Showing posts with label US Economy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label US Economy. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

The US Banks: Carry Trade?

Waterbury Financial Strategies Inc CEO / Founder Rahim Thawer post this week: The US Banks: Carry Trade?

A comparison of the investment strategies amongst the major banks versus smaller clearly indicates a dichotomy in various lending models. The US Economy is still in a financial turbulence and it may take a number of years for certain sectors to recover as the banks are not lending due to various internal factors. Lack of liquidity in the marketplace has simply incapacitated the national economy and the tremors are felt throughout various different industries and sectors. The question most entrepreneurs are asking, can our savings and cash flow sustain our current operations and how long will uncertainty last?

The major US Banks are taking advantage of the very low interest rates, near zero and using to capitalize their investment and portfolios by purchase of stocks, bonds, other securities rather than lending those funds to the smaller banks. The marketplace is very sensitive to the data and press releases and can elicit in adjustments in the lending arena. The rules of lending have clearly changed and free market maybe a term that barely exists anymore. A number of smaller banks are tied up and restricted to so much that they can do as the new underwriting guidelines are more regulated.

Lack of lending into smaller communities will eventually lead to closing of number of businesses and add burden to the tax payers and create a domino effect resulting into closing of other businesses as well. Looking at the fundamental swell of the lending arena; there was relative little the banks can do which results into closing of many financial institutions and this may very well be a start. We have already seen a wave of residential default and just starting to see the commercial side.

My Thoughts: cut all your expenses and renegotiate with all the vendors and lenders. It is critical that the small businesses survive as they employ most of the citizens of this country. Diversify your risk by making sounds investments for the future, look far on a global scale. Think of new concepts and get creative to build your business.

Rahim Thawer /
CEO of Waterbury Financial Strategies Inc
http://www.waterburyfs.com

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

US Recession: Do we have a Lifeline?

Waterbury Financial Strategies Inc CEO / Founder Rahim Thawer post this week “US Recession: Do we have a Lifeline?”

Americans have always been in the front lines battling and fighting other economies’ challenges by providing loan assistant programs to foreign aid to even outsourcing of American jobs. Well, outsourcing jobs can be also looked at as adding to the American corporation bottom line, but at the end of the day, we contributed heavily in providing assistance in times of need. Are we going to see that gesture reciprocated from these countries? Obviously, I am not asking for them to contribute on the monetary aspect but rather on the trade side.

I don’t expect the developing countries with limited resources to play a role in this arena but countries like China and India where the economies are not necessarily parallel with the US Economy but rather diverse in some aspects. I remember when India had so many graduates like doctors and engineers on the streets polishing shoes and running some business to barely put food on the table. Today, a number of American jobs have been outsourced to Indians from IT, Engineering to even medical field. These countries are not only taking over US jobs but also sending their professionals over to the US to create their presence here as well.

It is time we re-think all the foreign trade agreements before one of these countries surpasses our economy and puts us in the backseat. This battle can very well be a one man battle but collectively we form parallel agreement and have similar mindset to tackle this issue. If we continue on the current path, I am sorry to say but it is a path to devastation. We are already seeing failures at all levels of organizations including the government. We need to adapt to new ways of thinking and also revisit our old traditions and heritage.

The US Government is running out of money and if they are not careful we will be headed to another recession even before we come out of this one. There is no country out there that is going to keep lending us money at such a low rate whereas they can invest the same money in other countries and get a return of 500%, granted it is a risky investment but the returns are stunning. As citizens of this amazing nation, we need to take it upon ourselves to create lifelines in our everyday dealings and find creative ways to generate growth. If you are a small company operating from a remote location, go online and explore options to export your merchandise on the global market. If you are a consultant seeking a job in the US, think again and look for opportunities abroad. If you are an intern seeking a job, go work at a firm for free even if you have to go fetch coffee all day. Be productive, think outside of the box!

My Thoughts: The only Lifeline America has is its people and freedom to practice Capitalism. If you have fear of failing then you have already failed. Do not fear and go for it. Even if you fail, so what get up and try again and again till you reach your goals. I will not wish you luck, because you don’t need it, you have the spirit of capitalism and entrepreneurship in you, so go out there and “Make it Happen.”

Rahim Thawer /
CEO of Waterbury Financial Strategies Inc
http://www.waterburyfs.com

Monday, September 21, 2009

Entrepreneurs: US Dollar Analysis for your Business.

Waterbury Financial Strategies Inc CEO / Founder Rahim Thawer post this week “Entrepreneurs: US Dollar Analysis for your Business.”

Entrepreneurs, start your engines! The Goal is uncomplicated, make money during the recession. The US Government has two options to recoup the funds it has injected in the market, one being raising taxes which is very unlikely due to the state of the economy. Second, the most favored is inflating the US Dollar. Intelligence is a commodity in today’s market, which brings not only intangible value but also tangible and that is the very reason the term ‘insider’ is referred to at times.

Many times we have speculated and said ‘if I had only known.” Say for example, would you have bought Apple stock when it was trading for less than $5 dollars and at present at $184.00? My fellow entrepreneurs, you have access to that information at the current time, knowing that the US Dollar is going to be inflated and you need to capitalize on that whether it be investing in foreign currency or simply making wise decision in regards to future dealings.

One of the key obstacles many business owners will encounter is liquidity due to the banking regulations and lack of funds. Capitalizing on current state of economy does not necessarily require monetary resources but rather a right strategy with an impeccable conceptualization. What are you going to capitalize on? Your daily operations! They will need to be agile and flexible enough to wither the storm.

As a business owner you will need to factor in anticipated inflation or deflation in all the financial activities of the businesses as this is crucial to sustain not only your short term operations but also long term. You will need to convert your cash flow from constant to actual and apply appropriate formulas like use of discounting payment factors rather than compounding. Many businesses fail due to under capitalization but more so due to failing to understanding how critical it is to allocate appropriate resources for future use.

A simple way to understand this concept is to recall what a dollar used to buy over 10 years ago and what does it buy today. This concept of understanding inflation and devaluation of US Dollar is going to be one of the driving indicators of many businesses. This concept is more important than ever before especially for the manufacturing sector who exports their products since we are now dealing with foreign manufacturers who are exploiting on the fiasco caused by the US markets. So be very smart in your dealings.

My Thoughts: As an Entrepreneur, make sure to evaluate every revenue stream and apply appropriate inflation models on current and projected cash flows as well as on the outstanding debt. This concept can also be employed by investors and it is just as important as your ROI. So be wise and run a lean organization with strong future projections!

Rahim Thawer /
CEO of Waterbury Financial Strategies Inc
http://www.waterburyfs.com