Financial Services and Insurance

Financial Services and Insurance news and insights for Australia’s small and medium business owners and entrepreneurs. Read the latest financial services and insurance news, trends and features and entrepreneur interviews about the financial services and insurance industry.

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# Article Title Author
151 It’s official – banks are increasing profits at the expense of small business James Thomson
152 Commonwealth Bank admits “shortcomings” in handling of Storm Financial clients James Thomson
153 Are interest rates in Australia set to jump? A SmartCompany Q&A James Thomson
154 The interest rates honeymoon is over: Gottliebsen Robert Gottliebsen
155 Commonwealth Bank raises variable interest rate Patrick Stafford
156 ANZ abandons invoice discounting market Patrick Stafford
157 Insurance premiums rise after natural disasters James Thomson
158 Businesses slugged with $201 million in bank penalty fees James Thomson
159 Stress tests of US banks reveal need to raise $US75 billion James Thomson
160 Banks worried about business customers as profits slide James Thomson
161 Government strengthens hardship protection for mortgagees - but not business borrowers James Thomson
162 Australian Small Scale Offerings Board seeks cash injection James Thomson
163 Rate cut won't be passed on to business borrowers James Thomson
164 Insolvencies up 23%, but worst is yet to come Patrick Stafford
165 Westpac will assist struggling SME borrowers James Thomson
166 Small business wins case against Suncorp over unjust loan Tony Boyd
167 Court orders Storm Financial to be wound up James Thomson
168 Mortgage brokers smashed by credit crunch James Thomson
169 ANZ tops bank customer service ratings Steve Burnham
170 ASIC moves to kill off Storm Financial James Thomson
171 Insolvencies soar, and more bad news on the way James Thomson
172 Storm Financial founders fail to back up claims of bank conspiracy Tony Boyd
173 Storm creditors told to put the company into liquidation James Thomson
174 Babcock & Brown forced into administration James Thomson
175 CBA set to make deal with Storm Financial clients James Thomson
176 ANZ commits $8 billion to new lending for SMEs in 2009 James Thomson
177 Storm founders want to regain control and sue bank James Thomson
178 Online jobs ads fall, shares flat, Rio unveils $30bn deal with Chinese: Economy roundup Patrick Stafford
179 Bank targets Gen-Y with social networking savings account Patrick Stafford
180 PM and Treasurer urge banks to lend to viable SMEs James Thomson
181 ASIC admits it knew about Storm months before collapse James Thomson
182 How SMEs are being mauled by the banks – and why politicians are to blame: Gottliebsen Robert Gottliebsen
183 ASIC freezes $2m payment to Storm Financial founders James Thomson
184 Major banks pass on rate cut, more on the way James Thomson
185 BREAKING NEWS: RBA cuts rates by another 1% James Thomson
186 Wizard Home Loans brand set to disappear James Thomson
187 Storm Financial boss blames banks for clients’ losses James Thomson
188 Government promises to step in and prop up big business loans James Thomson
189 Rebuilding wealth could takes decades of saving: Kohler Alan Kohler
190 Discount retail chains collapse with debts of $201 million James Thomson
191 Inspiring Obama can’t change the fact we’re in deep trouble: Kohler Alan Kohler
192 Margin loan crackdown follows Storm Financial disaster James Thomson
193 Storm Financial shut down, 115 jobs lost James Thomson
194 Storm Financial collapses into administration James Thomson
195 Super funds shed 20% but investors urged not to panic
196 ANZ chief says recovery could take two or three years: Economy roundup Patrick Stafford
197 Bluestone Group re-invents business and boosts profit, despite credit crunch James Thomson
198 Receivers close 55 ABC Learning centres, fight to save 241 more James Thomson
199 Want a loan? Get ready to be investigated by a forensic accountant James Thomson
200 Financial and legal giants slash jobs James Thomson
 

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News


ASIC to crack down on liquidators as insolvencies rise
Patrick Stafford ASIC says it will keep an eye on liquidators in the wake of increased company collapses. | Wednesday, 23 May 2012

Court slaps pyramid scheme participants with $200,000 in penalties
Cara Waters The Federal Court has fined three people a total of $200,000 for taking part in a pyramid selling scheme. | Tuesday, 22 May 2012

Former BDO partners chased for $1.1 million in bad debts
Cara Waters Former partners in defunct accounting practice BDO Melbourne and Sydney are being pursued for more than $1 million in bad debts. | Monday, 21 May 2012

PwC bans staff meetings between 10am and 4pm: Five tips for running a good meeting
Cara Waters A chief executive's ban on meetings has been backed by a business performance expert. | Thursday, 17 May 2012

Big four "couldn't give a toss" about small business: Small Business Minister Brendan O'Connor
Oliver Milman The big four banks “couldn’t give a toss” about providing credit to new enterprises, federal Small Business Minister Brendan O’Connor has claimed. | Thursday, 17 May 2012

Private businesses predict profit increase of 18% next year: PwC
Cara Waters Australia's private businesses are continuing to experience slow growth rates, with sales growing by just 6% and profits by 7% in the last 12 months, according to PwC's Business Barometer published today. | Monday, 14 May 2012

Proposed ASX rule changes for small companies come under fire
Cara Waters Shareholder activists have criticised an ASX proposal to increase capital raising limits for small and mid-cap companies from 15% to 25%, saying it ignores small investors. | Monday, 14 May 2012

Why the big banks won't break their gambling addiction: Kohler
Alan Kohler JP Morgan's $2 billion loss has led to calls in the US for tougher regulations on trading, but don't bet on change happening soon. | Sunday, 13 May 2012

CBA and NAB cut rates but withhold a large chunk of the Reserve Bank’s reduction
Cara Waters Commonwealth Bank will lower its standard variable interest rate by 40 basis points. | Thursday, 3 May 2012

The “super-sized” rate cut is good news for business, but banks still hesitant
Cara Waters The Reserve Bank of Australia’s decision to cut the official interest rate by 50 basis points yesterday has been hailed as “courageous” by economists. | Wednesday, 2 May 2012

Trends


Google appoints new Motorola Mobility CEO after takeover deal closes
Andrew Sadauskas Google has appointed a new CEO to Motorola Mobility after completing its takeover of the smartphone maker. | Thursday, 24 May 2012

Nokia rapidly burning through cash reserves as marketshare collapses
Andrew Sadauskas Nokia, Microsoft, Windows Phone, Windows Phone 7, Google, Apple, Android, iOS, Credit Default Swaps, Standard & Poor's, Information Technology | Tuesday, 22 May 2012

Harvey Norman scoops Telstra, Optus and Vodafone to secure Sony Xperia Sola
Andrew Sadauskas Harvey Norman has secured an exclusive Australian distribution agreement for the Sony Xperia Sola, scooping Telstra, Optus and Vodafone. | Monday, 21 May 2012

Features


Your sector-by-sector guide to 2012
Madeleine Heffernan The only certainty is uncertainty: chances are the Australian economy is headed for another topsy-turvy year. | Tuesday, 17 January 2012

All’s not well for online customers in health insurance sector
James Thomson Health insurance is an industry that has become dominated by comparison websites. So you would expect the main players to be internet savvy. But they're not. | Tuesday, 23 August 2011

Insurers bank on better times
Robert Bryant An accelerating economy will yield strong demand for general insurance and this will force insurers to lift prices as capacity is stretched. | Tuesday, 28 June 2011

How I diversified my business risk when a key staff member resigned
Patrick Stafford APEX Insurance Brokers' Daniel Johnson reveals his uphill battle after a key staff member left the company. | Thursday, 2 June 2011

Insuring the future
Robert Bryant, IBISWorld Price increases and investment returns will strengthen revenue for the insurance industry. | Tuesday, 30 November 2010

Five industries set to fly in 2010-2011
Robert Bryant, IBISWorld With the new financial year upon us, IBISWorld looks at the Australian industries set to fly in the next 12 months - and those set to fall. | Tuesday, 22 June 2010

Bring companies back from the dead
Patrick Stafford By the time a financially distressed company requests assistance, many are too far along to help, warns Vantage Performance's Michael Fingland. | Thursday, 18 March 2010

How to get cash from banks
Patrick Stafford Spotless financial records, low debtor levels and a clear, easy-to-understand business case are three critical requirements for SMEs that want funding. | Wednesday, 10 March 2010

Late payment
Robert Bryant The finance and insurance sector is being hammered by the global financial crisis, but the sector's underlying growth prospects are good. | Tuesday, 7 April 2009

How to pick the best investment adviser
Michael Laurence Storm Financial’s formula for investment success was fundamentally flawed, and should have sent warning signs to investors with even minimal investment skills. MICHAEL LAURENCE asks long-time investor specialists how to identify investment advisers that should be avoided | Monday, 16 February 2009

Entrepreneur Zone


Clive Rabie
Madeleine Heffernan News imageClive Rabie, the CEO of accounting software company Reckon, says 2012 has got off to a good start and SMEs are feeling more optimistic. BY MADELEINE HEFFERNAN. | Tuesday, 6 March 2012

Adir Shiffman
James Thomson News imageHelp Me Choose founder, Adir Shiffman, talks about building a business throughout the GFC, the pitfalls of fast growth and why he still keeps his hand in as a doctor. | Tuesday, 24 August 2010

Mark Forsyth
James Thomson News imageFirstfolio is one of the fastest-growing players in the mortgage market. Chief exec Mark Forsyth talks about the trade off between short-term profit and long-term growth. | Tuesday, 20 April 2010

Jo Burston
Patrick Stafford News imageWhile Jo Burston had an idea for a business which could provide services for payroll packaging and outsourcing she had no funding. | Thursday, 11 February 2010

Michael Russell
James Thomson News imageMichael Russell is the chief executive of Mortgage Choice, Australia's largest independent mortgage broker. Russell was appointed in May, in the middle of an extremely difficult year for the company. He talks to SmartCompany about the pressure on commissions, the need for more competition in the banking sector and whether or not our kids will ever be able to afford their own homes. | Tuesday, 1 December 2009

Sean Russo
Patrick Stafford News imageIf you allowed your clients to decide how much to pay you, what sort of fee would you receive? | Thursday, 29 October 2009

Ned Montarello
James Thomson News imageDespite the downturn, ThinkSmart, which specialises in providing finance products for the B2B sector, has had a solid year. | Wednesday, 21 October 2009

Tim Johnston
Amber Plum News imageAn unserviced niche in the accountancy industry saw BooksOnSite become one of the fifth largest bookkeeping businesses in the country. | Friday, 2 October 2009

Keeping business cooking
James Thomson News imageSilverChef's Allan English has used the 'rent, try, buy' model to help hospitality businesses while helping his own. | Thursday, 21 May 2009

Recruiter rides the outsourcing wave
Amanda Gome Andrew Banks heads the winning HR firm Talent2, and has built a highly successful and lucrative career from making canny calls on recruitment trends. He tells AMANDA GOME about his strategies and predictions. | Tuesday, 14 October 2008
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