remarkable resemblance to the Shard today – a spire-like spear emerging from London’s River Thames.

The Gherkin

http://www.thegherkinlondon.com/

Built in 2003, and designed by Norman Foster, the 41-floor Gherkin in St Mary Axe, London, is one of London’s and the world’s most iconic buildings. Described by Londoners as resembling a bullet, a pine cone, or the stub of a cigar, it has also been unflatteringly described as a pickled gherkin.

The exterior supporting framework of diagonally intersecting ribs of metal and concrete strengthens the structure and makes it more resistant to the forces of the wind. It also makes the building look as if it’s bulging out of a pair of fish-net stockings. But the Gherkin has stood the test of time and deserves its reputation as ‘the most civilised skyscraper in the world’.

Essential Business Telephone Etiquette in 5 Easy Steps

Business

ABC Staff

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6 February 2017

0

Essential Business Telephone Etiquette in 5 Easy Steps

As a business owner, you surely can’t imagine anything worse than turning trade away. But unless your staff are properly trained in business telephone etiquette, that’s exactly what they may be doing.

Making a good impression when talking to a customer on the phone is one of the most important things your staff can do for your company. Whether you have a shop, office, restaurant or factory, phone calls are immensely important – in fact, they’re business critical.

When customers call, they may be wanting to place an order or, if this is their first contact, they may be wanting to know more about your services or products. If you don’t make a good first impression and create a positive relationship, you may well be throwing business down the drain.

Good telephone etiquette is a great starting point for providing a satisfying customer experience. Make callers feel at home. It’s not that difficult to be pleasant and efficient. Great phone manners make people feel good about doing business with you and your company.

The conversation you have with a customer determines their perception of the company, even though there are many fantastic telephone answering services available, if you want that perception to be positive, here’s how you should handle customer calls within your business.

Answer quickly

Most people hang up if the phone doesn’t get answered after six or seven rings. If it takes forever for someone to answer the phone, the customer’s first impression is that your company doesn’t care. They may also think that you’re disorganised or understaffed, closed or, worse still, no longer in business! Answer as soon as you can – no-one likes to be kept waiting, especially not on the phone.

If your employees really are too busy to answer the phone, make sure that your voicemail gets customers to the menu easily and that they’re quickly transferred to someone who can help. If you don’t have a receptionist, there should always be someone on hand to answer calls.

Practice makes perfect

Agree some set phrases your staff can use as a standardised greeting to answer the phone, and write them down if you need to. ‘Good morning, ABC Ltd, how can I help?’ or ‘ABC Ltd, Janet speaking, how can be of service?’ should be perfectly good default options.

If your staff are struggling to follow the procedure, there’s nothing wrong with practising answering the phone on each other. Sometimes, a bit of role-play can go a long way to embedding desirable habits. So does a friendly, helpful and polite tone of voice.

Know your extension numbers

If you can’t help a customer, make sure you connect them quickly to the right person. In order to connect the caller to the Accounts Department, say something like ‘The Accounts Department should be able to deal with your query. Would you like me to put you through?’ Then make sure someone in Accounts can take the call.

Make sure your staff are trained how to use the telephone system, including putting someone through to an internal extension. Many customers have found themselves cut off as a result of the operator not knowing how to use the telecom system and losing the call in the process. It’s unprofessional and may just have cost you that crucial order.

Ask before putting a customer on hold

There’s nothing worse than being put on hold without being told, but it’s is a common occurrence. It’s particularly annoying when your call is being answered and then immediately put on hold – it’s rude and unnecessary.

If you must put someone on hold, then do it properly. Answer the phone and thank the person for calling. If they want to speak to someone who’s busy, ask politely if you can put them on hold for a short time or ask if they would prefer to be called back (in which case take their phone number and pass the message on). It’s important to make sure they want to hold on – they may say they’d be happy to leave a message, call back later or email instead.

If a customer decides to hold, how long should you leave them there? The general rule of thumb is no longer than a minute. After that, you need to get back to them, explain that the person they want to speak to is still busy and ask if they’d like to leave a message. Or you could suggest connecting them to someone else in the same department who could help. Being on hold can be really frustrating for a customer, and if you don’t handle it correctly, they may never ever call back.

Make sure you end a call properly

Whether or not you’ve been able to help solve the customer’s query, it’s vital to end the call in the right way. You should be as warm and polite and as possible and try not to make the customer feel as if you’re in a great hurry to get off the phone.

Ask if there’s anything else you can help them with, and if there isn’t, then thank them for calling and wish them a pleasant day. Use their name when addressing them, as this makes the entire experience more personal, but unless you have their express permission to address them by their first name, use their surname.

What to do when you’re staring insolvency in the face

Finance

ABC Staff

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6 February 2017

0

What to do when you’re staring insolvency in the face

Company directors have exceedingly responsible jobs – they are duty-bound to act in the best interests of the company and, if the company is listed on the stock exchange, are accountable to its shareholders. They routinely have to make difficult and important decisions that affect the profitability and growth of a business and ensure that the company is financially stable.

If a company runs into financial difficulties by taking on too much debt, a director must decide whether to continue to trade and for how long, or whether the company should declare insolvency. Directors who fail to acknowledge insolvency can be liable, personally, for company debts.

Insolvency arises when a company has insufficient assets to cover their debts or cannot pay their debts on time. But it’s not always easy to identify the exact time when insolvency should be declared. Some companies operate on the brink before finally pulling through and becoming profitable again.

More information about the laws and regulations surrounding the insolvency process can be found on the government website here.

When company directors have concerns about the solvency of the business, it’s their duty to monitor and examine the financial records regularly and try to rectify the problem. The decisions they make must be carefully considered, as they can significantly impact on their employees and those the company owes money to.

Here, Dakota Murphey, working alongside law firm George Ide who were consulted for some of the information in this article, gives 3 main indicators that determine whether a company should declare insolvency:

Cashflow Test

Here, a director must ask himself if the company can pay its debts when they fall due after studying the company accounts. One sign of a business that may be on the brink of insolvency is if they’re unable to pay their suppliers on time and have requested an extended credit period. Similarly, if one or more debtors cannot pay a company on time, this can have a substantial impact on the business which could lead to its insolvency.

Balance Sheet Test

The Balance Sheet Test reveals whether a company’s assets exceed all of its liabilities. Directors are legally required to present up-to-date accounts and must ensure that that the company has sufficient assets to cover all liabilities. If they cannot do so, they’re obliged to consider whether they should continue to trade or declare insolvency. Directors must ensure that the risk to creditors is minimised and that unlawful trading is avoided.

Litigation Test

It’s vital that directors consider the Litigation Test. Recently, the level of debt required to present a bankruptcy petition against an individual was increased to £5,000, but a creditor who is owed more than £750 by a company can make a written demand in respect of that unpaid debt. Thereafter, a company who’s been served with a formal written demand has just 21 days to pay, and if they don’t, the creditor can lodge a petition for the company to be wound up.

At the same time, directors of companies who are unable to pay creditors and are constantly receiving threats of litigation, should as a matter of course investigate, in detail, the solvency, or otherwise, of the company, by applying the Balance Sheet Test and Cashflow Test as explained above.

Security interest

It’s interesting to note that in the event of a company insolvency, the law in the UK grants the greatest protection to banks and other parties that contract for a ‘security interest’. For example, if, say, a large industrial machine is secured by means of a ‘security interest’, then the holder of the security interest is entitled to seize and, if required, sell the equipment in order to discharge the debt that the security interest secures. The company providing the security is thus given priority over other creditors, including the company’s own employees, and other businesses that may have traded with the insolvent company.

Head in the sand?

Rather than sticking their heads in the sand ostrich-like, directors who think their company may be teetering on the brink of insolvency should not turn a blind eye but face the consequences and make some tough decisions. The situation does not necessarily mean that it’s the end of the road – many companies who’ve been declared insolvent have started up again and become successful.

Negligence?

If it can be proved that a director has been negligently trading a company that should have been declared insolvent, they can be sued for a breach of duty, or disqualified from holding directorships. The earlier a director accepts there’s a problem and that the company needs help and takes the necessary steps to rescue it, the better. There are options available and with the assistance of a specialist insolvency solicitor, or a professional like an insolvency practitioner, insolvency can sometimes be avoided.

How to turn your business into a franchise

Business

Sam Allcock

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3 February 2017

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How to turn your business into a franchise

Expanding your business by opening new branches yourself is a costly exercise as each new location will involve marketing costs, new building leases, salaries for new employees and investment in capital equipment. In contrast, franchising a successful business can prove to be a much less expensive route to major expansion. Because each franchisee must pay a fee to start their business and must cover all the start-up costs mentioned above, your company will be able to expand more quickly, without using all its capital reserves. Each franchise then pays you a percentage of their monthly income, guaranteeing your company a profit if the initial business model is sound. You can find out more about the costs of this by looking for Franchise info who provided this infographic, explaining the positives of franchising your business. Showing that business franchises are a great business model to follow.

Four tips when playing online

Finance

ABC Staff

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2 February 2017

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The online casino industry now has a colossal web presence and continues to expand with new sites entering this competitive market every month. There remains huge reach for expansion of online casinos as they continue to invest in areas such as Virtual Reality and other innovative gaming opportunities. Mobile gaming has been at the heart of their success and created a diverse selection of clients and now many of us are turning to our smartphones to make a wager or play a classic casino game. With so many of us engaged in staking money with online casinos, it’s astonishing that a lot of us are going in blind and hoping that luck is the key ingredient to gaining some winnings. Although nothing is certain, of course, there are some strategies that in the long run, will give you a better chance of being more successful at your game of choice.

Sportsbooks

Betting on sports is a great way to make a match or contest more interesting for you as a viewer, but you really shouldn’t be making a bet unless you have some knowledge that can prove helpful in predicting the outcome. With sports, it’s always best if your knowledge is in a minority sport – or in a popular sport, but at a lower professional level. If you have some unique knowledge about table tennis or a particular UFC fighter on the preliminary card, you can use this information to find a flaw in a sportsbook’s pricing structure. This is different to tips, as although they can be useful in confirming your suspicions or as a consideration, you should trust your own knowledge – but know its limits – more than any expert in this field.

By Peter Gordon (Flickr: Shane Carwin) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)]

Newest Slots

An old maxim of casino aficionados used to be that the older the slot machine, the better the likely payout is. However, this is simply not true. With many online casinos now producing slot games in-house they represent a huge investment and they rely on them becoming popular. Therefore it’s likely that the newest slot you see promoted on a site is going to be the one you should be playing for an increased chance at winning. The online casino Betway provides information on each of its latest slots on the home page. Looking at that will make apparent which ones are more heavily promoted and given preferable payout percentages. If you want to be more assured that the payout percentage is favourable, Betway and any other online casino worth its salt will also have the percentage payouts for each game listed on its site. These should be between eighty-two to ninety-eight percent.

Superstition and Focus

It might seem patronising to tell you that your lucky rabbits’ foot isn’t going to help you, but it’s surprising how many punters are swayed by their superstitions. Gut feelings and premonitions should also be cast aside in favour of knowledge and cold hard facts. These are things that you should not be distracted from, so maintaining your focus is essential when there’s money on the line. There are many horror stories of those that have played while intoxicated, lost focus and decimated the stacks of cash they’d accumulated through focused gambling. As well and your physicality, your environment should allow you to give your full attention to whatever it is you’re playing, so cut out any distractions and devote all your concentration to winning more money.

Banking

It should go without saying that you should never wager what you can’t afford to lose and you should always know when the right time to stop is. Keep your stakes at a comfortable level for you to be able to enjoy the experience and not fear to lose, while also making winning a significant buzz. When you do win it’s important to remember that your money didn’t just fall into your lap. You earned it and therefore you shouldn’t spend it like it’s burning a hole in your pocket. Keep a record of your wins and losses, calculate the balance and don’t assume a winning streak will last forever. All the top online casinos now offer a range of banking options and you should look into to discover which one will offer you minimal transaction costs and ease of movement based on the way you organise your personal finances. The golden rule is to keep your day-to-day essential financial transactions apart from your gambling account to ensure you’re life isn’t disrupted by some shoddy blackjack hands or unexpected spins on the slots wheels.

There are loads of people within the gambling industry ready to offer you all kinds of advice and tips to make you a winner, but these are the four points that simply translate to common sense in the online gambling sector.

Choosing the best Forex Trading Platform

Finance

ABC Staff

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2 February 2017

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Choosing the best Forex Trading Platform

When it comes down to it, there are few aspects more important to your Forex trading experience than the Forex trading software. The platform that you use can make or break your success.

This is for a range of reasons. Firstly, there’s the matter of user-friendliness. Trading is difficult enough without having constant problems figuring out how to use the software. Secondly, you need software which provides you with all the data analysis you need to make successful trades.

Over the past few years, Forex brokers have almost unanimously agreed that MetaTrader 4 is the best platform for trading.

These are the reasons why brokers, including Admiral Markets, believe that MetaTrader 4 is the best choice for you.

It’s free

Okay, this shouldn’t be the reason you choose a Forex trading platform, but the thing about MT4 is that it’s far better than any paid platform. In this case, just because something costs more (or at all) does not mean it’s better.

Low on resources

Clunky software can make the whole trading experience that much harder. When you’re making a trade, you don’t want to be interrupted by heavy system process. Well, MetaTrader 4 is incredibly low on resources, especially the Windows version. It’s a tiny download and easy installation as well.

Broker experience

Good communication between you and your broker is extremely important. MT4 takes care of this. Using MT4, the trading experience is smooth and streamlined, and your orders will never be lost in coding.

User-friendly

As I mentioned before, MT4 has the most intuitive interface, making it easy to use. The thing is, it’s perfect. I know that’s quite something to say, but there’s good cause. MetaTrader 4 was originally released in 2005. That’s 12 years ago! And despite many other developers trying to build something better, no one has succeeded – not even the designers of MT4. MetaTrader 5 has been out for a few years, but no one sees any need to move across.

It’s flexible

MetaTrader 4 is fully customisable, which is great for more expert traders. You can customise it to do exactly what you need. It supports all currency pairings, and you can trade in CFDs as well. You can also develop your own expert advisors (EAs).

Expert Advisors

What are expert advisors? EAs are a form of automated trading. It has become very popular in the Forex market. MetaTrader 4 provides effective EAs. Although many are wary of automated trading, those who use it will love MetaTrader 4.

Ultimately, these reasons should be enough for you to choose MetaTrader 4. All the best brokers offer it for free. Make sure you’re never asked to pay for it, and ask all the right questions to see how it can work for you.

The World Intellectual Property Indicators in 2016

Sam Allcock

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2 February 2017

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The World Intellectual Property Indicators in 2016

Every year the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) undertakes an appraisal of the past years patent trends in order to develop a deeper understanding of the world of intellectual property. They use information from patent offices around the world combined with their own data and that of the World Bank in compiling these reports which serve to highlight key areas of innovation.

Patent applications have been increasing year on year for the last six years, seeing a rise of almost a million in that time period. This is a strong performance as indicated by Director General Francis Gurry when he said ‘As policymakers seek to invigorate growth around the world, it is encouraging to report that intellectual property activity saw healthy growth in 2015’ in the foreword to the report. In stark contrast to the global economy trademark applications rose by 15.3% while there was also a 7.3% increase in patent applications.

In 2015 this strong performance was largely driven by the engine of Chinese innovation. Their patent office is the largest in the world, overtaking America and submitting more than a million patents annually. The Chinese patent office took in 84% of the additional applications seen in 2015 alongside seeing 65% of the total design applications for the year. Their importance as a global leader in innovation can be seen in these statistics. They are also one of the leaders for gender equality in IP, with 50% of their patent applications made by women.

The only patent office that comes close to the scale of the operation in China is the US. While the Chinese office were responsible for 38% of the 2.9 million total patents the United States contributed 20%. These two patent offices take up a huge share of global innovation. In terms of patents granted the US sees 25% while China sees 30%, indicating the importance of these two countries to the innovation we have come to rely on. Japan, South Korea, and Europe make up for another 24% of applications and 31% of granted rights. The remaining numbers are split between more than a hundred countries. This shows a strong concentration of innovative power, situated in just a handful of countries.

Another metric tracked by WIPO is the number of patents submitted in a category. Nearly 20% of applications fit into the top three sections: Computer Technology; Electrical Machinery, Apparatus, Energy; Digital Communication. A fifth of all applications fit into one of these categories, indicating the importance of high-technology in the world of innovation and conveying that our focus in these areas is profound. Innovation is one of the drivers of a healthy economy with novel ideas helping us overcome entrenched problems and break down barriers. In the 2017 report we can expect to see more of the trends increasing, as China focuses on its innovative strength, we can expect them to retain their position as the most productive patent office globally.

For more details about the IP report have a look at the infographic below which comes courtesy of international patent agency Morningside IP.

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