Month: April 2020

Corona Journal

Newspapers

Author ByWim Romeijn

Most news cycles only last a few days. Major events may capture the readers’ attention for perhaps a week or two before they are demoted to the inside pages only to drop out altogether a few days later. The intensity of news coverage is also inversely proportional to the distance of the unfolding story. A major crisis in a faraway place usually merits the same amount of column inches as a minor local hiccup.

Those editorial facts of life no longer seem to apply. Nearing its seventh week, the corona pandemic’s news cycle shows no signs of fizzling out. Its global nature and many vectors push out most other topics. Suddenly it seems that all other news is either inexistent or irrelevant. Surveys ordered by major newspapers show that readers have not yet reached their saturation point. In fact, consumers demand more coverage of the issue that will undoubtedly come to define a new era.

Quality papers such as The Times and The Guardian in the UK, and the New York Times in the US, report large spikes in the number of online visitors. Many newspapers have also seen a significant increase in the demand for online subscriptions. However, most industry analysts agree that, rather perversely, the virus may turn out to be the last nail in the coffin of newsprint.

Publishers may derive some solace from the fact that the death of the printed newspaper has been prematurely announced a great many times before. Radio was supposed to have finished them off. When that didn’t happen, television was identified as the undertaker. It was only the arrival of the internet, and the advent of ‘free’ news, that managed to chip away at the throne newspapers had occupied for centuries.

In times of trouble such as these, most consumers instinctively turn to newspaper for the real story. The medium, often ridiculed and dismissed as a throwback to former times, still boasts the largest newsrooms that are invariably inhabited by the most talented journalists, writers, and editors available.

The welcome increase in the volume of paid subscriptions is probably not enough to compensate for the loss of advertising revenue. As the Corona Recession deepens, newspapers, whilst still standing at the pinnacle of the Fourth Estate, need help. Mindful of conflicts of interests, governments should probably not want to directly subsidise the industry. They can, however, put legislation in place to force social media freeloaders to pay properly for content generated by news organisations.

Australia is doing just that. The country’s Competition and Consumer Commission is putting the finishing touches on a code of conduct that will force Facebook, Google, and other tech giants to pay for content they now either nick or acquire for pennies. France is set to follow the Australian example ‘tout suite’. The preservation of industries that are deemed vital to the functioning of society is currently much in vogue. The news business is such an industry.

Digital Banking

How can cloud-based analytics help banks drive digital transformation?

Author ByCFI.co Blogger

By Paul Jones, Head of Technology, SAS UK & Ireland

Fintechs are turning up the heat in retail and corporate banking. As smaller, more agile providers have entered the banking market, customers are getting used to a higher level of service – a personalised, digital experience that guides them to make quicker, smarter decisions about their finances. For traditional banks to compete, they need to transform the way they operate. On the retail banking side, that means digitising customer-facing services. No queuing in branches, no paperwork. And when customers apply for a credit card or loan, they get a decision in seconds.

Meanwhile, on the corporate side, the aim of transformation is often to enable an everything as a service (XaaS) strategy, building smart packaged offerings such as treasury as a service or risk management as a service, which the bank can both consume in-house and provide to enterprise clients.

Data-driven digital transformation

To foster this type of digital business transformation, banks need to redesign both internal and customer-facing processes to embed data-driven decision making. By integrating intelligent automation and decisioning capabilities into their operations, banks can eliminate paperwork and manual processing. This will greatly improve service levels to customers while keeping the cost-to-serve to a minimum.

The creation of these data-driven services depends on the ability to design, build, test and deploy processes that embed predictive models using both well-established statistical methods and new artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) techniques. The development life cycle for these models is inherently experimental. It’s vital to try different approaches, test the results, and iterate on the candidates that offer the greatest potential. To remain relevant in the digital age, organisations must deliver such experiments with agility and speed.

The obstacle of legacy infrastructure

The problem is that banks’ traditional IT architectures – built around legacy on-premises systems – are a uniquely bad environment for developing these models. Due to the experimental nature of the models, it’s very difficult to forecast what type of infrastructure banks will need for upcoming projects. For example, different machine learning algorithms run best on hardware that has been optimised for that category of model building. If you invest in a cluster of servers with a particular configuration of memory and processors, it may only be suitable for a small subset of the work you actually need to do. And every time you need to change your approach, you’ll face high fixed costs and a long lead time to get the right infrastructure in place.

Instead, you need an IT architecture that allows you to set up experiments quickly and manage them flexibly. When an idea doesn’t work out, you should have the ability to fail fast and cut your losses. And when an idea succeeds, you need to get it into production rapidly and roll it out for enterprise-scale deployment.

The promise of cloud-based analytics

The cloud is the perfect environment for these exploratory projects. It gives you the freedom to spin up almost any type of infrastructure within minutes, and either scale it or shut it down instantly depending on the results.

Cloud environments also free you from dependencies on departmental silos and the quirks of your internal network. They give you a green-field site where cross-functional teams can collaborate freely, enabling you to build models that combine domain knowledge from different areas of the bank and create opportunities for XaaS offerings that would never have been possible in the past.

Regulatory hurdles

While most of the major public cloud providers now offer a range of analytics-specific infrastructure services, they come at a price. Once your data and models live in a particular proprietary cloud repository, they can be difficult to get out again. You’re locked into their infrastructure for the foreseeable future.

Besides the commercial implications, this lock-in poses a major regulatory problem for banks. According to the latest consultation paper on outsourcing and third-party risk management from the Prudential Regulatory Authority (PRA), regulators expect banks to be able to port any outsourced services over to another provider or bring them back in house without any risk to business continuity.

The right tool for the job

I’ve had conversations about moving to the cloud with CIOs at banks of various sizes, and this issue of portability has been a recurring theme. They are looking for analytics solutions that work with any vendor and run on any cloud platform – or move between platforms – without significant disruption. In fact, since many banking use cases involve analysing data that is too sensitive to store outside the internal network, one of the most-requested offerings is a hybrid cloud/on-premises solution. Banks could then perform experimental projects with anonymised data in the cloud and then bring the successful models back into their own data centre for deployment in production.

Finally, while there’s a lot of buzz around AI/ML techniques, it’s important to recognise that they are not always the best option. Traditional statistical methods can be equally powerful, cost less to maintain, and can be easier to explain and audit – an increasingly important capability, as a recent legal case in the Netherlands demonstrates. My advice is always that banks should look for a single platform that gives equal support to both statistical and AI/ML modelling techniques and provides easy-to-use visualisations that make models easier to interpret. This allows your data scientists to pick the best tool for the job. And makes it easier for you to ensure the safe and responsible use of your data.

We’re working with a number of leading banks to power their digital transformation initiatives and build towards the XaaS future in the cloud. Find out more about what’s possible with cloud computing.

Investment Banking

Is Now a Good Time to Invest? Buying Stock During a Pandemic

Author ByCFI.co

The global pandemic has lead to a lot of predictable anxiety, lockouts, and business closures in the last few weeks and months. It has raised many legitimate questions about global finances, with one very important one weighing on investors. “Is now a good time to invest?”

What are the more robust markets to invest in right now? Can anybody, even a freelancer, do well in the market? And what is the best approach to take to keep your money safe?

Join us today as we break down some of our favourite tips.

Don’t Be Reckless

It can be easy, in the midst of everything the world is going through, to feel like the world is your oyster. You can expect to see panicked sales going on in waves over the next few months. This may seem like a tempting opportunity to wade in and start buying up everything you can get your hands on.

Keep in mind, however, that discretion is never a bad idea. There will still be plenty of bad deals floating around, and COVID-19 will run its course. You could find yourself dealing with the repercussions of a bad investment sooner than you might expect, so be careful.

Don’t Invest Unless You Can Maintain It for Three Years, Minimum

Considering buying stocks in response to falling prices? Consider the stability of the investments you’re sizing up. To be responsible, you have to be able to hold your investments for a minimum of three years so they have the chance to recover.

This goes for investments at any time of the year but is especially true during quarantine times.

You may want to sell. You could have any number of reasons for this.

Maybe you’re scared by all the instability. Maybe your broker recommends it. Whatever your reasoning, you should not invest during a stock market crash if you’re not ready to hold your investments for at least three years.

Stocks have a high potential return rate, but we only see those returns when we hold down, consistently, during episodes of volatility. Three years is the recommended amount of time necessary to overcome short-term market losses.

You also cannot, under any circumstances, invest money you may need in an emergency into these stocks. If you invest emergency funds and then, later on, have an emergency, you’ll need to sell to get access to that money.

Don’t Spend It All on the Markets

Cash tends to retain its value, even during a stock market crash. What this means for you, as an investor, is an opportunity to keep a portion of your investing power liquid and ready in case the market drops.

You’ll be more ready to take advantage of these dips in activity if your funds aren’t already all wrapped up in equity. Compared to other investors, strapped for cash and weighing up their options, you’ll have a distinct advantage.

Regret: It’s to Be Expected

“The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.”

Nobody ever gets into the stock market intending to lose money. That said, losing money, at least in the short term, is an inevitability. It’s always easier to plan when the markets are behaving as they should be.

It’s no secret that investors get nervous when the stock market is erratic. They feel regret over not getting in earlier. They feel regret at not selling sooner.

You will probably feel the same way at some point in the future. It’s inevitable, and you will almost always be left something you wish had gone differently. The worst thing you could do is sell scared.

Expert investors with years of experience don’t have perfect days. If you’re trying to take advantage of the market during COVID-19, it’s important to remember not everything will go perfectly.

Stocks will fall, sometimes repeatedly. They have done so throughout history, and have always recovered. If you are bold enough to get into the stock market during a global pandemic and impending recession, you need to be bold enough to weather the storm.

A Note on What to Invest in Now

Investing in stocks and shares is about taking a smart approach to your investments. But it’s also about investing in stocks and shares you know will make a return. With all of that said, which sectors will be most likely to pull ahead during the COVID-19 outbreak?

Healthcare and Biotechnology

The biotech and healthcare fields are expected to remain entrenched during the outbreak due to their role in treating it. Look at Quidel Corporation (QDEL) and Masimo Corporation (MASI) for mid-to-large caps. 

Teleconference

Because of its role in quarantines, teleconferencing software is also attracting purchases. It’s not a field that gets as much attention in a regular year, however, so expect some inconsistencies by way of growing pains. Citrix Systems, Inc. (CTXS) and Teledoc Health, Inc. (TDOC) have both shown promise.

Safe Shelters

The safe-haven has had its place throughout dozens of national and international disasters. They’ve seen consistent growth throughout COVID-19, with climbing dividends staving off lower prices. Campbell Soup Company (CPB) recently traded near a 52-week high, while American Water Works Company, Inc. (AWK) has come in with some great returns, as well.

Is Now a Good Time to Invest?

The world is in an interesting place, right now. One of the biggest global pandemics in recent history has sent literally everybody inside, from the man on the street to whole businesses. And, with stores, restaurants, and even some non-essential public utilities all shutting down, it can be easy to think this is a bad time to invest.

The truth is quite the opposite, though. With the market shifting to products and services relevant to the virus, we’re seeing new opportunities for investors.

It’s all about changing your perspective and learning to roll with the punches, and this is the perfect environment to do exactly that in. Some of the best long term investments come out of trying times. And COVID-19 is certainly trying.

Is now a good time to invest? It’s as good a time as it’s ever been, which means “absolutely,” provided you’re ready to put in the time and effort and invest wisely.

Looking for more choice investment insights? Check out some of our other expert blog content, today!

Corona Journal

Nostalgia

Author ByWim Romeijn

During the early 1980s, the architect of the Brazil’s ‘economic miracle’ was vilified almost unanimously when he sacrificed monetary stability on the altar of growth. Between 1979 and 1985 Delfim Netto, now 91, was in charge of economic planning under the country’s last military dictator.

However, after democracy returned to the country a monumentally inept civilian administration somehow managed to stoke the fires of inflation whilst derailing economic growth, presiding over a recession that later entered history books as the ‘lost decade’. Puzzled, angry, and disappointed, many Brazilians slapped bumper stickers on their car proclaiming: ‘Delfim, eu era feliz e nao sabia’ – Delfim, I was happy but didn’t know.

It is the same feeling currently felt by many as the pandemic upsets routines, imposes limits, and subverts expectations. We may have complained loudly about the old world’s many iniquities, but now long for the time when we could worry about less immediate threats to our collective well-being such as climate change, social inequality, and the plundering of the public commons.

This also recalls the words of an oil executive who, again in the 1980s, celebrated the intense public debate then raging over abortion, euthanasia, cruise missiles, and a host of other moral issues: “As long as politicians keep their hands off the economy, we’ll be fine and can keep raking in the cash.”

Climate doomsayers have long warned us that our way of life must be changed radically in order to stave off disaster. That change has been forced upon us not by Greta Thunberg, but by an even smaller harbinger of doom – a virus so tiny its very existence is doubted by assorted crackpots and eager believers in conspiracy theories. The air is heavy with the self-congratulatory utterings of the I-told-you-so crowd.

Ignoring these sorry souls, most of us just want our old lives back, including its slightly less agreeable bits. The new world thrust upon us is neither brave nor welcoming. How long before patience runs out and people start demanding the impossible from their rulers?

Some Americans, armed to the teeth, are already taking to the street to demand their former lives back. Their president seems willing to comply but even the mightiest man on earth must accept a reality that refuses to cooperate. In fact, there is nothing anybody can do but hope for science to come up with a vaccine. Until then we must sit tight whilst quietly suffering bouts of nostalgia for a time when we were happy bit didn’t know.

Corporate Finance

The Volvo Group and Daimler Truck AG to lead the development of sustainable transportation by forming joint venture for large-scale production of fuel cells

Author ByCFI.co Blogger

Sharing the Green Deal vision of sustainable transport and a carbon neutral Europe by 2050, two leading companies in the commercial vehicle industry, Daimler Truck AG and the Volvo Group, have signed a preliminary non-binding agreement to establish a new joint venture. The intention is to develop, produce and commercialize fuel cell systems for heavy-duty vehicle applications and other use cases. Daimler will consolidate all its current fuel cell activities in the joint venture. The Volvo Group will acquire 50% in the joint venture for the sum of approximately EUR 0.6 billion on a cash and debt free basis. 

“Transport and logistics keep the world moving, and the need for transport will continue to grow. Truly CO2-neutral transport can be accomplished through electric drive trains with energy coming either from batteries or by converting hydrogen on board into electricity. For trucks to cope with heavy loads and long distances, fuel cells are one important answer and a technology where Daimler has built up significant expertise through its Mercedes-Benz fuel cell unit over the last two decades. This joint initiative with the Volvo Group is a milestone in bringing fuel cell powered trucks and buses onto our roads,” says Martin Daum, Chairman of the Board of Management Daimler Truck AG and Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG.

“Electrification of road transport is a key element in delivering the so called Green Deal, a carbon neutral Europe and ultimately a carbon neutral world. Using hydrogen as a carrier of green electricity to power electric trucks in long-haul operations is one important part of the puzzle, and a complement to battery electric vehicles and renewable fuels. Combining the Volvo Group and Daimler’s experience in this area to accelerate the rate of development is good both for our customers and for society as a whole. By forming this joint venture, we are clearly showing that we believe in hydrogen fuel cells for commercial vehicles. But for this vision to become reality, other companies and institutions also need to support and contribute to this development, not least in order to establish the fuel infrastructure needed,” says Martin Lundstedt, Volvo Group President and CEO. 

The Volvo Group and Daimler Truck AG will be 50/50 partners in the joint venture, which will operate as an independent and autonomous entity, with Daimler Truck AG and the Volvo Group continuing to be competitors in all other areas of business. Joining forces will decrease development costs for both companies and accelerate the market introduction of fuel cell systems in products used for heavy-duty transport and demanding long-haul applications. In the context of the current economic downturn cooperation has become even more necessary in order to meet the Green Deal objectives within a feasible time-frame.

The common goal is for both companies to offer heavy-duty vehicles with fuel cells for demanding long-haul applications in series production in the second half of the decade. In addition, other automotive and non-automotive use cases are also part of the new joint venture’s scope. 

To enable the joint venture, Daimler Trucks is bringing together all group-wide fuel cell activities in a new Daimler Truck fuel cell unit. Part of this bundling of activities is the allocation of the operations of “Mercedes-Benz Fuel Cell GmbH”, which has longstanding experience in the development of fuel cell and hydrogen storage systems for various vehicle applications, to Daimler Truck AG. 

The joint venture will include the operations in Nabern/Germany (currently headquarters of the Mercedes-Benz Fuel Cell GmbH) with production facilities in Germany and Canada.

The signed preliminary agreement is non-binding. A final agreement is expected by Q3 and closing before year-end 2020. All potential transactions are subject to examination and approval by the responsible competition authorities.

Facts: Fuel cells and hydrogen as fuel
•  A hydrogen fuel cell converts the chemical energy of the fuel, in this case hydrogen, and oxygen (in the air) into electricity. The electricity powers the electrical motors that propel an electrical vehicle. 
•  There are two main ways to produce the hydrogen needed. So-called green hydrogen can be produced locally at the gas station, using electricity to convert water into hydrogen. Blue hydrogen is expected to be produced from natural gas, utilizing carbon capture technology to create a carbon neutral fuel.

2020-04-21

For further information, please contact:
Claes Eliasson, Volvo Group Media Relations, +46 31 323 72 29
Florian Martens, Daimler Trucks & Buses Media Relations +49 160 8687552

Technology

How Has The Outbreak Of COVID-19 Impacted the Horse Racing Industry?

Author ByCFI.co Blogger

There aren’t many sports that have been hit harder by the outbreak of COVID-19 than horse racing. Some of the biggest events on the racing calendar have already been lost, while some remain hanging by the thinnest of tightropes.

How Has The Outbreak Of COVID-19 Impacted the Horse Racing Industry?

Racing continues to take place in Australia, the USA and various parts of Europe, but not all countries have been as fortunate. The lucrative industry has been hit as most of businesses have, even though online gambling seems to be on the rise due to the self-quarantine inflicted to millions of people.

 However, which events on the horse racing calendar have been lost, which ones have face criticism, and which have been re-arranged for a later date?

Kentucky Derby

Few would argue against the Kentucky Derby being the biggest race of the year, and it is huge for the American industry. That is highlighted by the amount of money that is gambled on the race day, with the 2019 event eclipsing records. The 14-race card saw over $227.5 million gambled, while the Kentucky Derby itself saw around $150 million worth of bets. The Kentucky Derby is the most attended event on the US racing calendar, and that meant that cancelling the event altogether wasn’t an option.

Instead, for the first time this year, the Kentucky Derby will be taking place as the final event of the Triple Crown as opposed to the first. The event was cancelled in March, as it was revealed that it would instead take place on the 5th September. Nonetheless, you can still place your bets on the Kentucky Derby through Twinspires.com.

This marks the first time since 1945 that the event has been suspended. The Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes are still slated to go ahead on their original dates.

The Grand National

The most lucrative betting day in the United Kingdom didn’t go ahead as planned for the first time since the Second World War. The decision to cancel the event meant that the betting industry in the UK lost half a billion pounds, while Tiger Roll missed his opportunity at making history by becoming the first horse to win three successive Grand Nationals.

The horse racing industry did still put a show on for racing fans however on Grand National day on the 4th April, as a virtual race was broadcast, with all proceeds going towards the NHS. The event raised £2.6 million for the service, while the virtual race was won by Potters Corner.

Cheltenham Festival

Just a few weeks before the Aintree Festival, there was the Cheltenham Festival, which is the most prestigious jumps festival of the year. That event went ahead as planned, but organisers have already drawn criticism for their decision to do so.  There were reported symptoms shown by some that attended; including Andrew Parker Bowles.

However, the Jockey Club reiterated that they accurately followed all the guidelines that were put in place by the British government at the time. The Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday 13th March was the final noteworthy sporting event to take place in the UK as the Premier League announced that it would be suspending fixtures on the same day.

Royal Ascot

The biggest flat festival of the season in the UK is still planning to go ahead as planned, but this year it will take place behind closed doors. The event is famous for those attending to get dressed up smart, while Queen Elizabeth has been known to visit most days. The festival is due to begin on the 16th June, but the announcement that it would be taking place behind closed doors was made on the 7th April.

The organisers admitted that they were pressing ahead with the event, but no spectators would be able to attend. However, the statement released also admits that there is still a chance that the event may not take place at all. The organisers will have to follow the guidelines by the British government and the BHA, who have currently suspended all racing in Britain until the end of April.

Economics

Three investment reasons to be cheerful amid the economic upheaval

Author ByCFI.co Blogger

Right now the world is facing the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression and many people across the world are going through extremely hard times.

But we also need to try and focus on the compelling positives there are now to create, build and safeguard money to reach our financial goals for ourselves and our loved ones.

The message from Nigel Green, founder and CEO of deVere Group, one of the world’s largest independent financial advisory organisations comes as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects global growth in 2020 to fall to -3 per cent. This is a downgrade of 6.3 percentage points from January 2020, clearly a significant downward revision within a very short time period. 

Nigel Green comments: “The world has changed considerably in the first quarter of 2020. Coronavirus has sparked a truly global crisis like no other, with a horrifyingly high and tragic number of human lives lost. 

“It has also been a monstrous source of economic upheaval and uncertainty for households, businesses and governments.

“But in these most unusual of times, it’s essential to seek the positives and there are increasingly significant reasons within the market to be cheerful. 

“Looking beyond the gloom, many investors are using these to create, build and safeguard their money right now.”

He continues: “I believe that there are three main investment reasons to be cheerful.

“First, the market is cheap by historic standards and this represents a major, perhaps once-in-a-generation chance to buy top quality equities at lower prices to bolster investment portfolios.  History shows that stock markets always go up over time.

“Second the worldwide loosening of monetary and fiscal policies.  This will serve as a bridge for economies until the crisis passes and will go a long way to boost both supply and demand across all sectors. In turn, this will lead to more investment, increased confidence, and longer-term job and wealth creation.

“Third, pent-up demand will hit the global economy when lockdowns are lifted. Many people have not lost their jobs or suffered reduced incomes and have saved money during the lockdown. We can expect demand in sectors such as autos, travel, hospitality and entertainment to be strong.”

Whilst some investors appear to have not only locked down themselves, but also their financial strategies, increasingly both retail and institutional investors are “rightly looking beyond only the dark picture,” says Mr Green.

The deVere CEO concludes. “No economy – developed or emerging – has been spared this downturn, the worst since The Great Depression. The uncertain economic landscape is impacting on people’s lives and livelihoods.

“However, I also would urge investors to mitigate risks to their money and help create and grow wealth by looking towards the undeniable and compelling positive areas amid this tragic and unprecedented global situation.” 

Technology

Online Gambling Industry rising as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic

Author ByCFI.co Blogger

We are living in unprecedented times with a global pandemic that has killed hundreds of thousands and countries all over the world ordering their citizens to self-quarantine. 

With the suspension of all but the most critical industries business owners and governments alike are preparing for the arrival of a global recession – one which is feared to be far more devastating than the Great Depression and the 2009 Global Financial Crisis.

Given that COVID-19 spreads via water droplets expelled from an infected person,social distancing measures have been implemented in order to help break the chain of infection with many governments enforcing a strict curfew.

Online Gambling Industry rising as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic

Now with the United States becoming the epicenter of the pandemic, entire industries including casinos have been left in a lurch. According to a report by the American Gaming Association (AGA), the industry is slated to lose an estimated $21.3 billion in direct spending from consumers alone. 

Here, we take a look at how we can expect the outbreak of COVID-19 to change the face of online gambling.

1. A Massive Increase in Customers

In early-April, Nevada’s Clark county reported more than 1000 COVID-19 cases and almost 30 deaths which prompted Governor Sisolak to order a shutdown of all casinos in the state despite severe pushback from various stakeholders including the Mayor of Las Vegas, Carolyn Goodman (I). 

With almost all casinos in the United States shutdown, punters all over the country have turned to online gambling for all of their gaming needs. This has resulted in a windfall for online casinos everywhere with a nearly 50% increase in revenue with punters avoiding land-based casinos in favour of online ones.

Given that the COVID-19 pandemic has shown no signs of letting up and with a vaccine far off, the remainder of 2020 and 2021 is set to be a good year for the online gambling industry. 

As the global economy grinds to a halt and uncertainty reigns supreme, many have begun to ask the question – will things ever be the same again? According to many experts, the answer is a resounding no. 

The highly contagious nature of the COVID-19 virus and the variety of health complications means that social distancing measures will have to be practiced for the foreseeable future or until a vaccine is developed – which is highly unlikely.

Until a solution is found, it is highly likely that online casino betting will be able to enjoy an unprecedented increase in customers.

2. The Entry of New Competitors

While some may point out that casinos in Macau – the world’s largest gambling hub were able to resume operations after just 15 days, the stark reality is that things are far from normal. Casino floors are relatively empty and foot traffic remains low with many punters staying away from crowded areas.

Given the relatively low-barriers for entry and a market filled with investors hungry for opportunity, it is only a matter of time before new competitors begin appearing on scene. This can potentially be a problem for current online casinos who may want to consider diversifying their range of games offered.

With sports betting also affected by the lockdown, punters have begun turning towards online casinos and slot games for their gambling needs which may in turn encourage bookmakers to open up their own online casinos in order to capitalize on shifting market demands.

3. Stricter Compliance

Casinos and other gambling outlets have always been closely monitored and regulated by government bodies given the nature of the business. Now with the economy taking a turn for the worst and with jobs at stake, people are likely to be more anxious and stressed which in turn leads to compulsive gambling and other risky behavior.

This has forced governments everywhere to introduce more stringent regulations with regards to gambling, these measures have included restricting advertising, minimizing payouts and even banning gambling outright in some areas.

Given the current state of affairs and the increased levels of vigilance, online casinos and gaming sites may begin imposing limits on bet sizes and practice more thorough screening of punters. 

4. Potential cash flow issues

Whilst the online casino business is and has always been a solid one, it is not entirely recession-proof. As businesses all over the world shut down or scale back on their operations, employees and business owners everywhere face the very real prospect of losing a significant portion of their incomes.

This in turn overlaps onto the online betting industry as punters begin to suffer from problems related to cash flow. Initially, the effects may not be tangible as we are yet to feel the true impact of a pending global recession.

Only when businesses begin to shut down and unemployment numbers rise 6 to 8 months down the line, will we begin to see a drop in revenue and takings. Consequently, operators should seriously consider putting aside cash reserves for the lean months ahead in order to stay afloat.

As the old proverb goes, “All Good Things Must Come to an End”, so will the windfall from the sudden influx of new punters. The COVID-19 pandemic is unlike anything that humanity has seen in over a century and even the most resistant of industries will not be safe.

Banking

UBX mobile ATMs to expedite gov’t covid-19 subsidies via rural banks & coops in the Philippines

Author ByCFI.co Blogger

UBX, the fintech company of Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank), recently started deploying a rapid and remote mobile-enabled ATM solution in response to COVID-19, as part of its i2i platform.  With i2i Mobile ATM, rural banks and financial cooperatives across the Philippines are enabled to pay-out a wide range of government subsidies direct to beneficiaries in the historically underserved countryside. This will help address the growing need to access cash, as a result of the extended enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Luzon, the largest and most populous island in the country.

UBX

i2i’s Mobile ATM technology works just like a standard ATM and allows rural banks, financial cooperatives, their agents and associated merchants to offer cash out and balance inquiry transactions for all locally issued debit/ATM cards. Financial institutions that avail of i2i Mobile ATM receive i2i Mobile ATM devices within days of signing up. They are enabled to pay-out government subsidies and positioned to participate in the emergency subsidy program under the Philippine government’s Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.

UBX developed this state-of-the-art mobile ATM in partnership with leading Irish Financial Services Group, Fexco. Fexco currently employs more than 2,400 people across the globe, focused on delivering technology enabled financial services to a wide range of banking and fintech partners, and this initiative with UBX will build on the existing partnership in the Philippines.

Cathal Brendan Foley, CEO of Fexco Philippines, said: “We are very pleased to be partnering with UBX to assist Filipinos in this time of need. This partnership will allow us to rapidly deliver crucial financial services to consumers across the UBX and UBP banking partner network. Fexco and UBX are both dedicated to enhancing financial inclusion for both the businesses and the people of the Philippines.”

UBX’s i2i Network is the fastest-growing and largest network of financial institutions including rural banks, thrift banks, savings banks, cooperatives and other non-banking financial institutions. Since launching its technology platform in April 2019, the i2i Network is over 110 members strong with nearly 1,000 branches between them.

John Januszczak, CEO of UBX Philippines, said: “By digitally connecting community-based financial institutions best positioned to serve the financially excluded, the i2i Network and i2i Mobile ATM are extremely well poised to support our government’s effort to contain the pandemic while enabling the provision of much needed relief to those affected.” 

Investment Management

The Best Place to Invest 100K: Understanding UK Savings Accounts

Author ByCFI.co

If you have £100,000 or more in savings, keeping in safe is essential. 

The risk-free, common-sense option to keep your money safe is to put into a savings account. Not only will your money be held safely, but it will also accrue interest.

But, are your savings working well for you? Are you getting the maximum amount of interest possible?

How well do you understand UK savings accounts?

We’ll explore the different savings options and the best place to invest 100k.  

How to Find the Best Place to Invest 100k

There are several factors to consider before finding the best place to invest £100k. 

Decide how long you would like to lock your cash away. The longer you leave your money, the more interest you will accrue. 

Fixed-rate savings accounts that require you to hold your money in place over a certain amount of time can provide good returns. However, if you need your money back before then, you may not be able to access it.

Are you a pensioner or a student? Banks and building societies often offer preferential interest rates for different age groups. In which case, you should look for the best saving rates for pensioners or the best savings account for students.

You should also consider that you may need to split your money between multiple accounts. 

Decide on whether you need access to your cash. Do you require online banking?

Is customer service important? Will you need to service your account in your local branch? 

Work out what’s important to you, and make sure that you find an account that ticks all of the relevant boxes. 

Don’t Put All of Your Eggs in One Basket

By spreading your investments across a range of different savings accounts, you will enjoy a variety of benefits. 

If you have short-term requirements on some of your cash, put that money into an easy-access account with the best interest rates. For the rest of your cash, look for longer-term savings accounts that offer the best returns. 

Similarly, if you are unsure about what you want to do with your money, keep it in easy-access savings accounts until you have decided. That way, you can still move your money out when you have a long term plan. 

Financial Services Compensation Scheme 

When you invest any money into a UK bank or building society account, you are protected. The Financial Services Compensation Scheme protects savings of up to £85,000, or £170,000 if it is a joint account. 

If you are looking to place your £100,000 or more into any type of savings account, you will need to set up at least two different accounts with different banks to protect your money. 

Alternatively, if you can set up a joint account, you will benefit from the higher level of protection. 

The Financial Services Compensation Scheme is in place to protect your money in the event of the bank or building society being able to pay you your own money. 

Making Use of ISAs

Savings accounts in the UK are subject to tax-deductions on interest payments. 

Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) offer the opportunity to save up to £20,000 each year, tax-free. If you have a partner, you could both invest £20,000 each in your own ISAs. 

If you want to make the most of your savings, then you should take advantage of your tax-free savings allowance by opening an ISA. 

You could opt for Cash ISA or stocks and shares ISA or a combination of both. 

A cash ISA will act in much the same way as a savings account. With a stocks and shares ISA, your money is invested into stocks, corporate, and government bonds. You may return a greater degree of interest with this type of ISA; however, you may lose money too. 

Finding the Right Savings Accounts

Find a savings account that offers you a rate of interest that is higher than the rate of inflation. 

Inflation rates directly affect the value of your savings. If you place your money into an account with a 2% interest rate, then after one year, you will have 2% more money. 

However, if the rate of inflation is greater than 2%, you will have more money, but that money will have lower purchase power than it did a year before. 

Regular Savers

Regular savers accounts often offer interest rates that are higher than the rate of inflation. 

With rates of up to 5% available, this type of savings account is certainly worth exploring. 

You will need to be aware of maximum deposit limits, as well as the length of time that the rates will be valid. 

Fixed-Rate Savings Accounts

Fixed-rate savings accounts will offer you the same rate of interest over a specified period of time. Typically, your money will be locked into the account for between one and five years. 

The longer you are willing to leave your money in this type of account, the higher the interest returns will be. 

Don’t Overlook Current Accounts

It is easy to think that a current account is just for holding your cash and paying your direct debits; however, they can be a useful tool for depositing large sums of money. 

Many current accounts will offer a reasonably high rate of interest. 

Usually, current accounts will offer a higher rate of interest for a small amount, and then a lower rate for any money thereafter. 

For example, a current account may offer 5% on the first £2,500 for one year, and then 1% on everything above that amount. 

Always Research the Best Deals

The best place to invest 100k will depend on the interest rates offered by banks and building societies. Banking products change, so shop around and find the best savings account that will work for your money. 

For more advice and information about making your money work for you, explore the other articles on the blog.