Studies show that life insurance coverage is at its lowest point in more than five decades. According to the 2011 Genworth LifeJacketSM Study, 7 Key Insights to Help Close the Coverage Gap, released today, almost half of Americans with household incomes between $50,000 and $250,000 do not have life insurance and those with insurance have only enough to cover 3.6 years of income, leaving their families significantly underinsured.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/50787-genworth-financial-study-of-consumer-life-insurance
As merchants prepare for the coming holidays, more and more of them are turning to payment alternatives such as layaway to help shoppers get the most out of the busiest shopping season of the year. Kmart and Sears, however, have proudly been providing budget-conscious families with the convenience of layaway year round, recognizing that families face financial pressure no matter the time of year.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/52104-sears-kmart-year-round-layaway-enables-shoppers-to-purchase-necessities
School is out for the summer and for many teens playing video or online games is high on their activity list. According to a new survey from Capital One Financial Corporation (NYSE:COF), 56 percent of teens say they spend 30 minutes or more playing video or online games on average each day, with 18 percent spending over two hours gaming. The good news is that over half (58 percent) of teens say that the games they play are at least sometimes educational, and 76 percent of the young people polled believe that educational gaming is a great way for them to learn.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/capitalone/51263/
BabyCenter.com, the #1 pregnancy and parenting destination worldwide, today released its 2011 U.S. Cost of Raising a Child report, which reveals interesting insights into the mindset of today’s new and expectant parents, especially given the current state of the economy. Deciding to have a baby is a big decision for couples and waiting until the time is right is important, but if a couple is waiting until they think they can afford a baby, they may be waiting longer than expected.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/51430-babycenter-recession-generation-study
John Hancock Financial Network (JHFN) today launched a new defined contribution consulting program to help JHFN financial advisors of all experience levels expand their retirement plan business and provide the best service to their clients. Elements of the program include training, practice management consulting, a dedicated retirement sales support team and in-depth expert resources for those interested in becoming plan fiduciaries.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/johnhancockfinancialnetwork/49220/
Uncertainty and erratic moves will be the norm rather than the exception reports Saxo Bank, the online trading and investment specialist, in its economic outlook for the third quarter of 2011. The second half of 2011 will be volatile and the uncertainty almost as great as during the financial crisis.
The most probable outlook for Q3 is that the world extends monetary stimulus across the global economies. This will bring marginal higher growth but also increase the burden on fiscal payments and a need for structural changes. Any long-term solution needs to be forward looking and involve an agenda for dragging Europe out of the low growth stalemate. A solution based on buying more time will only take us closer to the feared full blown Crisis 2.0.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/prne/saxobank/50522/
A new global survey suggests that home buyers around the world are poised to re-enter the housing market, but property market instability and worries about their personal finances are holding them back.
The International Mortgage Trends Report, commissioned by Genworth Financial and conducted by independent research firm RFI, is a new global survey of current and aspiring homebuyers aimed at gaining local insight into key world markets. More than 9,000 respondents across five continents in eight countries were interviewed. Countries surveyed were: Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, the United Kingdom and the United States.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/genworth/49964/
Despite their net-worth, a third (33%) of wealthy individuals in the UK wish they had more self-control over their financial behaviour, says the latest report in the Barclays Wealth Insights series. Interestingly, of all global respondents, a need for increased financial discipline is likely to be felt most by those at the wealthiest end of the scale (£10m+), where 45% of respondents wish they had more self-control. This is despite the report showing that those who want self-control are less likely to be satisfied with their financial situation.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/prne/barclayswealth/48929/
The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC) announced today that it plans to construct the world’s most environmentally friendly skyscraper. The Tower at PNC Plaza will be located on the Southeast corner of Fifth Avenue and Wood Street, the same Pittsburgh intersection where PNC has been headquartered for more than 150 years. Once complete in 2015, the approximately 40 story building will serve as PNC’s executive offices.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/pnc/42893/
The results of The State of Compliance: 2011, an inaugural study conducted by PwC US and Compliance Week, will be released today at the Compliance Week 2011 6th Annual Conference for corporate financial, legal, risk, audit and compliance officers in Washington, D.C. The report – the first of its kind – identifies a wide range of compliance issues confronting organizations today and will stay current as new companies participate, accurately reflecting the changing compliance landscape.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/pwc/45949/
Over the past six months UK small-to-medium-sized businesses (SMBs) have grown on average by six per cent despite the broader UK economy struggling, according to the latest SMB Index from HP.
HP’s survey of 1,000 SMBs, with between 1 and 50 employees shows that, compared to that of the previous six months, growth for UK SMBs has slowed slightly but optimism is still strong, with SMBs expecting to grow by up to 13 per cent over the next year. Optimism in the economy is also strong, with 66 per cent of SMBs optimistic about the year ahead. SMBs in Financial Services have grown the most (13 per cent), followed by Manufacturing (10 per cent). SMBs in Retail (4 per cent) and Professional Services (1 per cent) have seen the least growth. Nearly half of UK SMBs (48 per cent) are turning to social media to help grow their business and reach new audiences, with 56 per cent of sole traders recognising its value the most. However, although SMBs are finding social media beneficial for networking purposes (83 per cent), and as a mechanism for advertising (57 per cent), many SMBs are underestimating its true potential for business growth and lead generation.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/prne/hp/48901/
Marriott International (NYSE: MAR) features some of the most eye-catching hotels in the world in its just-issued interactive 2010 Annual Report online at www.marriott.com/investor.
The report includes an executive discussion of the company’s business, a comprehensive overview of Marriott’s 18 brands, and easy-to-navigate financial and performance information. Another highlight—exclusive to the online version— is a five-minute engaging video with Chairman and CEO Bill Marriott and President and COO Arne Sorenson, who along with Marriott’s global team of associates, virtually “open doors” to some of the company’s global portfolio of hotels.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/marriott/47958/