Shares edge higher, euro flat ahead of Spain budget

LONDON (Reuters) - European shares reclaimed some of the previous day's sharp losses and the euro steadied on Thursday, amid hopes Spain's budget could nudge Madrid towards a rescue program and allow the ECB to launch into a new bond-buying plan.

Euro zone worries have roared back into focus over the last week as the feel-good factor of recent central bank stimulus has given way to renewed uncertainty over Spain's willingness to submit to a politically painful rescue program.

European shares <.stoxx><.fteu3>, which suffered their biggest one-day fall since late July on Wednesday after violent anti-austerity clashes and bailout doubts rattled markets, had clawed back 0.4 percent by 0930 GMT, helping keep global stocks <.miwd00000pus> in positive territory.

It followed rising Chinese equities that had pushed Asian stocks <.miapj0000pus> 1 percent higher and came despite a surprise drop in euro zone economic confidence data.

London's FTSE 100 <.ftse>, Paris's CAC-40 <.fchi> and Frankfurt's DAX <.gdaxi> were up between 0.2 and 0.5 percent. But Madrid's IBEX <.ibex> was down 0.5 percent, with nervous eyes trained squarely on Spain's spending cut plans due later.

"The Spanish budget and whether that is linked to a request for aid is what everybody will be looking at today," said Aline Schuiling at ABN Amro.

"Mr Rajoy appears to be trying to resist making the request but, as we have seen, the yields are back above 6 percent and I think the markets certainly have the power to force his hand."

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's government will lay out budget figures and new spending cuts from 1200 GMT in what is set to be a busy two days in Madrid.

New stress tests on Friday will also spell out how much more money will be needed to strengthen its shaky banking sector and it also faces the prospect of possible sovereign downgrade by ratings firm Moody's.

BOND LULL

Protests in Spain and Greece against austerity measures had roiled markets on Wednesday, sending 10-year Spanish bond yields back above the 6 percent threshold.

Bond markets were largely steady ahead of Rajoy's budget. Spanish yields were slightly lower at 6.08 percent while German Bund futures were flat at 141.52 following solid gains in previous sessions.

"Nothing that I read on Spain says to me that they're going to do the budget and then they're going to apply for aid straight away," one trader said.

"And whatever numbers they put up, I would be skeptical about them. The whole of Europe seems to think that we're going to return to growth next year, which I think is questionable."

Conscious that seeking help from EU partners would carry conditions for budget savings that would be unpopular at home, Rajoy has said he is not sure if a bailout is needed and has made clear he is in no hurry to ask for one.

Loans to euro zone firms fell more than expected in August, new ECB data showed, while the European Commission's monthly economic sentiment survey also disappointed economists by registering another sharp fall.

Oil prices were little changed as renewed worries over supply disruptions from the Middle East, in particularly due to anti-Israeli and anti-Western comments from Iran, helped keep Brent futures above $110.

Moves in currency markets were also limited. The euro, which has lost more than 1.6 percent over the last two weeks, was flat on the day at $1.2850.

The dollar was a touch lower at 77.70 yen, inching back towards a seven-month low of 77.13 yen hit on September 13, the day the Federal Reserve announced a new round of monetary stimulus.

"In this environment, unless there is news of a Spanish bailout, I think the momentum is for a weaker euro," said Mitul Kotecha, head of global foreign exchange strategy for Credit Agricole in Hong Kong.

A bailout request by Spain could change the picture, but that does not appear imminent, he added.

"I think eventually we'll crack through the 200-day moving average and move lower, with the euro/dollar likely to test below the $1.28 level," Kotecha said.

(Additional reporting by Anirban Nag and Marius Zaharia; Editing by Alastair Macdonald)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/asian-shares-capped-spain-greece-debt-jitters-003042859--finance.html

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George W. Bush will give a keynote speech on investing in the ...

Former president George W. Bush isn?t exactly doing Mitt Romney any favors on the messaging front. As the current face of the Republican party, Mitt?s single biggest challenge has been distancing himself from his image as a business tycoon who got rich by outsourcing American jobs and then keeping big chunks of his fortune in Swiss bank accounts and invested in the Cayman Islands.

On election week, George W. will rub the sketchy Cayman Islands playboy image right in Mitt?s face.

BuzzFeed points out that W. will give the keynote address to the Cayman Islands Alternative Investment Summit, which goes down on Grand Cayman Island November 1-2, less than a week before the presidential election. The other keynote speaker will be the UK?s most famous billionaire playboy, Virgin?s Richard Branson, who owns his very own island not so far from Grand Cayman.

The Summit?s site says the event ?will bring together the world?s leading institutional investors, fund managers, academics, economists and regulators in the Cayman Islands?the world?s leading domicile for investment funds?to discuss and debate the fundamentals of a vibrant future for the alternative investments industry.?

To most Americans, this is a pretty simple equation: ?Cayman Islands? + ?alternative investments? = ?sketchy.?

George W?s Cayman keynote is just the latest in a long string of reminders about Romney?s ultra-rich status and possibly sketchy behavior? and he?s not getting a lot of help from the people around him.

Just last week former GOP candidate Tim Pawlenty left Rommey?s campaign in a high-profile departure to become a lobbyist for the banking industry, and promptly said that banks should just be allowed to regulate themselves. Last week Romney released his 2011 tax returns which showed him paying a 14% tax rate, and if the hackers who claim to have stolen his earlier records weren?t bluffing and haven?t been paid a ransom, they may release even more of Romney?s returns tomorrow.

Accidental or not, somehow the messaging around Mitt?s millions seem to be the most consistent the GOP is able to construct around Romney.

Source: http://www.deathandtaxesmag.com/189089/george-w-bush-will-give-a-keynote-speech-on-investing-in-the-cayman-islands-right-before-the-election/

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World Twenty20: Women cricketers not at par with male counterparts

Sydney, Sep 26

Australian women cricketers are not being paid at par with their men counterparts in the ongoing World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka.

While each male cricketer gets a daily allowance of US$100, female cricketers are getting a paltry $60. It doesn't stop here. In fact the men's champion team will get a prize money of $1 million while the women's team will get just $60,000, reports The Age.

The daily quoted an ICC spokeswoman as saying that the world body was aiming for "equal everything", but the smaller budget for the women's event resulted in the more modest allowance and economy-class travel for the female cricketers.

"We are working towards equal everything. We are aiming to have three viable formats in men's and women's cricket and to promote the women's game so it receives the same exposure, the same opportunities and the same prize-money," the spokeswoman was quoted as saying by the daily.

The World Twenty20 is a step towards making women's cricket commercially viable, with semi-finals and final at the World Twenty20 to be televised by ESPN-Star Sports as curtain raisers.

Source: http://www.prokerala.com/news/articles/a330309.html

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Pakistan Taliban: 'Amnesty' for bounty minister

ISLAMABAD (AP) ? The Pakistani Cabinet minister who put a $100,000 bounty on an anti-Islam filmmaker's head has impressed the country's Taliban militants so much that they announced Wednesday they are taking him off their hit list.

Separately, a breakaway faction of the Afghan Taliban announced its own bounty for those behind "Innocence of Muslims," the film that has sparked deadly protests across the Islamic world. The group is offering almost $500,000 in gold.

Muslims have been angered by the crude, amateurish film's portrayal of the Prophet Muhammad as a fraud, a womanizer and a child molester. Dozens of people, including the U.S. ambassador to Libya, have died in violence linked to protests over the movie.

The man behind the video, Nakoula Basseley Nakoula has put his home up for sale and gone into hiding since violence erupted over the 14-minute YouTube trailer for "Innocence of Muslims," which also has sparked debate over freedom of expression in the U.S. and in Europe.

Some of the most intense protests have erupted in Pakistan, where the role of Islam in society is sacrosanct and anti-American sentiment runs high. It was in that atmosphere that Railways Minister Ghulam Ahmad Bilour offered his $100,000 reward Saturday for anyone who kills Nakoula.

Bilour also appealed to al-Qaida and Taliban militants to help eliminate the filmmaker, while Pakistan's government said the bounty reflected Bilour's personal view and was not official policy.

The minister belongs to the secular Awami National Party, an ally in the government of President Asif Ali Zardari. His comments drew criticism within his own party, which is considered anti-Taliban and has lost several leaders in the fight against the insurgency.

Pakistani Taliban spokesman Ahsanullah Ahsan told The Associated Press by telephone Wednesday that the minister's views represent the true spirit of Islam, and that, consequently, the insurgents have removed him from their hit list.

But while Bilour gets an "amnesty," others in his party are still fair game, Ahsan said. Bilour could not immediately be reached for comment.

In Afghanistan, the Taliban faction known as the Dadullah Group offered eight kilograms, or 17.6 pounds, of gold to anyone who kills the film's creators. In a telephone message to the AP, spokesman Rehbar Mal, announced the reward, which would be the equivalent of about $487,000.

The group, named for a Taliban commander killed by NATO troops in 2007, broke away from the Afghan Taliban earlier this year to protest reconciliation talks with the United States. The Afghan Taliban and the Pakistani Taliban are separate, though linked, militant outfits.

___

Associated Press Writer Kathy Gannon contributed to this report from Islamabad.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/pakistan-taliban-amnesty-bounty-minister-112447806.html

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Santorum, DeMint endorse Akin in Mo. senate race

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) ? Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin has won two high-profile Republican endorsements a day after guaranteeing his candidacy would continue.

On Wednesday, former GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum and Sen. Jim DeMint, a tea party star, announced support for Akin. They called Akin a "principled conservative" who is committed to fighting for freedom. Santorum easily won Missouri's nonbinding Republican presidential primary in February.

Akin had faced pressure to quit the campaign against Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill after his televised comments that women's bodies have a natural defense against pregnancy in cases of what he called "legitimate rape."

Tuesday was the final deadline to withdraw.

Akin repeatedly has apologized for the comment, but he lost financial support from top national Republicans, including presidential nominee Mitt Romney.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/santorum-demint-endorse-akin-mo-senate-race-151446789--election.html

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Cardio Workout for Bodyweight | Bodybuilding, Supplements, Diets ...

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Today it?s time for the Top 5 Cardio exercises using nothing but your own bodyweight. Now I will say that sprints ? especially hill sprints or stair running are a great cardio workout but this is for people with limited space looking for some home exercise workout solutions or a good hotel room workout .

These are hard ? my clients hate most of them but I love em.

Give the cross-trainer or the treadmill the boot and do some real cardio. Best bit is you can do these anywhere because you only need your own bodyweight.

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What is Credit Counseling and How Does It Work?

When you are struggling with debt, you may hear about many different types of debt relief, and each one may sound promising. But how do you know which ones are legitimate and which ones you should avoid? Those are the most important questions. And to help you answer those questions, we?ve created some comprehensive resources on credit card debt, student loan debt, and debt consolidation. One type of debt relief we haven?t discussed in detail is credit counseling. So what is credit counseling and how does it work?

Read on to find out?

How Does Credit Counseling Work?

Credit counselors look at your total financial situation, and help you work out a plan to pay off your debt. Reputable credit counselors can help you create a money management plan, and a debt pay down plan, as well as provide free resources and workshops related to money management.

Credit counseling can be a very positive experience as long as you find a trustworthy credit counselor and commit yourself to the process. You need to be up front about your situation, including what you owe and where you owe it. You also need to be forthcoming about your current expenses, and your income. A credit counselor can only help you if you are honest about your situation, and willing to get help.

The Federal Trade Commission has an excellent web page?dedicated to?helping you choose a reputable credit counselor if you should need one.

Credit Counselors and Debt Management Plans

In some cases, a credit counselor may recommend someone start a debt management plan. But while the terms ?credit counseling? and ?debt management? are sometimes used interchangeably, they are not in fact the same thing. Credit counseling refers to the counseling session aimed at improving ones knowledge of and behaviors related to their finances, while a debt management plan usually means entrusting your finances to a company that you make monthly payments to and that in turn passes those along to your creditors.

(For a detailed explanation of the difference between debt management and other debt relief programs, see?this blog post)

While there are some benefits to a debt management plan, it?s important to know that it costs you money and that it requires you to give up some control over your debt payments. Usually, it means that you must stop paying your creditors; instead, you make one monthly payment to the debt management company or credit counseling agency, and they disburse your payment to your creditors.?The debt management company can also contact your creditors to negotiate lower interest rates. But keep in mind that you can do this yourself ? all it takes is ?some preparation and willingness to make the phone calls!

Realize that these types of plans usually cost money. You might be charged a monthly fee, and/or initiation fees, to participate. Reputable credit counseling agencies disclose all of the fees up front, and do so before they ask for sensitive personal information from you. So always make sure to ask about fees before enrolling in a debt management plan. And don?t enroll in one unless you?ve first considered the other options available to you.

Does Credit Counseling Hurt Your Credit Score?

When you speak with a credit counselor, and consult about your situation, it doesn?t affect your credit score. Simply meeting with a counselor, and working out a debt repayment plan, won?t impact your score.

However, you should be aware that actions you take as a result of the counseling can affect your score. And doing a debt management plan can definitely have a negative impact on you score, at least in the short run. In many cases, a debt management plan involves closing your credit accounts as you pay each one off. That can hurt your score, but it may be necessary if you?ve had problems with excessive spending and need to remove the temptation of having available credit. Additionally, if you enroll in a debt management plan and the company or agency stops paying your bill (as a negotiation tactic), your credit score will be damaged. Partial payments and particularly debt settlements can weigh on your credit score quite a bit.

Before you begin, ask your credit counselor about the process, and what actions might affect your credit score before you agree to anything.

Should You Sign Up for Credit Counseling?

Whether or not you should sign up for credit counseling depends largely on your situation. Credit counseling might help you if:

• You feel overwhelmed by the amount of debt you have, and want a face-to-face relationship with someone who can give you a better financial understanding.
• You?re unsure of how to approach your creditors about a settlement, or a payment plan and would like help with that process.

Credit counseling isn?t for everyone, so carefully consider your options before you make a decision.

How To Find a Legitimate Credit Counselor

Unfortunately, there are plenty of unscrupulous folks out there, ready to take advantage of someone in desperate circumstances. You have to be on the look out for disreputable credit counselors that ask for money up front without providing free resources, hide their fees, and tout their services as alternatives to bankruptcy. Be wary of those who claim that they have access to ?secret? techniques that you can?t accomplish on your own.

Instead, check with the Better Business Bureau, as well as your state?s consumer protection agency, before agreeing to work with a credit counselor. You can also check with the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, as well as view a list of approved credit counselors from the United States Trustee Program.

And as mentioned above, use this web page from the Federal Trade Commission to help you avoid scams and dishonest credit counselors. At least now you know exactly what credit counseling is. If you have any questions, just post a comment below!

Image credit: ginasanders

This post was published by Ben, Writer and Content Strategist for ReadyForZero. ReadyForZero is a company that helps people get out of debt on their own with a simple and free online tool that can automate and track your debt paydown.

? Get ReadyForZero

Source: http://blog.readyforzero.com/what-is-credit-counseling/

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