Like all governments, the United States borrows hard cash through treasury bonds. It issues government securities that other countries and institutions buy.

The US national debt — almost $14.35 trillion — is owned mostly in the United States, and the $4.5 trillion foreign-owned debt is owned predominantly by Asian economies, according to Guardian and Business Insider.

First let us take a look how much debt America owes…

(US national debt is owned mostly in the US)

Social security trust fund

Total holdings of US Treasuries: $2.67 trillion

Percentage of US debt that they own: 19

The Federal Reserve

The Treasury owes the Fed $1.63 trillion in Treasuries, much of which were bought for the Quantitative Easing programmes.

That is 11.3 per cent of US debt, much more than China.

China

Total holdings of Treasuries: $1.16 trillion

Percentage of US debt that they own: 8

US households

Total holdings of US Treasuries: $959.4 billion

Percentage of US debt that they own: 6.6

Japan

Total holdings of Treasuries: $912.4 billion

Percentage of US debt that they own: 6.4

State and local governments

Total holdings of US Treasuries: $506.1 billion

Percentage of US debt that they own: 3.5

Private pension funds

Total holdings of US Treasuries: $504.7 billion

Percentage of US debt that they own: 3.5

United Kingdom

Total holdings of Treasuries: $346.5 billion

Percentage of US debt that they own: 2.4

Money market mutual funds

Total holdings of US Treasuries: $337.7 billion

Percentage of US debt that they own: 2.4

State, local and federal retirement funds

Total holdings of US Treasuries: $320.9 billion

Percentage of US debt that they own: 2.2

Commercial banks

Total holdings of US Treasuries: $301.8 billion

Percentage of US debt that they own: 2.1

Mutual funds

Total holdings of US Treasuries: $300.5 billion

Percentage of US debt that they own: 2

Oil exporting countries

Total holdings of Treasuries: $229.8 billion

Percentage of US debt that they own: 1.6

Brazil

Total holdings of Treasuries: $211.4 billion

Percentage of US debt that they own: 1.5

Taiwan

Total holdings of US Treasuries: $153.4 billion

Percentage of US debt that they own: 1.1

Caribbean banking centres

Total holdings of US Treasuries: $148.3 billion

Percentage of US debt that they own: 1

E*Trade, Scottrade, and Ameritrade are today’s leading online brokerage companies that offer a simple way to buy and sell stocks. If you’re not an experienced investor, but still want to take a plunge into the stock market, learning about different options available can help you find out the benefits of each. Still, each brokerage offers different types of accounts and fees depending on the level of activity each period. Some also charge inactivity fees on top of variable commission rates and balance requirements. Knowing where to invest is the first step to building a successful portfolio. Here’s a quick comparison of E*trade, Scottrade, and Ameritrade so you can make the best investment decisions:

E*Trade offers an extensive line of trading and investment services, covering many options in stocks, mutual funds, bonds, IPOs, Futures, and Options. The online resources are substantial, but may be intimidating for the beginning investor. E*Trade does offer a user-friendly help center to guide you through rates, news, and different account options but requires a fair amount of review to get started. Highlights of E*Trade offerings include:

• $6.99-$9.99 flat rates depending on number of stock and options trades with fees up to $12.99 for anything less than $50,000

• Mutual fund transaction fees of $19.99

• 1,000+ ‘no-load, no-transaction fee funds’ for each account (but early redemption fees do apply)

• Asset allocation tools available online

• Access to advisors to help with asset allocation

Bottom line: E*Trade offers a variety of options for the seasoned investor, with premium services available for active traders. However, beginning investors may not find rates competitive enough to stick with them in the long term.

Scottrade is ideal for average and inexperienced stock investors, and offers competitive startup rats as well as low monthly fees. Highlights of scottrade accounts include:

• $500 account minimum requirements

• $7 flat rate for market and limit orders-no extra fees to worry about

• No inactivity fees; you can leave your account alone for a period of time without worrying about stacking up fees

• Three platforms to choose from: Scottrade.com, scottrader, and scottradeElite.

Bottom line: Scottrade is a great place for beginning investors to get started, and can help build a portfolio in a short amount of time.

Scottrade Free Trades Coupon Code:

Referred by: KALLAL PAUL
ReferALL code: DBCP6171

Ameritrade offers a very easy trading platform with its online services. It boasts $9.99 internet equity trades with no maintenance fees, so you don’t have to pay any additional fees to get started with an account. Other highlights of Ameritrade include:

• Easy-to-access reporting and stock analysis each day

• Access to Ameritrade representatives throughout your state if you need advice or guidance

• A ‘Command Center 2.0′ to make trading very easy and simple to follow

• Free trades for $45 and a $100 bonus

Bottom line: Ameritrade offers plenty of options for beginning investors, and is a great choice if you’re looking for something simple and straightforward. The flat-rate is competitive, but do read the guidelines on which types of trades qualify under this program. If you need to speak with a representative or advisor, Ameritrade does make it easy to locate someone to guide you through the process.

Today’s online stock trading websites enable you to buy and trade stocks with ease; you don’t have to depend on a middleman to guide you through the process, and each one offers helpful tutorials to take you through the steps. Still, the services come at a price; be sure to read the terms and conditions of each brokerage to calculate the ‘real’ cost of your transactions. Ameritrade and Scottrade offer convenient accounts for beginners, while E*Trade is best suited for a seasoned investor.

Similar Post:

1. Scottrade Free Trades- Coupon Code

When these hotties make a debut in the market, they may make your heart go zoom. Check them out.

Samsung i8520 Halo

Samsung Halo is a 3.7-inch Super AMOLED touch-screen smartphone with an 8-megapixel AF camera. The smartphone runs on Google’s Android 2.1 OS.

It is equipped with a GPS, Wi-Fi, DivX and XviD support for videos, 8-megapixel camera, a 3.5 mm headphone jack and 16GB of internal memory.

HTC Legend & HTC Desire

HTC Desire comes with a 3.7-inch capacitive touch-screen (800 x 480), a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and the Android OS. The smartphone supports Flash 10.1. HTC Legend sports a 3.2-inch AMOLED capacitive touch-screen display (320 x 480) and the company’s Sense user interface.

The company also showcased Legend. HTC Legend is powered by a 600MHz Qualcomm processor and runs on Google’s Android operating system (version 2.1). Other features include Wi-Fi and 3G network connectivity, a 5 mega-pixel camera, a 3.5mm headphone jack and Bluetooth.

Sony Vivaz Pro

Vivaz Pro comes with a QWERTY keyboard that slides out from underneath the 3.2-inch touchscreen. The Symbian-based Vivaz Pro is about 2 millimeters thicker than the original Vivaz, allows for video capture in 720p HD, and comes in black or white. It includes an 8GB microSD card and a 5.1 megapixel camera.

Sony introduced the original Vivaz last month, and that device is set to be released this quarter.

LG GD880 Mini

LG GD880 Mini is a touch-screen handset supporting HSDPA, Wi-Fi and GPS. The super thin phone features a sleek design with textured metal side panels. Features include a 5-megapixel camera with face detection capabilities and a 16:9 widescreen display.

LG also showcased LG GT350. The QWERTY messaging smartphone offers built-in applications for major social networks and sports a 3-inch full-touch screen. LG GT350 also includes real-time push e-mail and will be available in four colors.

Sony x10 mini and Xperia x10 Pro

The two other phones introduced by Sony take their cues from Xperia x10 — the Xperia x10 mini and the Xperia x10 Pro. Both phones are built on Android 1.6 operating system and come with access to Google services like Gmail, Google Maps and the Android Market. They include a 2.55-inch touchscreen and 5-megapixel camera.

The Xperia x10 Pro, however, gets its own slide-out QWERTY keyboard like the Vivaz Pro. The addition makes the Xperia x10 Pro slightly heavier than the mini, 4.2 ounces compared to 3.1 ounces.

x10 mini comes in black, pearl white, lime, pink, red, and silver, while the x10 mini pro comes in black or red. The original Xperia x10 debuted in November 2009, and includes an 8.1 megapixel camera and four-inch screen. It will be available this quarter

Acer Liquid E

Acer launched Liquid E, its new Android-based smartphone (version 2.1). The original Acer Liquid was launched in 2009 and had Android 1.6. In Liquid E, Acer has upgraded not only the software but also provide multitouch support via its 3.5 inch touchscreen with capacitive sensitivity.

Acer also unveiled the neoTouch P400 smartphone – a Windows Mobile powered handset. At just 12 millimetres thick it is one of the sleekest WinMo-based mobiles around and should feature version 6.5.3.

Motorola Quench

Motorola’s only launch at Mobile World Congress is Android-powered Motorola Quench. The phone sports a 3.1-inch, 320 x 480 capacitive touch-screen, a 5MP camera and a 528 MHz processor.

Other features include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and 3G.

Toshiba K01

Toshiba K01 is a slide-out phone with a QWERTY keyboard. The mobile phone features a Snapdragon 1GHz processor running Windows Mobile Professional 6.5, a 3.15-megapixel camera with auto-focus and VGA video recording at 30 fps, 256MB RAM, 512MB ROM, and capacity for a microSD card up to 32GB. It also sports a 4.1-inch capacitive touch screen with touch-sensitive navigation controls.

Toshiba also launched TG02 features a capacitive touch screen and 3.15-megapixel camera with auto-focus. The slim phone runs on Windows Mobile Professional 6.5 and is powered by a Snapdragon 1GHz processor.

But, the pitfalls while selecting a property, especially for NRIs, are many and it has been seen that people while buying property overlook some important factors and suffer later. As the investment involved in purchasing a property is substantial, it is essential that buyers go about it in an organized and methodical way.

When buying a property, ensure that the title of the land in question is clear. The property title is the legal document that confers ownership of the land on the seller. V Ramesh from California bought a house without checking the title. Soon thereafter he got a legal notice from the actual owner. Rues Ramesh, “I was shocked when I got a legal notice and realized my folly when it was too late.” Cases such as these are common among NRIs who simply grab the first property they like without checking the title.

Not many are aware that the purchase price of the property is not the only cost to be borne. You need to factor in other hidden costs such as brokerage, stamp duty, legal fees, inspection fees, mortgage fees and the like. Ensure that you’ve budgeted for these too lest they spring up unpleasant surprises later.

A commencement certificate is issued by the local authorities to allow the builder to begin construction once all norms have been met. Unless the commencement certificate is granted, the construction is illegal or may never happen. If you don’t verify the project’s commencement certificate, you could end up paying money for a property that will never be constructed. And that’s exactly what happened to Sameer Shah when he paid a huge amount for an apartment in Mumbai which was under construction only to realize later that it was an illegal construction. He says, “I have filed a case against the builder, but I don’t have any hope of recovering my money.”

Another important document is an occupation certificate which is issued by the local municipal body after the builder has provided basic amenities like electricity and water besides having constructed according to the permission granted. Do not sign on the dotted line until you check this document.

Suresh Prabhu bought an apartment in a newly constructed building in a posh locality. But after all the formalities had been completed he got a shock when he found out that the building did not have an intimation of disapproval (IoD). An IoD is a set of instructions that a builder has to fulfil in order to construct the building. It is valid for one year and has to be reissued if the construction is not completed in a year’s time. Unfortunately, Suresh was unaware that the builder had flouted this regulation and that it had got into a legal wrangle. He waited for nearly two years for the possession of this apartment.

There have been several cases in which builders have failed to provide adequate water supply connections leaving residents high and dry. In such instances, residents have no choice but to depend on water tankers. Ensure that your property has adequate water supply connections.

Acute power shortage is a reality in several areas in India, even in metros like Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. Voltage fluctuations too are common which can damage delicate electrical equipment. Take this into account before you narrow down on a property.

A buyer needs to get the survey number of his property. This is the unique identification number given to a plot of land to help identify the same as an authorized building. Certain areas like forest or agricultural land are out of bounds for residential purposes. Finding out the survey number protects you from being taken for a ride by a builder who constructs houses in a prohibited area and charges you for it. Such a building could be declared illegal and demolished by the authorities without paying you any compensation. So beware!

A background check on the reputation of the builder needs to be done, as you may land up buying a property from a builder with a dubious reputation. There have been instances where builders have constructed poor-quality flats or have swindled people of their money. Ensure that you buy property from a reputed builder.

Buying an apartment not only involves a substantial investment but also has long-term repercussions. It pays to do your homework before embarking on this exercise, to prevent your property from becoming a millstone around your neck.

Often big corporate houses cough up millions to help bolster their brands so that consumers remember who they are. Once a brand succeeds in striking a chord with the consumers, half the marketing battle is won.

Here are the world’s top 10 corporate brands.

1. Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola is one of the most recognized brands and logos in the world. Its brand value is worth $66,667 million. Its parent company is Coca-Cola.

It was created in Atlanta, Georgia by Dr John S Pemberton. The bottle is among the most recognizable icons in the world, its design standing for the youthful exuberance of United States of America.

Coca-Cola was first offered as a fountain beverage by mixing Coca-Cola syrup with carbonated water.

The Coca-Cola script was designed by an amateur, Frank Robinson. Coca-Cola was registered as a trademark in 1887 and by 1895 Coca-Cola was being sold in every state and territory in the US. In 1899, the company began franchised bottling operations in the US.

2. IBM

The company’s brand value is worth $59,031 million. Its parent company is International Business Machines.

In 1972, the company logo, designed by Paul Rand had horizontal stripes replacing the solid letters to suggest ‘speed and dynamism.’

A resurgent tech-services business together with highly profitable software edges Big Blue ahead of rival Microsoft.

3. Microsoft

Its brand value is worth $59,007 million. Its parent company is Microsoft.

Microsoft Corporation is an US multinational computer technology corporation with over 79,000 employees in 102 countries. It develops, manufactures, licenses and supports a wide range of software products for computing devices.

Headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA, its best selling products are the Microsoft Windows operating system and the Microsoft Office suite of productivity software.

Windows Vista bugs and Apple’s withering ‘I’m a Mac’ ads challenge the software giant despite its monopoly. It is now rolling out a new ad campaign.

4. GE

GE is the fourth most recognised brand in the world, worth $53,086 million. Its parent company is General Electric.

The group CEO Jeffrey Immelt introduced a set of changes in the presentation of the brand commissioned in 2004, after he took the reins as chairman.

The modifications included a new corporate colour palette, small modifications to the GE logo, a new customised font (GE Inspira), and a new slogan, ‘imagination at work’ replacing the longtime slogan ‘we bring good things to life’, composed by David Lucas.

The changes were designed by Wolff Olins.

5. Nokia

Its brand value is $35,942 million. Its parent company is Nokia.

Though iPhone has the buzz, Nokia phones sell eight times more.

Nokia Corporation has been in the telecommunications business since the 1960s and has become a global leader of the industry.

The original Nokia logo was designed in Tampere in 1865. It went through many modifications since then.

Therefore, when it came to designing their logo, Nokia Co. made every effort to make its logo represent the company’s mission. And thus, ‘Nokia Connecting People’ logo came into being.

6. Toyota

Its brand value is $34,050 million. Its parent company is Toyota Motor.

The current Toyota mark consists of three ovals: the two perpendicular center ovals represent a relationship of mutual trust between the customer and Toyota.

These ovals combine to symbolise the letter ‘T’ for Toyota.The space in the background implies a global expansion of Toyota’s technology and unlimited potential for the future.

Back in 1936, to coincide with the launch of its eagerly awaited first passenger car, Toyoda Automatic Loom Works Ltd. held a public competition to establish a new symbol mark to promote its vehicles.

The company indicated that the new design should convey the feeling of speed. Twenty-seven thousand entrants answered the call and submitted their ideas to Toyoda.

The winning design led to a change in the name of the automobiles and plants from ‘Toyoda’ to ‘Toyota.’ The changed name was chosen because the number of strokes to write Toyota in Japanese (eight) was thought to bring luck and prosperity.

The Model AA, Toyota’s first passenger car, became the first automobile to use the new name.

7. Intel

Its brand value is worth $31,261 million. Its parent company is Intel.

The original Intel logo with a ‘dropped-e’ in it was created by Silicon Valley pioneers Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore, 39 years ago as they were forming their new ‘integrated electronics’ company.

In 1991, the company introduced the ‘Intel Inside’ slogan with the Intel logo.

The company’s sales are strong and Intel still pays to place its logo in the ads of customers like Apple and Dell, but the Federal Trade Commission is investigating the practice.

8. McDonald’s

Its brand value is worth $31,049 million. Its parent company is McDonald’s.

McDonald’s Corporation is one of the largest chains of fast food in the world.

It mostly sells burgers and fries but has recently introduced fancy coffees, breakfast sandwiches, and wraps.

The McDonald’s Golden Arches logo was introduced in 1962. It was created by Jim Schindler to resemble new arch shaped signs on the sides of the restaurants. He merged the two golden arches together to form the famous ‘M’ now recognised throughout the world.

The McDonald’s name was added to the logo in 1968.

While the physical arches were dropped out from all the restaurants’ building design, the Golden Arches have remained in the McDonald’s logo.

9. Disney

Its brand value is worth 29,251 million. Its parent company is Walt Disney.

Co-founded by Walter Elias Disney, the Walt Disney Company today has branched out to various entertainment studios, theme parks, products and other media productions with an annual revenue of approximately $30 billion.

The Walt Disney logo is a ‘stylised version of the founder’s signature’ that signifies the brand name and promises secure, cheerful and quality American mainstream entertainment.

Other than the regular logo, the company uses different logos on its different products. A castle on a blue background version of the Walt Disney logo is used for the movie releases and as the curtain-raiser to its films.

10. Google

Its brand value is worth $25,590 million. Its parent company is Google.

Google Inc, a technology company, maintains index of web sites and other online content for users, advertisers, Google network members, and other content providers.

Its automated search technology helps users to obtain instant access to relevant information from its online index.

The company provides targeted advertising and Internet search solutions, as well as intranet solutions via an enterprise search appliance.

The dust seems to be settling now after two eventful years that witnessed many financial giants drop out of the top-50 safest banks list. Those banks that showed their grit amid an apparently insurmountable financial crisis topped the chart in this year’s ranking.

At the same time, the big name banks that lost their safest bank ranking during the credit crunch are still absent from the list as they struggle to rebuild their credibility.

How the selection was made

The ‘World’s 50 Safest Banks 2009′ were selected through a comparison of the long-term credit ratings and total assets of the 500 largest banks around the world. Ratings from Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s and Fitch were used.

Global Finance has published its ‘World’s Safest Banks’ listing for 18 years and this ranking has become a recognized and trusted standard of creditworthiness for the entire financial world. Here’s the list of the world’s safest banks with an overview of the top 10. Read on. . .

1. KfW (Germany)

Founded in 1948, KfW is a German government-owned development bank based in Frankfurt. The bank was formed after World War II as part of the Marshall Plan.

Earlier, it went under the name: Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau, or Reconstruction Credit Institute.

The bank’s revenue stood at Euro70.6 billion in 2008. Number of its employees stood at 4,228 in the same year.

Recently, KfW tied up with the Industrial Development Bank of India to help Indian companies identify projects, fund them and help earn carbon credits.

2. Caisse des Depots et Consignations (France)

Created in 1816, Caisse des Depots et Consignations is a French financial organisation under the control of the Frnech Parliament.

The Caisse des Depots consists of the public institution Caisse des Depots and its subsidiaries. Its subsidiaries are involved in the competitive area.

It operates throughout France and in over 80 countries.

3. Bank Nederlands Gemeenten (Netherlands)

The Bank Nederlandse Gemeenten is a Dutch bank which was founded in 1914 in The Hague. It specialises in providing financing for (semi-)publicly owned organisations.

Ranked by assets alone, it is ranked as the 4th bank in the Netherlands. The company is owned for 50 per cent by the Dutch state, while the remainder is owned by the municipalities and provinces.

In the first half of 2009, the net profit of Bank Dutch Municipalities stood at Euro 114 million compared to Euro 73 million in 2008.

4. Landwirtschaftliche Rentenbank (Germany)

Rentenbank, based in Frankfurt am Main, is Germany’s development agency for agri business. Rentenbank provides refinancing to banks within the European Union involved in financing agriculture, related sectors thereof and rural areas.

Rentenbank’s roots go back to the days of the Deutsche Rentenbank, founded in 1923 to combat the hyperinflation problems of the times. In 1925, it became Deutsche Rentenbank-Kreditanstalt (RKA) and the central refinancing institution for the agricultural sector.

The bank’s total assets in 2008 decreased slightly to Euro 87.9 billion while its total capital stood at Euro 3047.2 million.

5. Zuercher Kantonalbank (Switzerland)

On February 15 1870, the Zurich Cantonal Bank opened its first switch.  Mortgages and other capital needs for workers, artisans and clerks, for agricultural and industrial enterprises and for small and medium industrial enterprises have been largely neglected by the former private banks.

Towards the end of the 19th and at the beginning of last century, the Zurich economy experienced a remarkable boom. The result was an increased demand for housing and rising rents. As a result, the bank saw substantial growth.

In 2008, the bank’s total assets stood at 113 billion francs and its net income at 503 million francs.

6. Rabobank Group (Netherlands)

Rabobank Group is an international financial services provider operating on the basis of cooperative principles.

It offers retail banking, wholesale banking, asset management, leasing and real estate services. The bank focuses on all-finance services in the Netherlands and on food & agri internationally.

Rabobank Group comprises 152 independent local Rabobanks plus Rabobank Nederland, their central organisation, and a number of subsidiaries.

Rabobank’s roots lie in agriculture. In 1898 two separate cooperative banks — the Cooperatieve Centrale Raiffeisen-Bank in Utrecht and the Cooperatieve Centrale Boerenleenbank in Eindhoven — were founded by enterprising rural folk, who, with little access to the capital market, decided to help one another.

The two banks served their rural communities independently for three-quarters of a century, both successfully practicing cooperative banking principles.

Therefore, their 1972 merger was a logical partnership.

In the first half of 2009, the bank’s net profit stood at Euro 1.3 billion.

7. Landeskreditbank Baden-Wuerttemberg-Foerderbank (Germany)

It is a former public-law institution, which is wholly owned by the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg. The bank is headquarterd in Karlsruhe, and a branch office is located in Stuttgart.

The bank was founded in 1922 by Eugen Bolz, interior and finance minister, Wuerttemberg. The bank started its work in 1924 to counter the housing shortage especially after the World War I.

8. NRW Bank (Germany)

This is development bank for North Rhine-Westphalia.

North Rhine-Westphalia is Germany’s largest province and is among the 15 largest economies in the world.

The bank’s net income in 2008 stood at Euro 32.4 million whereas its net interest income stood at Euro 509.1 million.

9. BNP Paribas (France)

BNP Paribasis a major European bank. It was created on May 23, 2000 through the merger of Banque Nationale de Paris and Paribas. As on January 31 2008, the bank’s assets stood at $1,899.186 billion.

It’s history can be traced back to 1869, when a group of bankers and investors, including Adrien Delahante, Edmond Joubert and Henri Cernuschi, founded the Banque de Paris.

The bank employs 162,700 people and operates in 87 countries. The bank is active in the finance, investment and asset management markets.

10. Royal Bank of Canada (Canada)

The Royal Bank of Canada is the largest financial institution in Canada, measured by deposits, revenues, and market capitalisation.

The company’s primary corporate offices are located in Toronto, Ontario, while it is officially headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. The bank was founded in 1864 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

The bank serves 17 million clients and has 80,000 employees worldwide.

In Canada, the bank is branded as RBC Royal Bank in English and RBC Banque Royale in French

The bank’s revenue stood at $25.34 Billion CAD in 2008 and net income at $4.64 billion CAD.

The other 40 banks that made it to the 50 safest banks’ list are:

11. National Australia Bank (Australia);
12. Commonwealth Bank of Australia (Australia);
13. Banco Santander (Spain);
14. Toronto-Dominion Bank (Canada);
15. Australia & New Zealand Banking Group (Australia);
16. Westpac Banking Corporation (Australia);
17. ASB Bank Limited (New Zealand);
18. HSBC Holdings plc (United Kingdom);
19. Credit Agricole S.A. (France);
20. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (Spain);
21. Nordea Bank AB (publ) (Sweden);
22. Scotiabank (Canada);
23. Svenska Handelsbanken (Sweden);
24. DBS Bank (Singapore);
25. Banco Espanol de Credito S.A. (Spain);
26. Caisse centrale Desjardins (Canada);
27. Pohjola Bank (Finland);
28. Deutsche Bank AG (Germany);
29. Intesa Sanpaolo (Italy);
30. Caja de Ahorros y Pensiones de Barcelona (Spain);
31. Bank of Montreal (Canada);
32. The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (United States);
33. DnB NOR Bank (Norway);
34. Caixa Geral de Depositos (Portugal);
35. United Overseas Bank (Singapore);
36. Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp. (Singapore);
37. CIBC (Canada);
38. National Bank Of Kuwait (Kuwait);
39. J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.(United States);
40. UBS AG (Switzerland);
41. Societe Generale (France);
42. Wells Fargo & Co. (United States);
43. Credit Suisse Group (Switzerland);
44. Banque Federative du Credit Mutuel (France);
45. Credit Industriel et Commercial (France);
46. Nationwide Building Society (United Kingdom);
47. US Bancorp (United States);
48. Shizuoka Bank (Japan);
49. Northern Trust Corporation (United States);
50. National Bank of Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates)

Different master traders use different methods and approaches. But what is that one aspect that the greats all agree on, masters ranging from George Angell, day-trader, technical analyst par excellence; Gerald Appel, father of MACD, one of the most widely followed timing tools; Bruce Babcock, developer of trading software; George Lane, father of stochastics and one of the most experienced technical analysts in the world; Robert Prechter, the pre-eminent Elliott Wave analyst whose forecasts are followed by traders throughout the world; Welles Wilder, the man behind Delta and RSI and developer of technical tools that have revolutionized the trading world; and Larry Williams, colorful, controversial – a legend in his own time.

No, it’s not some glamorous or sexy new fail-safe technique. Rather the one aspect of universal agreement among master traders is the importance of discipline. Discipline is probably the most worn-out term in trading. But that doesn’t alter its importance. Also, saying the word is one thing; truly understanding its dimensions on an operational or behavioral level is another. Here are the golden rules of disciplined trading.

Be persistent

This is perhaps the single most important quality a trader can possess. Trading requires the ability to continue trading even when results have not been good. Due to the nature of markets and trading systems, good times frequently follow bad times, and bad times frequently follow good times. Some of a trader’s greatest successes occur following a string of losses. This is why traders must be persistent in applying their trading methods and continue using them for a reasonable period of time.

Accept losses

Another important quality that the market masters emphasise is the ability to accept losses and to take them promptly. Perhaps the single greatest downfall of all traders is the inability to take a loss when it should be taken. Losses have a nasty habit of becoming worse rather than better. Unless they are taken when they should be, the results will not be to your liking.

Avoid overtrading

Too many traders feel that they must trade every day. Such traders are addicted to trading. The fact is that some days offer few if any trading opportunities. The trader who wishes to preserve capital and avoid losses as well as unnecessary commission charges should understand that trading, other than mechanical day trading, is not an everyday event. There will be days when no trades are indicated. This is for the best.

Specialise

Successful trading is a time-consuming undertaking that requires close attention. Which is why many market masters specialize in certain markets. In most cases, successful trading requires diligence, follow-through and persistence. Because most trading techniques require close attention, traders should not be involved in too many markets at one time.

I suggest that five to seven markets are sufficient for most traders. In fact, for new traders, I recommend specialising in one or two markets and attending to them thoroughly to develop your skills and increase your overall profits.

Begin with sufficient capital

Perhaps one of the worst blunders that any trader could commit is to trade with insufficient capital. Virtually all the market masters agree on this point. The argument may be made that the futures trader does not need to have substantial capital in his or her account since trades are closed out at the end of the day and therefore the necessity for sufficient margin to maintain positions is eliminated.

While this may be true, those with limited funds cannot play the game as long as those with larger funds. In any venture it is important to start with sufficient capital so that the trader will not feel pressured to perform and can allow the particular trading system or methods sufficient opportunity to ride through periods of poor performance.

Use news to your advantage

Many a trader has learned the hard way that following the news frequently leads to losses. However, I have discovered ways in which the trader can use the fundamental news or developing international, domestic or political news to his or her advantage.

Do not be a follower of the news; rather ‘fade’ the news. Use the news to exit positions that you probably established before the news became public knowledge. I firmly believe in the old market dictum: Buy on rumor, sell on news.

On an intra-day basis, markets are very sensitive to news well before the news is known by most traders. Insiders buy and sell on expectation, sometimes based on rumor, frequently based on fact. They establish positions before the general public is aware of the news; once the news has become public knowledge, they take advantage of the surge or the drop in prices to exit positions.

Take advantage of brief price surges

At times, markets will drop or rally quickly, seemingly in response to no news. What may be happening is a rumor on the trading floor, a large buyer or buy order, or large seller or sell order of which you are unaware. Such brief price surges or drops are opportunities for you to exit positions at a profit or to establish a new position. It is important to develop this quality as a futures trader since it is entirely consistent with the futures trading objective.

Stick to your goals

Above all, remember that as a trader you have one major goal: to make money. To do so, you must be particularly aware of your net profits at all times. My advice, which is based on many years of trading, is to set yourself specific standards and conditions under which you will begin to liquidate positions. Do so while the trend is still in your favor. You may either begin to close out your positions at that time or you may use a follow-up stop loss procedure to ‘lock in’ existing profits.

Use market sentiment to find short-term and day-trading opportunities

I have already discussed the importance of going against the majority opinion to find profitable trading opportunities. I believe that this is one of the most important qualities a trader can possess. While there is certainly a great deal of money to be made in trading with the existing trend, it is also important to know when the existing trend has reached a possible turning point.

One of the best ways, if not the best way of doing this, is through the use of market sentiment. The trader must also be a contrarian. This does not mean that you must buck the trend, but it does mean that you must always be aware of whether sentiment is very high or very low.

This will give you important clues as to whether you should be quick to take profits, whether you can allow profits to run and whether you should look for trading opportunities on the opposite side of the existing trend.

I have learned, after many years of trading, that the major difference between those who are successful traders and those who are not is found in their discipline, their psychological makeup and in the skills they have acquired as traders rather than in the trading systems, they use.

Excerpt from Market Masters by Jake Bernstein.

And the collapse did not stop there. From the United States to Iceland to Kazakhstan, banks and insurance companies were either acquired or merged or went belly-up thanks to a fatal combination of pure greed, bizarre financial instruments, and the sub-prime crisis that swept America. The shocking results left the world gasping.

There was a time when experts, analysts, rating agencies found it very easy to describe the best banks. The bank with the largest asset under management was the ‘best’ bank. But now in banking parlance, large often means ‘bad’.

In a recent study, Economy Watch and the Economist came to a conclusion that instead of depending on the ‘fatally flawed assumption that all assets are created equally, and that they won’t decline in value en masse’, it is better to focus on quality of assets, cash flows and management.

This very unique study threw up an interesting list of which could be the world’s top 10 banks.

JP Morgan Chase & Co

JP Morgan Chase & Co is a leading global financial services firm with operations in more than 50 countries and has its corporate headquarters in New York City. Under the JPMorgan and Chase brands, it serves millions of consumers in the United States and many of the world’s most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients.

One of the world’s oldest, largest and best-known financial institutions, the firm is a leader in investment banking; financial services for consumers, small business and commercial banking; financial transaction processing; asset management; and private equity.

JP Morgan Chase & Co is built on the foundation of more than 1,000 predecessor institutions that have come together over the years to form today’s company. The many well-known heritage banks include JP Morgan & Co, The Chase Manhattan Bank, Bank One, Manufacturers Hanover Trust Co, Chemical Bank, The First National Bank of Chicago and National Bank of Detroit.

JPMorgan Chase & Co reported first-quarter 2009 net income of $2.1 billion, compared with net income of $2.4 billion in the first quarter of 2008.

Jamie Dimon is the bank’s chairman and chief executive officer.

Meltdown fallout:
Acquired: Bear Stearns, Washington Mutual (WaMu).

Credit Suisse

Credit Suisse can look back on a history stretching over 150 years.

On July 5, 1856, prominent Swiss politician, business leader, and pioneer Alfred Escher founded ‘Schweizerische Kreditanstalt’. The original purpose of the new bank was to finance the expansion of a railroad network as well as further industrialisation in Switzerland. The founding of the company was a huge success.

What was once just a Swiss investment bank gradually developed into a globally active and integrated universal bank.

Credit Suisse provides companies, institutional clients and high-net-worth private clients worldwide, as well as retail clients in Switzerland, with advisory services, comprehensive solutions, and innovative products.

Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, Credit Suisse is active in over 50 countries and employs more than 46,000 people from approximately 100 different nations.

Brady W Dougan is its chief executive officer.

Credit Suisse Group reported net income of *CHF 2.0 billion in the first quarter of 2009

Meltdown fallout:
Credit Suisse was an early victim of toxic assets, but it moved quicker than competitors to get those off its books or write off completely.

*CHF = Swiss Franc

Goldman Sachs Group Inc

Goldman Sachs Group Inc is a leading global financial services firm providing investment banking, securities and investment management services to a substantial and diversified client base that includes corporations, financial institutions, governments and high-net-worth individuals.

It was founded in 1869 by German Jewish immigrant Marcus Goldman. And when Goldman’s son-in-law Samuel Sachs joined the firm’s name was changed to Goldman Sachs.

It was invited to join the New York Stock Exchange in 1896. The firm is headquartered in New York and maintains offices in London, Frankfurt, Tokyo, Hong Kong and other major financial centres around the world.

Lloyd C Blankfein is the chairman and chief executive officer.

The company reported a better-than-expected Q1 earnings of $3.23/share.

Meltdown fallout:

Goldman Sachs got help from Berkshire Hathaway, which bought $5 billion in Goldman’s preferred stock, and got also warrants to buy another $5 billion in Goldman’s common stock.

Goldman also received $10 billion of capital from the American government in October 2008, under the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP).

Blackstone Group

In 1985, Stephen A Schwarzman and Peter G Peterson, who retired from the firm in 2008, co-founded the Blackstone Group with a shared secretary and a balance sheet of $400,000.

Today Blackstone is a leading global alternative asset manager and provider of financial advisory services listed on the New York Stock Exchange with total fee-earnings assets under management of $92.2 billion as of March 31, 2009.

Since inception, the New York-based Blackstone has completed investments in such notable companies as Hilton Hotels Corporation, Equity Office Properties, Allied Waste, AlliedBarton, United Biscuits, Freescale Semiconductor, Nielsen Company, Biomet, Michaels Stores and Travelport.

Stephen A Schwarzman is the chairman and chief executive officer.

Economic net income was a loss of $93 million for the first quarter of 2009, significantly better than the loss of $827 million in the fourth quarter of 2008

Meltdown fallout:

Blackstone Group may be the key mega entrant of the Financial Crisis.

Banco Santander

Banco Santander’s history began on May 15, 1857, when Queen Isabel II (of Spain) signed a royal decree authorising the incorporation of the founding of bank.

Right from the start it was a bank open to the outside world, being initially linked to trade between the port of Santander in the north of Spain and Latin America.

In 2007, Santander held its 150th anniversary as the world’s 12th largest bank by market cap, the 7th in terms of profit and the bank with the largest retail network in the western world, with 10,852 branches.

Emilio Botin is the chairman of the board and Alfredo Saenz Abad is the chief executive officer.

Banco Santander’s net attributable profit in the first quarter of 2009 was euro 2.1 billion, a decrease of 5 per cent from last year, but an increase of 8 per cent compared to the fourth quarter of 2008.

Meltdown fallout:
Acquired:

• British retail and mortgage bank Alliance and Leicester of Great Britain
• British Diversified financial services firm Bradford and Bingley Wyomissing, Pennsylvania (USA) based Sovereign Bank.

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China is the largest bank in the world. It is one of China’s ‘Big Four’ state-owned commercial banks (the other three being the Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, and China Construction Bank).

It is the largest bank in the world in terms of market value and one of the world’s top ten banks by assets.

It was founded as a limited company on January 1, 1984. As of 2006, it had assets of RMB 7,055 billion ($893 billion), with over 18,000 outlets including 106 overseas branches.

ICBC was simultaneously listed on both the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and Shanghai Stock Exchange on 27 October 2006. It was the world’s largest IPO to date.

Jiang Jianqing, is chairman and executive director.

Meltdown fallout:

Goldman Sachs recently sold about $1.9 billion worth of shares in ICBC at a discount of 4 to 6 per cent.

Standard Chartered Bank

Headquartered in London, Standard Chartered Bank operations in more than seventy countries and has a network of over 1,700 branches and outlets (including subsidiaries, associates and joint ventures) and employs 73,000 people.

Despite its British base, it has few customers in the United Kingdom and 90 per cent of its profits come from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

Standard Chartered is listed on the London Stock Exchange and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. Its largest shareholder is Singapore’s Temasek Holdings.

The name Standard Chartered comes from the two original banks from which it was founded and which merged in 1969 — The Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China, and The Standard Bank of British South Africa.

The Chartered Bank was founded by Scotsman James Wilson following the grant of a Royal Charter by Queen Victoria in 1853, while The Standard Bank was founded in the Cape Province of South Africa in 1862 by another Scotsman John Paterson.

Peter Sands is the current chief executive officer.

On February 29 2008, Standard Chartered PLC announced it has received all the required approvals leading to the completion of its acquisition of American Express Bank Ltd from the American Express Company. The total cash consideration for the acquisition is $823 million.

Rabobank

Rabobank’s roots lie in agriculture. In 1898 two separate cooperative banks – the Cooperatieve Centrale Raiffeisen-Bank in Utrecht and the Cooperatieve Centrale Boerenleenbank in Eindhoven – were founded by enterprising rural folk, who, with little access to the capital market, decided to help one another.

The two banks served their rural communities independently for three-quarters till they merged in 1972.

Rabobank opened branch offices in Europe, North America, Asia and South America and entered into strategic alliances with European partners.

In terms of Tier-1 capital, the organisation is among the world’s fifteen largest financial institutions.

Meltdown effect:

Previously considered a laggard, this Dutch bank is now hailed as far-sighted for his conservation mode of operation.

The Bank of New York Mellon

Established in 2007 from the merger of Mellon Financial Corporation and The Bank of New York Company, Inc, The Bank of New York Mellon is a leading asset management and securities services company. Headquartered in New York, the bank has $19.5 trillion in assets under custody or administration and $881 billion under management.

It helps organisations build assets, enhance performance, improve operating efficiency and reduce risk through a wide range of asset management and securities services solutions.

For individuals, it offers sophisticated financial solutions, including investment and wealth management, private banking and shareowner services.

Robert P Kelly is the chairman and chief executive officer.

On June 9, 2009, The Bank of New York Mellon celebrated its 225th anniversary.

Meltdown effect:

The bank boasts of negative toxic assets, as unlike regular banks it provides custodian services and do not put its own capital at risk.

BNP Paribas

BNP Paribas is the European leader in banking and financial services, with a significant and growing presence in the United States and leading positions in Asia. The Group has one of the largest international banking networks, a presence in over 85 countries and 172,300 employees.

BNP Paribas is the largest bank in the Eurozone by total assets and second largest by market capitalization according to The Banker magazine.

Baudouin Prot is the chief executive officer.

In the first quarter of 2009 BNP Paribas posted a very solid performance enabling it to generate a net profit of euro 1,558 million.

Meltdown fallout:

Once BNP Paribas buys a majority stake in Fortis Bank of Belgium it will become eurozone’s largest deposit holder through its positions in Belgium and Luxembourg.

A slide allows quick access from  different floors ….
There are also poles available … they  are similar to the ones used in fire stations

Employees can eat all they want from a vast choice of food and drink.

Each employee has at least two large screens. There are 4-6 ‘Zooglers’ per office.

Large boards are available just about everywhere because ‘ideas don’t always come when seated in the office’ says one of Googles managers.

Pool tables, video games etc. are  available in many areas.

Problem with your computer ?  No problem ….Bring it to this area where drinks are available while it is being fixed

On each floor, there are private cabin areas where employees can attend to personal  affairs.

Professional masseurs (eusses) available.

This room provides massage chairs that you control … while you view relaxing aquariums ..

 There are many books in this  library … even some about programming !!