UK Treasury’s ‘proactive’ approach to cryptocurrencies welcomed by deVere

Though we are all aware of the fact that there are scores of companies that buy stock imagery, things are changing as many companies are paying people for images they click with your cameras, smartphones or tablets.

If you want to earn a few bucks quickly and you are wondering how to make money with pictures, then you need to scroll down and know about the top websites that are worth checking out.

• EyeEm

This app helps android users and Apple users to make money with pictures as it is available for iOS and Android. The best thing about this website is its variety of photo enhancing filters. The pictures are sold in partnership with Getty Images.

• Foap

You can earn 5 bucks easily when you sell photos via this website. The approval process depends largely on your ratings as a member. Each time you upload a new photo, you will need to rate images with other members. This ensures that every member has a rating. The more positive ratings you have, the higher would be your chances of approval.

• Alamy

Most people have heard of Alamy as reputed newspapers, publishing houses and magazines buy images from this platform. It has an app called Stockimo that allows you to make money with pictures by letting you upload pictures clicked via a mobile device. This website is meant for class photographers as you can get up to 500 dollars for a picture. The average sale price is about 90 dollars and a photographer gets flat 20 percent fee for any photo that’s sold. You are also free to sold the photos repeatedly if you are willing to go through the approval process again and again.

• Twenty20

This website pays you 20 percent of each picture that earns money. The price of each picture is decided by the company, and the charges are usually based on the size of the photo. The minimum price claimed by the website is 10 dollars.

• ScoopShot

This website mainly caters to websites that are looking for photos of a specific nature. If you seriously want to work hard to sell your photos, then this assignment-based website is perfect for you. When a request comes, you submit photos to fulfill the request, and the person/company that raised the request chooses the photos he or she likes. This app is available for Android and iOS.

• Clashot

If you want to make money with pictures and don’t want to go through a lot of legal red tape then you should try the mobile app known as Clashot. It allows you to upload any picture you want. The ones that get approved are put up for sales. The ones that don’t get approval still get visibility online.

• Fotolia

This app is a bit complicated as the photos you upload here get ranked, and there are some exclusivity deals as well. The payment system is quite generous as you get to earn anywhere from 20 percent to up to 60 percent for the photos that were uploaded by you and sold.

Now that you know about the websites/apps that help you make money with photos, you should learn to target specific niches that are underrepresented in order to ensure that your pictures sell quickly.

CAMRADATA, a leading provider of data and analysis for institutional investors, has launched a Private Markets Database giving investors who are looking for more diversification in their investments access to a new private markets screen within CAMRADATA Live.

CAMRADATA Live enables asset managers to showcase their strategies and allows institutional investors and investment consultants to analyse them all in one easy place.

 Over 2,500 investors and consultants use the portal to search and analyse nearly 6,000 investment products offered by more than 700 asset managers.

Now clients can search in eight private market categories – allowing them to make more informed investment decisions. These categories include: Commodities, Infrastructure Debt, Infrastructure Equity, Natural Resources, Private Debt, Private Equity, Real Estate and Real Estate Debt.

Sean Thompson, Managing Director, CAMRADATA said, “This is an exciting time for CAMRADATA. Not only have we seen our business expand into Europe, MENA and Asia, but this year, we have also been busy developing new services to give our clients even greater value and insight. Adding private markets to CAMRADATA Live further enhances our market offering.

“Increasingly, investors are seeking alternative investments to achieve greater yield and portfolio diversification. Private markets have seen tremendous growth in recent years and we’ve launched this new facility in response to client demand and interest in these types of assets from the institutional investor.

“We encourage investors who are not currently using our online manager research platform, CAMRADATA Live, to get in touch, as it would provide them with a wealth of information at no cost.  Investors will be able to take full advantage of the range of opportunities and strategies in traditional asset classes and now private markets as well, with the confidence that they have robust, up-to-date information at their fingertips,” adds Mr Thompson.

For more information on CAMRADATA visit www.camradata.com.

Switzerland is set for sturdy growth of 2.4% this year and 2.0% in 2019, though further Swiss franc appreciation against the euro remains a risk should investors turn again to the currency to hedge against tensions in global trade and EU politics.

For the updated rating report, click here.

Switzerland’s credit profile reflects its exceptionally strong fundamentals, low levels of debt and sound fiscal management.

Switzerland furthermore benefits from a strong external position, effective financial policy settings and highly developed capital markets, underpinned by the safe-haven status of the Swiss franc.

The Swiss currency however constitutes a potential source of economic uncertainty. The depreciation of the franc against the euro at end-2017, alongside strong external demand, drove the economy’s buoyant growth in the first two quarters of 2018 at 3.2% YoY. In line with the Federal Government’s and IMF’s estimates, Scope expects GDP growth of 2.4% for 2018 due to the continued strong performance of its main trading partners and robust domestic demand, supported by investment and favourable labour market trends, before flattening out to 2.0% in 2019, as the global economy slows down.

The main risks to future growth stem from international trade tensions and regional political uncertainty, which could create renewed safe-haven pressures on the Swiss franc. This has been amply demonstrated in the past, triggering the SNB’s heavy currency intervention leading to a quadrupling in the size of the central bank’s balance sheet since the financial crisis.

On the domestic front, Swiss banks’ exposure to real estate, with mortgage lending accounting for around 85% of total domestic bank lending, is a source of potential economic instability given elevated household loan-to-income ratios, up 10 percentage points since 2013 to around 50% in 2017. Risks are somewhat mitigated by Swiss households’ ample financial assets, amounting to 370% of GDP.

In addition, while Scope is confident in continuing constructive relations between Switzerland and the EU, also with regards to concluding a new bilateral framework agreement, two key potential strains could emerge, given:

• First, the right-wing Swiss People’s Party’s collection of more than 100,000 signatures (to be validated by the Federal Chancellery) necessary for a national vote to discontinue the existing free movement agreement with the EU. A similar referendum in 2014 took place, though the Swiss parliament later voted to ensure new legislation conformed with EU rules.
• Second, the status of the Swiss stock exchange within the EU. In December 2017, the EU granted a one-year stock-market equivalence to Switzerland, while the Federal Council adopted a contingency measure, under which, if no extension is made by December 2018, it would require EU stock exchanges to apply for permission to trade in Switzerland.

Scope currently rates Switzerland at AAA with a Stable Outlook. This publication does not constitute a credit rating action. For the last credit rating action release, click here.

LOM architecture and design has been selected to design a state-of-the-art facility that will be Santander’s new world-class digital hub workplace facility. Located in Milton Keynes, the new complex is anticipated to open in 2022, subject to planning, and is expected to accommodate over 5,000 employees.

Santander are the leading employer in Central Milton Keynes.

The brief called for a workplace campus that would foster an agile, sustainable and innovative workplace for the future, reinforcing Santander’s global reputation as ‘the best bank to work for’.

LOM’s winning concept for developer Osborne and Co envisages an entirely new typology of office building for the banking sector, creating a stronger sense of community for Santander staff and a stronger identity for the bank within the wider Milton Keynes community. The campus will provide a sustainable future for the bank, both environmentally and economically. The new digital hub will support and foster collaboration and growth, while reinforcing the reputation of Milton Keynes as a centre for tech innovation. LOM’s design aims to increase permeability and access through the building and the site.

The ground level is conceived as an open, fluid, publicly accessible and flexible space that can be reconfigured and ‘curated’ to suit changing requirements. The design concept proposes a community ‘destination’, where pedestrian activity is enlivened by ‘pop up’ retail units – creating a vibrant and attractive environment for both bank staff and the wider community.

The new building will support health and wellbeing, including a fitness centre, cycle storage and a restaurant and café offering healthy food options. The working environment is informed by a biophilic approach – maximising natural light and ventilation to enhance air quality and encourage direct connections with nature. A sequence of three naturally-lit, connecting atria feature imaginatively planted linear gardens. The upper floors of the building offer flexible workspace arranged around these internal atria.

The proposed site occupies a prominent position opposite the station square and is immediately visible on arrival into Milton Keynes by train.

Nathan Bostock, Chief Executive, Santander UK, comments: “We are excited to be sharing our proposals for this major investment in Milton Keynes, reflecting our long-term commitment to the local area. We want a workplace which truly reflects our culture and our vision for the future, which is based on innovation and harnessing new technology to make banking simpler and more personal for our customers.

“Milton Keynes is already one UK’s leading technology hotspots, and with the new MK:U university on the horizon, we believe it is set to become an even greater magnet for technology talent. Our proposed new campus will give us a world-class home in Milton Keynes, which both our colleagues and the local community can take pride in.”

Richard Hutchinson, Director, LOM, adds:

“Conceived as a ‘compact campus’ Santander’s new digital hub will create a state-of-the-art workspace, offering flexibility and encouraging community engagement through innovative design and place making.”

Conor Osborne, Director, Osborne and Co, adds: “We are naturally delighted to have been chosen as Santander’s development partner. Its new UK digital hub in Milton Keynes will set a benchmark for large scale developments in this country – and we are excited to build a world-class facility tailored exactly to their needs.”

Guy Wellings, Project Director, WSP says: “With the future in mind for Santander’s new Digital Hub in Milton Keynes, we have thought meticulously about all areas of the engineering, transport and environmental practices of the building in order to provide a smart, sustainable, connected and structurally unique work space that promotes an innovative and contemporary identity for Santander. We look forward to preparing for the next stages and continuing the exciting transition to the new culture of future workplaces.”

Subscription model complements perpetual licensing option;
Professional Services maximise investment in information capture;
New desktop scanners deliver embedded image processing at lower price point.

 Alaris, a Kodak Alaris business, is expanding its portfolio to provide several convenient and affordable new options for purchasing its award-winning information capture solutions.

Alaris Capture Pro Software and Alaris Info Input Solution  are now available as one-year subscriptions in addition to existing perpetual licensing options.

Affordability is the key benefit to customers. According to a survey conducted by IDC[i], the acquisition cost of solutions is the largest hurdle for businesses to clear when automating document-based workflows. A subscription model offers a lower barrier to entry. Customers can pay as they go and align spending with usage of the software instead of investing in a large upfront capital purchase.

An added benefit is that subscription-based pricing gives customers the flexibility to scale up and down based on needs of the business. “Alaris is committed to support clients who choose traditional perpetual licenses as well as those who prefer a subscription-based model,” said Don Lofstrom, President & General Manager, Alaris, a Kodak Alaris Business.

Extending the advantage with Alaris Professional Services

Professional Services are designed to extend the advantage of owning a scanner from Alaris. Alaris analysts, consultants, and trainers have a wealth of image science expertise and are committed to delivering technical and operational support to help customers plan, upgrade and optimise their document capture solution.

Alaris Professional Services include:

• Technical Resources that deliver knowledge-based services such as scanner relocation, product installation and configuration.
• Higher order Technology Services such as IT Systems Diagnosis and Adoption Services that require specialised knowledge about capture systems, IT infrastructure and processes.
• Strategic Consultancy Services that deliver the “blue prints” for meaningful changes to the customer’s business environment through system integration plans and solution architecture.
• Tactical consultancy including Training and Optimisation Services focused on improving operational efficiency and increasing productivity.

Alaris Professional Services are commercially available in the US & Canada and EMEA regions now and will be available in other regions in the coming months.

Alaris Tiered On-Site Services deliver productivity and peace of mind

Repair and maintenance service is one of Alaris’ distinct competitive advantages. New Tiered On-Site Service plans are tailored to maximise investment while providing customers with more clearly defined options so they can select (and pay for) precisely the level of service they need.

“Our field and remote service team is constantly training to address the needs of well over 100,000 Alaris and OEM scanners across the world,” said Lofstrom. “First-time fix rates greater than 91% means our image science experts not only fix it right, but do so with the minimum interruption to our customers’business. Alaris is ISO-9001 certified and we only use genuine repair parts. Our unique ability to serve customers around the world with responsiveness, technical accuracy, and professionalism is unmatched in the industry.”

Award-winning scanners underpin the IN2 Ecosystem

Alaris is expanding its award-winning S2000 Scanner line with the addition of the Alaris S2040 Scanner. With a list price of £576, the new 40 page-per-minute device delivers all the embedded image processing power of the S2050 and S2070 Scanners at a lower price point for customers who want a more affordable option. The S2040 features the latest Alaris Perfect Page technology and is bundled with Smart Touch Software. It also supports the Alaris Passport Accessory and the Integrated A4/Legal Size Flatbed Accessory.

“The Alaris S2040 Scanner offers fast and reliable scanning, versatile media handling, and intelligent, automated features to simplify scanning and optimise business processes,” said Lee Davis, Editor for Scanners and Solutions at BLI. Earlier this year, Alaris won Buyers Lab’s prestigious Scanner Line of the Year Award for an unprecedented third consecutive year. “Alaris continues to set the standard for what a scanner needs to be in the age of digital transformation,” said Davis.

[i]IDC White Paper, sponsored by KodakAlaris, Automate Your Information Capture Workflow, August 2017

Denmark’s second largest insurance company now has deep insight into the end-user experience, proactively resolving issues before they occur

 Nexthink, a leader in digital employee experience management software for enterprises, today announced that Topdanmark A/S, a leading Danish insurer, selected Nexthink to increase the visibility of its IT environment.

Nexthink helps Topdanmark A/S improve incident reduction and resolution while optimising service delivery and cost savings. Using Nexthink, the organisation’s IT team now has a real-time picture of its applications and services, greatly improving the quality of services provided to the organisation’s 2,450 employees.

As a leading insurance business, Topdanmark A/S has a significant technology footprint consisting of over 3,700 devices. Prior to Nexthink, the organisation’s IT team used a homegrown script-based solution to monitor device performance, which led to time-consuming and labor-intensive investigations, as well as occasional crashes.

Søren Wagner, IT Architect, Topdanmark A/S, commented: “Our main goal at Topdanmark A/S is to help our customers take care of their insurance and pensions. To make this a reality, the IT organisation’s primary concern is ensuring employees have a top-notch digital experience. Prior to adopting Nexthink, a browser crash forced us to rethink our digital experience strategy. We realised that we should focus on monitoring the end-user experience for improved outcomes.”

Thanks to Nexthink, Topdanmark A/S now has data from every device such as desktops, laptops and virtual devices readily available. This means the team can now analyse, visualize and act in real-time across all end-user computing data, proactively detecting and correcting issues at their source.

An important goal for Topdanmark A/S was to reduce downtime for the organisation’s employees. Due to the improved visibility of its IT real estate, the business’ IT team can now discover critical device and user information instantly, verifying that critical systems are running. This helps deliver faster IT incident resolution, ultimately driving better employee experience.

Wagner added: “Nexthink has changed the way we work as we are now able to leverage real-time data from its comprehensive dashboards early on in our conversations with the business. This has resulted in better service provisioning, as well as improved decision-making which is now based on facts instead of subjective input.”

Apps are not only meant for playing games or editing your pictures. Many useful apps can help you plan your budget and save money.

Sounds interesting? Scroll down to read about easy to use apps that help you save money.

• Bill Tracker

If you often miss paying the bills on time because of your busy schedule, then this app is meant for you. It will allow you to keep the due dates and amount totals in one place only. You will also get notifications for pending payments, and due dates will be highlighted on the calendar to let you view all the payment dates easily. Bonus, its password protected.

• Mint

This app is meant for people who prefer to stay within the budget limits. It tracks all the financial accounts from different accounts and records as well as categorizes every transaction smoothly. It also notes your spending habits and creates a budget for you. This app allows you to deactivate access from the phone through the Mint website which will come handy in keeping your data secure.

• Shopkick

This app is best suited for people who want to find great deals and discounts at stores like Best Buy, Macy’s Target, etc. You can earn points for different purchases, inviting friends to join and just for walking into a store. The points you earn can be transformed into gift cards at stores that are partnered with it.

• Ibotta

This app lets users earn real money for shopping. You can start by going through varied offers in the product gallery and selecting the ones you want. Every time you finish a task like taking a poll or watching a video, the pending cash is added to the account which can be accessed when you buy the products from retailers who are partnered with Ibotta. After the purchase is verified, cash can be added to your PayPal account or turned into a gift card.

• You Need a Budget (YNAB)

Well, what we like best about this app is it’s to the point name. This app has an easy to use interface that’s highly detailed. The software operates by following four simple rules, save for a rainy day, give every dollar a job, live on last month’s income and roll with the punches. The app will change the way you manage money and will make finances stress-free.

• RetailMeNot

If you often spend hours in looking for relevant and latest coupons, then this website is for you. It allows you to seek deals and coupons from popular stores like Starbucks, Sephora, J Crew, Forever 21 and many more. The coolest thing about this app is that it saves you from the hassle of printing the coupons. All you need to do is to show your phone to avail a deal. You also get notifications for expiration dates so that you can do that last-minute shopping before the deal ends.

• SnipSnap

Last on the list is SnipSnap, another coupons app that allows you to find the best deals with various brands. It also allows you to take pictures of printed coupons and transforms them into digital and mobile-ready versions. You are also allowed to peruse through an online directory and see coupons your friends have snipped. How cool is that!

Inviting applications from OTC Derivative ISIN users to encourage wider participation in the development of the DSB Road Map

The Derivatives Service Bureau, founded by the Association of Numbering Agencies (ANNA) to facilitate the allocation and maintenance of International Securities Identification Numbers (ISINs) for OTC Derivatives, has today announced plans for broader industry representation within the DSB’s Product Committee, and is now inviting applications to participate.

From 8^th January 2019, representation will include two new categories, custodians and data vendors, to expand on the existing buy-side, sell-side and trading venues, thereby increasing voting members from 9 to 15. Participation is also open to trade associations as non-voting members, as well as ensuring a balanced representation of asset class knowledge and geographical representation. This latest DSB announcement reflects increasing industry participation in the DSB, and calls from within the industry to be involved in developing the DSB ISINs Road Map.

Emma Kalliomaki, Managing Director of ANNA and the DSB, said, “Being a global utility with widespread industry representation, expertise and collaboration at its core, the DSB is committed to the use of standard identifiers to make the OTC derivatives market a more stable environment within which to trade. Having broader industry participation on the Product Committee to discuss the best possible ISIN creation and use will only serve to bring greater transparency and efficiency to the OTC derivatives market.”

Malavika Solanki, a member of the DSB Management Team, said, “Working successfully with industry over the past eighteen months, the DSB has produced a fully automated open and easily accessible near-real-time allocation of ISINs for 82 product templates. By expanding the composition and structure of the Product Committee and including trade associations in discussions, the DSB can continue to remain agile and flexible as industry’s use of the DSB service evolves. Some examples include additional use cases, hierarchies for ISINs and the creation of proprietary ISINs.”

From 2019, Product Committee discussion will move from developing ISIN products and defining product templates, to solving additional OTC Derivative ISIN use cases and examining the introduction of hierarchies, as well as discussions on what to prioritise. The DSB values representation on a fair and equitable basis within the ISIN user community, and so will be allocating voting participation with 3 representatives from each sector.

The existing Product Committee was constituted for a 2 year period, and this will dissolve at the beginning of January 2019, to be replaced by the new Product Committee. Please follow the links for more details about how to apply and to view a copy of the new Product Committee charter and download the application form. Interested OTC Derivative users of ISINs have until 2^nd November this year to put in their applications, with new Product Committee details being announced on the 4^th December.

The UK Treasury Select Committee’s conclusion that crypto-assets should be regulated demonstrates cryptocurrencies are part of mainstream finance and the sector is likely to rally as a result.

This is an observation from Nigel Green, founder and CEO of deVere Group, which launched the exchange app deVere Crypto earlier this year following a unanimously-agreed report by the Commons Select Committee on crypto-assets for its Digital Currencies Inquiry.

The report concludes: “Regulation [is] needed for…crypto-asset market” and that the “ambiguity of the UK Government and regulators’ position is clearly not sustainable.”

Mr Green affirms: “Cryptocurrencies are here to stay. In fact, in today’s increasingly digitalised, globalised world, demand for these digital, global currencies is only set to soar in the coming years.

“As such, I welcome the Treasury Select Committee’s proactive and progressive approach, which could be the first step to providing regulations to protect consumers and prevent illicit activity.

“The conclusion made by the Committee about cryptocurrencies puts them on the right side of history.  Its findings that these assets should be brought into a regulatory framework demonstrates once again that they are now a part of mainstream finance.”

He continues: “As I have said previously, regulation of the crypto sector is now I believe inevitable.

“Regulation of cryptocurrencies will give investors even more protection and, therefore, confidence in the burgeoning market is likely to drive prices higher – and today’s signal from the Treasury Select Committee could have the same effect.”

This Inquiry follows the Financial Stability Board (FSB), the international watchdog chaired by Bank of England Governor, Mark Carney, releasing a report in the summer that concluded Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies do not pose a risk to the global financial system.