| AmBank sees 200,000 subscribers for new card
KUALA LUMPUR: AmBank (M) Bhd targets within a year to secure about 200,000 subscribers for its newly launched AmBank NexG-iTalk Prepaid Mastercard. According to AmBank retail banking managing director, Mohamed Azmi Mahmood, the new card�s competitive advantage was its dual-functionality as a secure, chip-based credit card as well as a prepaid calling card with iTalk functionality. The NexG-iTalk Prepaid Mastercard is the first fruit of AmBank�s recently forged strategic collaboration with Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) to boost each other�s card businesses. �With this launch, both AmBank and TM customers will now enjoy a wider range of features in a single card that can be used for payment and for making calls at low rates. Cardholders are also rewarded for their usage simultaneously by AmBonus, TM and RealRewards loyalty programme,� Azmi told reporters after the launch yesterday. According to TM Retail, Malaysia Business, chief operating officer Datuk Adnan Rofiee, iTalk is TM�s prepaid calling card service, which uses Voice over Internet Protocol and may be used on any mobile or fixed telephone line services.
Big ticket: You'll spend more thinking about your bank account than about your wallet
It has long been assumed that consumers are good judges of affordability, but a new study reveals that how much you�re willing to spend is influenced by whether you think about a larger pool of resources (such as your bank account) or a smaller pool (the cash in your wallet). Through a series of four experiments, researchers found that this resource assessment also applies to food and time. Counting calories" You�re more likely to eat that slice of cake if you think about how many calories you have allotted for the week, rather than just for the day. �Whether a person can afford a particular unit of consumption depends not just on the price of consumption, but whether one can afford the purchase as well,� explain Carey K. Morewedge (Carnegie Mellon University), Leif Holtzman (Digitas, Boston), and Nicholas Epley (University of Chicago).
Tornado victims warned to protect identity
NAPPANEE, Ind. — Ivan Miller, resident of 706 S. Jackson St., was sitting outside by an RV in his driveway that was parked next to a big hole in the ground where his house once stood."That's what's left," he said, nodding toward the foundation and concrete steps of his former home, demolished in Nappanee's Oct. 18 tornado.The South Jackson, South Summit and Indiana Avenue areas south of town were severely damaged. Homes were totally destroyed like Miller's, while others were partially gone or damaged or shifted off foundations.And papers and documents from many of the homes were strewn over a wide area.Miller said he wasn't too concerned about identity theft, certain his wife had taken precautionary measures."We tried to prevent it ahead of time. Course you don't know where your checks went to," he said.Miller was not at home when the tornado hit.
(AFX UK Focus) 2007-11-19 13:12 GMT: Forex - Dollar weakness the main focus amid light data calendar
LONDON (Thomson Financial) - Major currencies continued to trade in narrow ranges, with an absence of data keeping attention on the persistent credit fears and growing tension about currency imbalances. The dollar is hovering around a cent off its all-time low against the euro and its weakness is causing some friction within major exporters like China and the OPEC oil cartel. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao pledged today to resolve trade imbalances after the country's surplus hit a record high in October, and to work to let the yuan move more freely as a stronger yuan would make Chinese exports more expensive overseas. Wen said China will work to "increase (the currency's) flexibility and gradually make the yuan convertible under the capital account". The yuan is currently allowed during each trading session to move within a 0.5 pct band on either side of a reference rate against the US dollar.
News Summary - 11/13
A group of Native Americans housed at the Jessup Pre-Release Unit has filed a $30 million lawsuit against the state and prison officials for allegedly denying them the right to congregate for religious ceremonies at the facility.
The group of six, self-represented individuals filed a handwritten complaint in the U.S. District Court of Maryland in Baltimore last week asserting violations of their First and 14th Amendment rights, and discrimination against them in violation of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
“It bewilders me how someone who is not native to the U.S. but enjoys the rights and freedoms of this country has the audacity to disoblige our rights to freely practice our religious preferences," the group wrote in a supplemental court document.
Each complainant is requesting $5 million from the state and the right to begin religious ceremonies onsite.
7 year-end tax-saving moves
You probably don't know what your federal tax liability will be for 2007, and Congress certainly isn't helping. Lawmakers have yet to pass a temporary fix to the Alternative Minimum Tax, to prevent 21 million of us from having to pay the so-called wealth tax. .
New BofA site touts online, cell-phone banking
Bank of America Corp. has launched an online site to instruct customers about online and cell-phone banking. "Our customers lead mobile lives, and they need a bank with options, products and features that can keep up with that fast pace," says Lance Drummond, e-commerce and ATM executive. "With Bank of America, all you need is Internet access through your computer or mobile phone to be connected to your finances anytime, anywhere." The site features characters that lead visitors through interactive demonstrations of each online- and mobile-banking product. Customers can learn how to access accounts, pay bills, transfer funds, locate branches or ATMs and receive account alerts via text message on their mobile phone. The Web site, dubbed Bank the Way You Live, is at bankofamerica.com/anywhere.
School pulls together to help one of their own
Kaitlyn Berry chatted a mile a minute with friends before she turned to them and asked if they wanted to see her scar. School pulls together to help one of their own Mary Meaux The Port Arthur News PORT ARTHUR — Kaitlyn Berry chatted a mile a minute with friends before she turned to them and asked if they wanted to see her scar. .
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