Benelux investors bring high demands for banks.

If banks want to keep attracting investors, they will have to raise their return percentage up to 15 percent. Else investors will seek for it in other sectors. The Ouderaa writes current return is on a level of 4 to 5 percent, although they claim 15 percent should be manageable because the return percentage has already reached over 25 percent in 2006. Researchers fear if banks indulge the raise, they ‘ll have hard put to it.

http://www.mdweekly.nl/919583/beleggers-stellen-hoge-rendementseisen-aan-banken

Yannick Haemers

Light at the end of the economic tunnel

Although the economic crisis is the cause of an enormous unemployment rate, political instability and bankruptcy, it also provides opportunities for some companies.

Because it exposes weaknesses and rewards strengths it forces canny business people to think outside the box and develop new strategic methods to keep their industry from falling flat.
Money, innovation and repositioning are the keywords to successfully overcome the crisis.

Therefore with a sufficient dose of persistence and creativity you too can see the light at the end of the economic tunnel.

Charlotte Dhont
Source: http://www.economist.com/businessfinance/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14540023

Thank you KBC!

The shareholders of KBC were probably very excited today when they heard that their shares rose by 15,4%. This rise led to the best day for the stock market since March with 3,3% more profits. Other companies that are doing well in the Bel20 are Dexia (with a rise of 4,7%), Umicorne (with a rise of 5,6%) and Nyrstar (with a rise of 6,7%). Let's hope the shares will keep evolving this way so that we can go back to the situation in 2007 (see diagram).

http://www.standaard.be/Artikel/Detail.aspx?artikelId=DMF20091006_019

Gaetan Goesens

The smuggling card

Prepaid debit cards are irresistible, world famous, easy to use and ... they ransack your wallet. For many years prepaid debit cards are being used as a solution for those who do not have bank accounts or cannot get a credit card. These prepaid debit cards have a dark side that is often only mentioned in the fine print: fees! Although these hidden costs are declining every year, the prepaid debit card can charge you fees that can quickly accumulate.

Valérie Ipskamps

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/your-money/06prepay.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp

Belgians are in the red

In 2008 the number of Belgian current accounts in debit increased significantly. 19% of all current accounts were in the red. According to Fortis, Belgians withdrawed € 35 million above the limit of €1250, that is 10% more than before. This trend is still prominent, the amount of people who passed the limit in 2009 increased by 10% ,and that just in the first part of the year...

Hannah Dhaene

Belgians and their hidden money

Belgians are worldwide known as “Belgian dentists” because they love to fiddle.
Last year, there was more than £ 55 milliard black money in circulation in Belgium, what forms part of the annual production for 21.5%. The term “Belgian dentist” was invented in the early 60s when Belgian investors, most of them were doctors and dentists, travelled abroad to cash their dividend coupons tax-free. With its £ 55 milliard black money Belgium occupies the fifth place in the European list of most money earned by moonlighting.

Anja Dhondt

http://netto.tijd.be/geld_en_gezin/belastingen/Belg_heeft_60_miljard_onder_matras.6172164-1624.art

The amount of Belgian companies that isn’t going to survive September 2009 will be immense, 1015 companies are almost bankrupt. Remarkably, most companies that go bankrupt are Flemish and there is a fall of 1,5 percent in the Brussels district. The sharp increase is due to the continuous harsh times that the economy is going true. Experts say this is only the beginning of a period with a lot of enterprises that are going to be declared bankrupt, according to them the worst is yet to come.

Eva Lehoucq

http://www.standaard.be/Artikel/Detail.aspx?artikelId=DMF20091001_035&word=failliet+2009