Index page
../
[Root community]
Community members, in decreasing PageRank scores:
Standard & Poor's (S&P) is a division of McGraw-Hill that publishes financial research and analysis on stocks and bonds. It is well known for its US-based S&P 500, the Australian S&P/ASX 200 stock market index, the Canadian S&P/TSX, the Italian S&P/MIB and India's S&P CNX Nifty.
Bloomberg L.P. is a closely held financial software, news and data company. It has a one-third share of the market, similar to Thomson Reuters. Bloomberg L.P. was founded by Michael Bloomberg (current Mayor of New York City) with the help of Thomas Secunda and other partners (Bloomberg's former coworkers from Salomon Brothers) in 1981 with the help of a 20% ownership investment by Merrill Lynch. The company provides financial software tools such as analytics and equity trading platform, data services and news to financial companies and organizations around the world through the Bloomberg Terminal, its core money-generating product. Bloomberg L.P. has grown to include a global news service, including television, radio, the Internet and publications.
Its current headquarters are located at the Bloomberg Tower, 731 Lexington Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The building is also known as One Beacon Court for the lighted rectangular beacon that caps the tower and the paved courtyard at the ground level.
It was incorporated as a Delaware Limited Partnership (LP) in 1981 and has been in business since 1983. Michael Bloomberg owns 92% of the group. Bloomberg's core business is leasing terminals to subscribers. It also runs Bloomberg Television, a financial TV station, and a business radio station WBBR in New York City. Forbes Magazine estimated, in 2000, Bloomberg's cash flow margins on its $2.3 billion in revenues exceed 35%. Bloomberg reports more than 100,000 users in North America, and more than 150,000 in the rest of the world. Its competitors include Thomson Reuters, Dow Jones Newswires, FactSet Research Systems and smaller companies such as New York Financial Press. In July 2008, Merrill Lynch agreed to sell its 20% stake in the firm back to Bloomberg, for a reported $4.43 billion, valuing the firm at approximately $22.5 billion. http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/17/bloomberg-stays-modest-on-his-162-billion-worth/index.html?hp Bloomberg Stays Modest on His $16.2 Billion Worth
The Fitch Group (technically, Fitch, Inc.)Timeline of Fitch, Inc. history is a financial corporation whose divisions include Fitch Solutions, an advisory firm offering products and services to the financial industry, established in January 2008 partly following the criticism on Rating Agencies; Algorithmics Inc., the risk management software vendor and research firm; and Fitch Ratings, Ltd. Fitch Ratings is an international credit rating agency dual-headquartered in New York City and London. It was one of the three Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations (NRSRO) designated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in 1975, together with Moody's and Standard & Poor's.
The firm was founded by John Knowles Fitch on December 24, 1913 in New York City as the Fitch Publishing Company. It merged with London-based IBCA Limited in December 1997, and is majority-owned by Fimalac (From Wikipedia.fr: Fimalac), a French holding company. In 2000 Fitch acquired both Chicago, Illinois-based Duff & Phelps Credit Rating Co. (April) and Thomson BankWatch (December). Fitch is the smallest of the "big three" NRSROs, covering a smaller share of the market than S&P and Moody's, though it has grown with acquisitions and frequently positions itself as a "tie-breaker" when those other two agencies have ratings similar, but not equal, in scale.
Stephen W. Joynt is Chief Executive Officer of the Fitch Group. Joynt also serves as Chief Executive Officer of Algorithmics, Inc. and as President and Chief Executive Officer of Fitch Ratings.
Moody's Corporation () is the holding company for Moody's Investors Service which performs financial research and analysis on commercial and government entities. The company also ranks the credit-worthiness of borrowers using a standardized ratings scale. The company has a 40% share in the world credit rating market.
Moody's was founded in 1909 by John Moody. Top institutional owners of Moody's include Berkshire Hathaway and Davis Selected Advisers.
DBRS is a credit rating agency headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. Founded in 1976 by its current owner and president, Walter Schroeder, it is the largest rating agency in Canada.
It is one of ten Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations in the United States, though significantly smaller than market leaders Moody's, Standard & Poor's and Fitch Ratings. It has also received ECAI recognition from several European countries.
Rating Scale: Commercial Paper and Short-Term Debt
The DBRS short-term debt rating scale is meant to give an indication of the risk that a borrower will not fulfill its near-term debt obligations in a timely manner. Every DBRS rating is based on quantitative and qualitative considerations relevant to the borrowing entity.
R-1 (high)† Short-term debt rated R-1 (high) is of the highest credit quality, and indicates an entity possessing unquestioned ability to repay current liabilities as they fall due. Entities rated in this category normally maintain strong liquidity positions, conservative debt levels, and profitability that is both stable and above average. Companies achieving an R-1 (high) rating are normally leaders in structurally sound industry segments with proven track records, sustainable positive future results, and no substantial qualifying negative factors. Given the extremely tough definition DBRS has established for an R-1 (high), few entities are strong enough to achieve this rating.
R-1 (middle)† Short-term debt rated R-1 (middle) is of superior credit quality and, in most cases, ratings in this category differ from R-1 (high) credits by only a small degree. Given the extremely tough definition DBRS has established for the R-1 (high) category, entities rated R-1 (middle) are also considered strong credits, and typically exemplify above average strength in key areas of consideration for the timely repayment of short-term liabilities.
R-1 (low)† Short-term debt rated R-1 (low) is of satisfactory credit quality. The overall strength and outlook for key liquidity, debt, and profitability ratios is not normally as favourable as with higher rating categories, but these considerations are still respectable. Any qualifying negative factors that exist are considered manageable, and the entity is normally of sufficient size to have some influence in its industry.
R-2 (high)† Short-term debt rated R-2 (high) is considered to be at the upper end of adequate credit quality. The ability to repay obligations as they mature remains acceptable, although the overall strength and outlook for key liquidity, debt and profitability ratios is not as strong as credits rated in the R-1 (low) category. Relative to the latter category, other shortcomings often include areas such as stability, financial flexibility, and the relative size and market position of the entity within its industry.
R-2 (middle)† Short-term debt rated R-2 (middle) is considered to be of adequate credit quality. Relative to the R-2 (high) category, entities rated R-2 (middle) typically have some combination of higher volatility, weaker debt or liquidity positions, lower future cash flow capabilities, or are negatively impacted by a weaker industry. Ratings in this category would be more vulnerable to adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.
R-2 (low)† Short-term debt rated R-2 (low) is considered to be at the lower end of adequate credit quality, typically having some combination of challenges that are not acceptable for an R-2 (middle) credit. However, R-2 (low) ratings still display a level of credit strength that allows for a higher rating than the R-3 category, with this distinction often reflecting the issuer's liquidity profile.
R-3† Short-term debt rated R-3 is considered to be at the lowest end of adequate credit quality, one step up from being speculative. While not yet defined as speculative, the R-3 category signifies that although repayment is still expected, the certainty of repayment could be impacted by a variety of possible adverse developments, many of which would be outside of the issuer's control. Entities in this area often have limited access to capital markets and may also have limitations in securing alternative sources of liquidity, particularly during periods of weak economic conditions.
R-4† Short-term debt rated R-4 is speculative. R-4 credits tend to have weak liquidity and debt ratios, and the future trend of these ratios is also unclear. Due to its speculative nature, companies with R-4 ratings would normally have very limited access to alternative sources of liquidity. Earnings and cash flow would typically be very unstable, and the level of overall profitability of the entity is also likely to be low. The industry environment may be weak, and strong negative qualifying factors are also likely to be present.
R-5† Short-term debt rated R-5 is highly speculative. There is a reasonably high level of uncertainty as to the ability of the entity to repay the obligations on a continuing basis in the future, especially in periods of economic recession or industry adversity. In some cases, short term debt rated R-5 may have challenges that if not corrected, could lead to default.
D† A security rated D implies the issuer has either not met a scheduled payment or the issuer has made it clear that it will be missing such a payment in the near future. In some cases, DBRS may not assign a D rating under a bankruptcy announcement scenario, as allowances for grace periods may exist in the underlying legal documentation. Once assigned, the D rating will continue as long as the missed payment continues to be in arrears, and until such time as the rating is suspended, discontinued, or reinstated by DBRS.
† R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-5 and D are certification marks of DBRS Limited
Rating Scale: Bond and Long-Term Debt
The DBRS long-term debt rating scale is meant to give an indication of the risk that a borrower will not fulfill its full obligations in a timely manner, with respect to both interest and principal commitments. Every DBRS rating is based on quantitative and qualitative considerations relevant to the borrowing entity. Each rating category is denoted by the subcategories "high" and "low". The absence of either a "high" or "low" designation indicates the rating is in the "middle" of the category. The AAA and D categories do not utilize "high", "middle", and "low" as differential grades.
AAA Long-term debt rated AAA is of the highest credit quality, with exceptionally strong protection for the timely repayment of principal and interest. Earnings are considered stable, the structure of the industry in which the entity operates is strong, and the outlook for future profitability is favourable. There are few qualifying factors present that would detract from the performance of the entity. The strength of liquidity and coverage ratios is unquestioned and the entity has established a credible track record of superior performance. Given the extremely high standard that DBRS has set for this category, few entities are able to achieve a AAA rating.
AA Long-term debt rated AA is of superior credit quality, and protection of interest and principal is considered high. In many cases they differ from long-term debt rated AAA only to a small degree. Given the extremely restrictive definition DBRS has for the AAA category, entities rated AA are also considered to be strong credits, typically exemplifying above-average strength in key areas of consideration and unlikely to be significantly affected by reasonably foreseeable events.
A Long-term debt rated "A" is of satisfactory credit quality. Protection of interest and principal is still substantial, but the degree of strength is less than that of AA rated entities. While "A" is a respectable rating, entities in this category are considered to be more susceptible to adverse economic conditions and have greater cyclical tendencies than higher-rated securities.
BBB Long-term debt rated BBB is of adequate credit quality. Protection of interest and principal is considered acceptable, but the entity is fairly susceptible to adverse changes in financial and economic conditions, or there may be other adverse conditions present which reduce the strength of the entity and its rated securities.
BB Long-term debt rated BB is defined to be speculative and non-investment grade, where the degree of protection afforded interest and principal is uncertain, particularly during periods of economic recession. Entities in the BB range typically have limited access to capital markets and additional liquidity support. In many cases, deficiencies in critical mass, diversification, and competitive strength are additional negative considerations.
B Long-term debt rated B is considered highly speculative and there is a reasonably high level of uncertainty as to the ability of the entity to pay interest and principal on a continuing basis in the future, especially in periods of economic recession or industry adversity.
CCC CC C Long-term debt rated in any of these categories is very highly speculative and is in danger of default of interest and principal. The degree of adverse elements present is more severe than long-term debt rated B. Long-term debt rated below B often have features which, if not remedied, may lead to default. In practice, there is little difference between these three categories, with CC and C normally used for lower ranking debt of companies for which the senior debt is rated in the CCC to B range.
D A security rated D implies the issuer has either not met a scheduled payment of interest or principal or that the issuer has made it clear that it will miss such a payment in the near future. In some cases, DBRS may not assign a D rating under a bankruptcy announcement scenario, as allowances for grace periods may exist in the underlying legal documentation. Once assigned, the D rating will continue as long as the missed payment continues to be in arrears, and until such time as the rating is suspended, discontinued, or reinstated by DBRS.
A. M. Best Company, Inc., headquartered in Oldwick, New Jersey, is rating agency designated as an Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization (NRSRO) by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
Founded in 1899 by Alfred M. Best in New York City, the company moved to Morristown, New Jersey, in 1965, and subsequently to Oldwick, New Jersey, in 1974. It also maintains offices in London and Hong Kong and a news bureau in Washington, D.C.
A.M. Best issues financial-strength ratings measuring insurance companies' ability to pay claims. It also rates financial instruments issued by insurance companies, such as bonds, notes, and securitization products.
Unlike fellow NRSROs Standard & Poor's, Moody's and Fitch Ratings -- all three of which issue ratings for a broad range of business sectors -- A. M. Best historically has specialized exclusively on the insurance marketplace; however, the company recently began issuing debt and financial-strength ratings for small and mid-sized commercial banks.
The company publishes BestWeek, a popular weekly insurance industry newsletter with three regional editions (U.S./Canada, Europe and Asia/Pacific). The company also publishes a monthly magazine, Best's Review, and an online wire service called BestWire. In addition, it annually presents the E-Fusion Awards, granted for outstanding technological innovation in the insurance industry.
A privately held firm, A. M. Best also markets statement file reports culled from financial data reported by insurers to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Its "Aggregates & Averages" series details both current and historical statistics on the U. S. and Canadian property/casualty and life/health industries.
The company is best known in the United States and is expanding its overseas operations. A. M. Best Europe, headquartered in London, began operations in 1997, while the Hong Kong office, which hosts A. M. Best Asia-Pacific, opened in 2000.
A Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization (or "NRSRO") is a credit rating agency which issues credit ratings that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) permits other financial firms to use for certain regulatory purposes.
The ten organizations currently designated as NRSROs are:
:* Moody's Investor Service :* Standard & Poor's :* Fitch Ratings :* A. M. Best Company :* Dominion Bond Rating Service, Ltd :* Japan Credit Rating Agency, Ltd :* R&I, Inc. :* Egan-Jones Rating Company :* LACE Financial :* Realpoint LLC
Ratings by NRSRO are used for a variety of regulatory purposes in the United States. In addition to net capital requirements (described in more detail below), the SEC permits certain bond issuers to use a shorter prospectus form when issuing bonds if the issuer is older, has issued bonds before, and has a credit rating above a certain level. SEC regulations also require that money market funds (mutual funds that mimick the safety and liquidity of a bank savings deposit, but without FDIC insurance) comprise only securities with a very high rating from an NRSRO. Likewise, insurance regulators use credit ratings from NRSROs to ascertain the strength of the reserves held by insurance companies.
Morningstar, Inc. () is an independent investment research company based in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
[Abstract not available for the article]
Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programs aim to reduce poverty by making welfare programs conditional upon the receivers' actions. The government only transfers the money to persons who meet certain criteria. These criteria may include enrolling children into public schools, getting regular check-ups at the doctor's office, receiving vaccinations, or the like.
According to the World Bank, "Conditional cash transfers provide money directly to poor families via a “social contract” with the beneficiaries – for example, sending children to school regularly or bringing them to health centers. For extremely poor families, cash provides emergency assistance, while the conditionalities promote longer-term investments in human capital."http://www.mfdr.org/sourcebook/6-1Brazil-BolsaFamilia.pdf
At a February 2009 panel convened by the World Bank, economists noted mixed results. While CCT programs did correlate with a reduction in extreme poverty rates, they did not appear to demonstrate higher academic achievement and improved health among children whose families were receiving CCT grants http://www.devex.com/blogs/17/blogs_entries/58917t
In April 2007, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced the launch of a conditional cash transfer pilot program, called Opportunity NYC, in New York City. The first CCT program to be launched in the United States, it is being funded by a number of private partners including The Rockefeller Foundation, Robin Hood Foundation, the Open Society Institute, Starr Foundation, AIG, and Mayor Bloomberg's personal foundation.
The Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS) is used as a basis for S&P and MSCI financial market indexes in which each company is assigned to a sub-industry, and to a corresponding industry, industry group and sector, according to the definition of its principal business activity. It was developed by Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI), and Standard & Poor's (S&P) in response to the global financial community’s need for accurate, complete, and standard-industry definitions. The GICS structure consists of 10 sectors, 24 industry groups, 68 industries and 154 sub-industries. The system is similar to ICB (Industry Classification Benchmark), a classification structure maintained by Dow Jones Indexes and FTSE Group.
Oportunidades (English: Opportunities) is a government social assistance program in Mexico founded in 2002, based on a previous program called Progresa, created in 1997.<ref name="NYC"> Paying for Better Parenting - New York Times Accessed 12/07/06</ref> It is designed to target poverty by providing cash payments to families in exchange for regular school attendance, health clinic visits, and nutritional support.<ref name="Mexico's Oportunidades Program">Mexico's Oportunidades Program Accessed 12/07/06</ref> Oportunidades is credited with decreasing poverty and improving health and educational attainment in regions in which it has been deployed.Bulletin of the World Health Organization - Reaching Mexico's poorest Accessed 12/07/06 As of 2006, around one-quarter of Mexico's population participates in Oportunidades.
Key features of Oportunidades include: * Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) - To encourage co-responsibility, receipt of aid is dependent on family compliance with program requirements, such as ensuring children attend school and family members receive preventative health care<ref name="eldis.org">Lessons offered by Latin American cash transfer programmes, Mexico’s Oportunidades and Nicaragua's SPN. Implications for African countries Accessed 12/07/06</ref> * "Rights holders" - Program recipients are mothers, the caregiver directly responsible for children and family health decisionsSEDESOL - Oportunidades Accessed 12/07/06 * Cash payments are made from the government directly to families to decrease overhead and corruption<ref name="NYC"/> * A system of evaluation and statistical controls to ensure effectiveness<ref name="Mexico's Oportunidades Program"/> * Rigorous selection of recipients based on geographical and socioeconomic factors * Program requirements target measures considered most likely to lift families out of poverty, focusing on health, nutrition and children's education<ref name="NYC"/>
The original name of the program was Progresa, which was changed to Oportunidades in 2002. World Bank's case study summary of Oportunidades Accessed 12/07/06 Oportunidades has become a model for programs instituted in other countries, such as a pilot program in New York City, the Opportunity NYC <ref name="NYC"/> and the Social Protection Network in Nicaragua. Other countries that have instituted similar conditional cash transfer programs include Brazil, Honduras, Jamaica, Chile, Malawi and Zambia.<ref name="eldis.org"/>
The S&P/TSX 60 Index is a list of the 60 largest companies on the Toronto Stock Exchange as measured by market capitalization. Maintained by the Canadian S&P Index Committee, it currently exposes the investor to ten industry sectors.
Combined with the S&P/TSX Completion Index it forms the S&P/TSX Composite Index.
Opportunity NYC is the experimental Conditional Cash Transfer program (CCT) being launched in New York City by Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Announced in April 2007, it is the first CCT program to be launched in the United States or any other developed nation. In its initial phases, it is being funded by a number of private partners including The Rockefeller Foundation, Robin Hood Foundation, the Open Society Institute, Starr Foundation, AIG, and Mayor Bloomberg's personal foundation. <ref name=NYCO>''Opportunity NYC Press Release'', Nova York: News from the Blue Room. NYC.gov, 18/06/2007</ref> The program is being evaluated by MDRC, a nonprofit research firm, using a random assignment research design. Opportunity NYC is administered by Seedco, a nonprofit community development organization.
The program hopes to build off the successes of similar programs in Brazil and in Mexico <ref name=BOLSA>Família: Changing the Lives of Millions in Brazil.'' The World Bank, Aug. 22 2007</REF>, a 10-year-old aid initiative that has been credited with alleviating Mexico's direst poverty and makes demands on participants while offering small but meaningful cash rewards.
The cash payments go to the family, almost always the mother or other female head of the household. Parents can receive from $40 to $100 a month if they keep up with responsibilities such as taking their children to the doctor or keeping them in school.
The World Bank, considers that "Conditional cash transfers provide money directly to poor families via a “social contract” with the beneficiaries – for example, sending children to school regularly or bringing them to health centers. For extremely poor families, cash provides emergency assistance, while the conditionalities promote longer-term investments in human capital."<ref name=BMUNDIALc>LINDERT, Kathy. ''Bolsa Familia Program – Scaling-up Cash Transfers for the Poor.'' in ''MfDR Principles in Action: Sourcebook on Emerging Good Practices'', pp. 67-74, World Bank<small> Kathy Lindert is the chief economist at the World Bank.</small></ref>
Those on the right applaud the system because it relies on individual initiative and acts as an investment in the future: Children in the program are healthier, they stay in school longer and they grow up with a better chance to become productive citizens. Those on the left say the program helps stabilize troubled families and gives poor children more consistent access to society's benefits. <ref name=CHICAGOTR>McMAHON, Colin. ''NYC program will try to buy good parenting.'' Chicago: Chicago Tribune, 27/05/2007</ref>
[Abstract not available for the category]
#Redirect Toronto Stock Exchange#Companies traded on the TSX
The acronym CUSIP typically refers to both the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures and the 9-character alphanumeric security identifiers that they distribute for all North American securities for the purposes of facilitating clearing and settlement of trades. The CUSIP distribution system is owned by the American Bankers Association and is operated by Standard & Poor's. The CUSIP Services Bureau acts as the National Numbering Association (NNA) for North America, and the CUSIP serves as the National Securities Identification Number for products issued from both the United States and Canada.
In the 1980s there was an attempt to expand the CUSIP system for international securities as well. The resulting CINS (CUSIP International Numbering System) has seen little use as it was introduced at about the same time as the truly international ISIN system. CINS identifiers do appear in the ISIDPlus directory, however.
:<div class="boilerplate" id="catmore">The main article for this category is 'Standard & Poor's.</div>
The North American Industry Classification System or NAICS (pronounced [neiks]) is used by business and government to classify and measure economic activity in Canada, Mexico and the United States. It has largely replaced the older Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system; however, certain government departments and agencies, such as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), still use the SIC codes.
The NAICS numbering system is a six-digit code. The first five digits are generally (although not always strictly) the same in all three countries. The last digit designates national industries. The first two digits designate the largest business sector, the third digit designates the subsector, the fourth digit designates the industry group, and the fifth digit designates particular industries.
The system is designed to be somewhat compatible with the United Nations Statistical Office's International Standard Industrial Classification System (ISIC). Work began on NAICS in the U.S. in 1992, when the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) formed the Economic Classification Policy Committee (ECPC), staffed by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and the Census Bureau. NAICS takes into account the huge economic change towards service businesses. The first version is NAICS 1997. The next revision is in 2007, toward NAPCS. The 2007 revision is available from the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce in paper format as PB2007100002 and CD-ROM as PB2007500023. Prior editions including 2002 as PB2002101430 and 1997 as PB98127293 are also available. In addition the 4-digit precursor to NAICS, the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification Manual is available on CD-ROM as PB87100012.
Security identifier types are the various methods by which a security product or issue is identified. They are each managed and distributed by different organizations.
The Toronto Stock Exchange (TSE) or (Torex) is the largest stock exchange in Canada, the third largest in North America and the seventh largest in the world by market capitalization. Based in Canada's largest city, Toronto, it is owned and operated by TMX Group for the trading of senior equities. A broad range of businesses from Canada, the United States, Europe, and other countries are represented on the exchange. In addition to conventional securities, the exchange lists various exchange-traded funds, split share corporations, income trusts and investment funds. The TSX is a leader in the mining and oil & gas sector. More mining and oil & gas companies are listed on the TSX than any other exchange in the world.TSX Grouphttp://www.tsx.com/
A Central Index Key or CIK number is a number given to an individual or company by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. The number is used to identify the filings of a company, person, or entity in several online databases, including EDGAR.
The numbers are ten digits in length.
The Industry Classification Benchmark (ICB) is a company classification system developed by Dow Jones and FTSE. It is used to segregate markets into sectors within the macroeconomy. The ICB uses a system of 10 industries, partitioned into 18 supersectors, which are further divided into 39 sectors, which then contain 104 subsectors.Industry Classification Benchmark main pageIndustry Classification Benchmark structure (pdf)
The principal aim of the ICB is to categorize individual companies into subsectors based primarily on a company's "source of revenue or where it constitutes the majority of revenue." If a company is equally divided amongst several distinct subsectors, authorities from the Dow Jones and FTSE may be summoned to make a final judgement. Firms may appeal their classification at any time.
The ICB is used globally (though not universally) to divide the market into increasingly specific categories, allowing investors to compare industry trends between well-defined subsectors. The ICB replaced the legacy FTSE and Dow Jones classification systems on 3 January, 2006, and is used today by the NASDAQ, NYSE and several other markets around the globe.
ISO 6166 defines the structure of an International Securities Identifying Number (ISIN). An ISIN uniquely identifies a fungible security. Securities with which ISINs can be used are Equities, Fixed income & ETF's only.
ISINs consist of two alphabetic characters, which are the ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code for the issuing country, nine alpha-numeric digits (the National Securities Identifying Number, or NSIN, which identifies the security), and one numeric check digit. The NSIN is issued by a national numbering agency (NNA) for that country. Regional substitute NNAs have been allocated the task of functioning as NNAs in those countries where NNAs have not yet been established.
ISINs are slowly being introduced worldwide. At present, many countries have adopted ISINs as a secondary measure of identifying securities, but as yet only some of those countries have moved to using ISINs as their primary means of identifying securities.
NNAs cooperate through the Association of National Numbering Agencies (ANNA). ANNA also functions as the ISO 6166 Maintenance Agency (MA).
A National Securities Identifying Number or NSIN is a generic nine-digit number which identifies a fungible security. The NSIN is issued by a national numbering agency (NNA) designated for that country. Regional substitute NNAs have been allocated the task of functioning as NNAs in those countries where NNAs have not yet been established. NSINs are used as part of the makeup of a product's ISIN.
An International Securities Identification Number (ISIN) uniquely identifies a security. Its structure is defined in ISO 6166. Securities for which ISINs are issued include bonds, commercial paper, equities and warrants. The ISIN code is a 12-character alpha-numerical code that does not contain information characterizing financial instruments but serves for uniform identification of a security at trading and settlement.
Securities with which ISINs can be used include debt securities, shares, options, derivatives and futures. The ISIN identifies the security, not the exchange (if any) on which it trades; it is not a ticker symbol. For instance, Daimler AG stock trades on twenty-two different stock exchanges worldwide, and is priced in five different currencies; it has the same ISIN on each, though not the same ticker symbol. ISIN cannot specify a particular trading location in this case, and another identifier, typically MIC or the three-letter exchange code, will have to be specified in addition to the ISIN. The SEDOL board of the London Stock Exchange has revised their own standards to address this issue.
Credit Rating and Information Services of India Ltd. (CRISIL) is India's leading Ratings, Research, Risk and Policy Advisory Company. CRISIL’s majority shareholder is Standard & Poor's, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies and the world's foremost provider of financial market intelligence.
CRISIL offers domestic and international customers with independent information, opinions and solutions realted to credit ratings and risk assessment; energy, infrastructure and corporate advisory; research on India's economy, industries and companies; global equity research; fund services; and risk management.
The S&P Global 1200 index is a free-float weighted stock market index of global equities from Standard & Poor's. The index covers 31 countries and approximately 70 percent of global stock market capitalization. It is comprised of six regional indices:
*S&P 500 Index (United States) *S&P/TSX 60 Index (Canada) *S&P Latin America 40 Index (Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile) *S&P/TOPIX 150 Index (Japan) *S&P Asia 50 Index (Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan) *S&P/ASX 50 Index (Australia) *S&P Europe 350 Index. The European index is divided into three subindices: the S&P Euro, covering the eurozone markets; the S&P Euro Plus, adding Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland; and the S&P United Kingdom.
The Global 1200 covers 10 sectors. The largest sector, in terms of weight and number of companies, is financials. Other top sectors represented are consumer discretionary, health care, and information technology. Among the smallest are utilities, materials, telecommunications services, and energy.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index is an index of the stock (equity) prices of the largest companies on the Toronto Stock Exchange as measured by market capitalization. The Toronto Stock Exchange listed companies in this index comprises about 71% of market capitalization for all Canadian-based companies listed on the TSX.
The Social Protection Network (Red de Protección Social in Spanish or RPS) is a Nicaraguan Conditional Cash Transfer program. It is designed to address both current and future poverty via cash transfers targeted to households living in poverty in rural Nicaragua. It began in 2000. http://www.ifpri.org/data/Nicaragua01.htm
ISO 10383 is an ISO standard for "Codes for exchanges and market identification" (MIC): it defines codes for stock markets. This standard is updated frequently and the latest published standard is available at the maintenance organization of ISO 10383
ISO 10962 is the CFI (Classification of Financial Instruments) code maintained by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). It is an alphabetical code consisting of 6 letters. The first letter is the category, the second is the group, and the remaining letters show special attributes of the group. The letter X always means Not Applicable/Undefined. Here are some of the possible codes:
*E = Equities ** S = Shares (common/ordinary) *** 1: Voting Right **** V = Voting **** N = Non-voting **** R = Restricted voting **** E = Enhanced voting *** 2: Ownership/transfer restrictions **** T = Restrictions **** U = Free *** 3: Payment status **** O = Nil paid **** P = Partly paid **** F = Fully paid *** 4: Form: **** B = Bearer **** R = Registered **** N = Bearer/Registered **** Z = Bearer depository receipt **** A = Registered depository receipt **** P = Preferred Shares **** C = Convertible preferred shares **** U = Units (units trusts/mutual funds) **** M = Others *D = Debt Instruments ** B = Bonds ** C = Convertible bonds ** M = Others ** T = Medium-term Notes ** W = Bonds With Warrants Attached ** Y = Money Market Instruments *R = Entitlements (Rights) ** A = Allotment Rights ** M = Others (Miscellaneous) ** S = Subscription rights ** W = Warrants *O = Options ** C = Call Options *** 1: Exercise Style **** A = American **** E = European *** 2: Underlying Asset **** S = Stock **** I = Index **** D = Debt **** C = Currency **** O = Option **** F = Future **** T = Commodity **** W = Swap **** B = Basket **** M = Other *** 3: Delivery **** C = Cash **** P = Physical *** 4: Standard/Non-standard **** S = Standard **** N = Non-standard ** P = Put Options *** Same as Call *F = Futures ** C = Commodities Futures *** 1: Underlying Asset **** A = Agricultural **** E = Extraction **** I = Industrial **** S = Service *** 2: Delivery **** C = Cash **** P = Physical *** 3: Standard/Non-standard **** S = Standard **** N = Non-standard *** 4: not used **** X = not used ** F = Financial Futures *** 1: Underlying Asset **** S = Stock **** I = Index **** D = Debt **** C = Currency **** O = Option **** F = Future **** T = Commodity **** W = Swap **** B = Basket **** M = Other *** 2: Delivery **** C = Cash **** P = Physical *** 3: Standard/Non-standard **** S = Standard **** N = Non-standard *** 4: not used **** X = not used *M = Others (Miscellaneous) ** M = Other Assets (Miscellaneous) ** R = Referential Instruments *** 1: Further grouping **** C = Currencies **** T = Commodities **** R = Interest Rates **** I = Indices
Example: * ESNTPB is Equities/Shares/Non-voting/Restrictions/Partly paid/Bearer * ESXXXX is Equities/Shares (no more details) * OPASPS is Options/Put/American/Stock/Physical/Standard * FFIXXX is Futures/Financial/Index * FXXXXX is Futures (no more details) * RWXXXX is Rights/Warrant (no more details)
Standard & Poor's Compustat is a database of financial, statistical and market information on active and inactive companies throughout the world. The service began in 1962.
This database provides a broad range of information products directed at institutional investors, bankers, advisors, analysts, and asset/portfolio managers in corporate, M&A, private capital, equity, and fixed income markets. The database covers 75,000 global securities, covering 90% of the world's total market capitalization, and provides company data history back nearly 40 years (depending when that company was added to the database) The following information are provided: <ul> <li>The Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS) <li>Key market identifiers, includings CUSIP, NAICS, ISIN, SEDOL <li>Monthly and daily pricing data <li>Standard & Poor's and other leading Index Data <li>Earnings data from Thomson I/B/E/S <li>Corporate actions and company business descriptions <li>Insider and Institutional holdings <li>Standard & Poor's Stock Reports, Industry Surveys, and ratings </ul>
A number of prepackaged products and services are available: <li>The <b>Compustat Xpressfeed </b> data subscription has daily transactional updates for over 88,000 securities, <li>The <b>Compustat Xpressfeed Loader</b>, an add-on feature to the Xpressfeed data subscription, processes Compustat data into a relational database stored on a subscriber's server. <li><b>Research Insight </b> is an analytical software interface for working with the Compustat database. It is fully customizable and accessible through Microsoft Excel.
There are also custom services.
The interbank market is the top-level foreign exchange market where banks exchange different currencies.<ref name=autogenerated2>7 Winning Strategies for Trading Forex, Grace Cehng</ref> The banks can either deal with one another directly, or through electronic brokering platforms. The Electronic Brokering Services (EBS) and Reuters Dealing 3000 Matching are the two competitors in the electronic brokering platform business and together connect over 1000 banks.<ref name=autogenerated2 />
The interbank market is an important segment of the foreign exchange market. It is a wholesale market through which most currency transactions are channeled. It is mainly used for trading among bankers. The 3 main constituents of the interbank market are * the spot market * the forward market * SWIFT (Society for World-Wide Interbank Financial Telecommunications)
The Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS) of tariff nomenclature is an internationally standardized system of names and numbers for classifying traded products developed and maintained by the World Customs Organization (WCO) (formerly the Customs Co-operation Council), an independent intergovernmental organization with over 170 member countries based in Brussels, Belgium.
The HS is a six-digit nomenclature. The first four digits are referred to as the heading. The first six digits are known as a subheading. Countries that have adopted the Harmonized System are not permitted to alter in any way the descriptions associated to a heading or a subheading nor can the numerical codes at the four or six digit level be altered. This is what keeps the Harmonized System harmonized.
Individual countries may extend a Harmonized System number to eight or ten digits for customs purposes, and to eight or ten digits for export purposes. More than 200 countries, customs and economic unions, representing more than 98% of world trade, use the HS as a basis for:
* Customs tariffs * Collection of international trade statistics * Rules of origin * Collection of internal taxes * Trade negotiations (e.g., the World Trade Organization schedules of tariff concessions) * Transport tariffs and statistics * Monitoring of controlled goods (e.g., wastes, narcotics, chemical weapons, ozone layer depleting substances, endangered species) * Areas of Customs controls and procedures, including risk assessment, information technology and compliance.
Codes have been revised through the years. So if it's necessary to reference a code related to a trade issue from even a few years ago, one has to make sure the definition set being used matches the code.
The S&P/ASX 200 index is a market-capitalisation weighted and float-adjusted stock market index of Australian stocks listed on the Australian Securities Exchange from Standard & Poor's. It was started on 31 March, 2000 with a value of 3133.3, equal to the value of the All Ordinaries at that date.
The ASX 200 reached 6,000 points for the first time on Thursday 15 February 2007.
[Abstract not available for the category]
The Broad Economic Categories (BEC) is a three-digit classification, which groups transportable goods according their main end use. It is most often used for the general economic analysis of international merchandise trade data. The BEC system is defined in terms of the Standard International Trade Classification system.
The original BEC was published in 1971, and revised in 1976, 1986 and most recently in 1988. The top level categories of the BEC are as follows: * BEC-1: Food and beverages * BEC-2: Industrial supplies not elsewhere specified * BEC-3: Fuels and lubricants * BEC-4: Capital goods (except transport equipment), and parts and accessories thereof * BEC-5: Transport equipment and parts and accessories thereof * BEC-6: Consumer goods not elsewhere specified * BEC-7: Goods not elsewhere specified
In 2007 a fourth revision is under discussion, including a possible extension of the BEC to include tradable services.
Standard International Trade Classification (SITC) is a classification of goods used to classify the exports and imports of a country to enable comparing different countries and years. The classification system is maintained by the United Nations. The SITC classification, currently at revision three is to be standard. The last revision, revision four, was made in 2006.
The following excerpt was taken from the United Nations Statistics Division, international trade statistics branch:
"For compiling international trade statistics on all merchandise entering international trade, and to promote international comparability of international trade statistics. The commodity groupings of SITC reflect (a) the materials used in production, (b) the processing stage, (c) market practices and uses of the products, (d) the importance of the commodities in terms of world trade, and (e) technological changes."United Nations Statistics Division"Standard International Trade Classification
The International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities is a United Nations system for classifying economic data. The United Nations Statistics Division describes it in the following terms:
::Wide use has been made of ISIC, both nationally and internationally, in classifying data according to kind of economic activity in the fields of production, employment, gross domestic product and other statistical areas. ISIC is a basic tool for studying economic phenomena, fostering international comparability of data, providing guidance for the development of national classifications and for promoting the development of sound national statistical systems.
For the two-number codes of this system and links to greater detail see UN Statistics Website.
[Abstract not available for the article]
[Abstract not available for the article]
The Standard Industrial Classification (abbreviated SIC) is a United States government system for classifying industries by a four-digit code. Established in 1937, it is being supplanted by the six-digit North American Industry Classification System, which was released in 1997; however certain government departments and agencies, such as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), still use the SIC codes.
The following table is from the SEC's site, which allows searching for companies by SIC code in its database of filings.U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission SIC Code List The acronym NEC stands for "not elsewhere classified."
<references/>
The S&P/ASX 50 index is a stock market index of Australian stocks listed on the Australian Securities Exchange from Standard & Poor's. 26 of the top 50 companies are headquartered in Sydney, 18 in Melbourne, 3 in Perth, 1 in Adelaide, 1 in Brisbane and 1 in Auckland, New Zealand.
It is a part of the S&P Global 1200.
The Standard & Poor's CRISIL NSE Index 50 or S&P CNX Nifty nicknamed Nifty 50 or simply Nifty (NSE: ^NSEI), is the leading index for large companies on the National Stock Exchange of India. The Nifty is a well diversified 50 stock index accounting for 22 sectors of the economy. It is used for a variety of purposes such as benchmarking fund portfolios, index based derivatives and index funds.
EDGAR, the Electronic Data-Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval system, performs automated collection, validation, indexing, acceptance, and forwarding of submissions by companies and others who are required by law to file forms with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). The database is freely available to the public via Web or [ftp://ftp.sec.gov/edgar/ FTP], typically posting in excess of 3,000 filings per day.
Not all SEC filings by public companies are available on EDGAR. Companies were phased in to EDGAR filing over a three-year period, ending 6 May 1996. As of that date, all public domestic companies were required to make their filings on EDGAR, except for filings made in paper because of a hardship exemption. Third-party filings with respect to these companies, such as tender offers and Schedule 13D filings, are also filed on EDGAR.
The vast majority of documents are now filed electronically. As of 4 November 2002, the SEC required all foreign companies and foreign governments to file their documents on EDGAR. Prior to that time, electronic filing by foreign companies also was voluntary.
Actual annual reports to shareholders (except in the case of mutual fund companies) need not be submitted on EDGAR, although some companies do so voluntarily. However, the annual report on Form 10-K or Form 10-KSB, which contains much of the same information, is required to be filed on EDGAR.
#Redirect Tariff
Established in January 1980, the All Ordinaries (colloquially, the "All Ords"; also known as the All Ordinaries Index, AOI) is the oldest index of shares in Australia, so called because it contains nearly all ordinary (or common) shares listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). The market capitalization of the companies included in the All Ords index amounts to over 95% of the value of all shares listed on the ASX. The 3-letter exchange ticker in Australia for the All Ordinaries is "XAO".
When established, the All Ords had a base index of 500 - this means that if the index is currently at 5000 points, the value of stocks in the All Ords has increased tenfold since January 1980, not factoring in inflation.
On 3 April, 2000, the All Ords was restructured to consist of the 500 largest companies by market capitalisation http://www.asx.com.au/about/shareholder/media_releases/MR020999_AS3.htm. This coincided with the introduction of new benchmark indices such as the S&P/ASX 200. The importance of the All Ords has been significantly lessened by the introduction of these new indices.
As of 1 November 2007, the All Ords index was at a record 6873.20. As of 22 January 2008, due to turmoil related to the US 2007 subprime mortgage financial crisis, the index had fallen 24 percent to 5,222.0 points. On 21 November 2008, in the wake of a worldwide drop in stock values, the index reached a low of 3,215.2 points, a drop of over 53% from the 1 November 2007 high.
[Abstract not available for the category]
The United Kingdom Standard Industrial Classification of Economic Activities, or UKSIC, is a Standard Industrial Classification that is intended to help classify businesses according to the type of their economic activity.
The 2007 revision of this standard uses the same top-level categories as Revision 4 of the United Nations' International Standard Industrial Classification.The 2007 revision of the UK Standard Industrial Classification of Economic Activities
[Abstract not available for the category]
Pink Quote, informally known as the Pink Sheets, is an electronic quotation system operated by Pink OTC Markets that displays quotes from broker-dealers for many over-the-counter securities. Market makers and other brokers can use Pink Quote to publish their bid and ask quotation prices. Starting in 1913, and prior to the creation of the electronic system in 2000, these quotes were printed on pink colored paper by the National Quotation Bureau. The term Pink Sheets is also used to refer to a market tier within the current Pink Quote system.
The Pink Sheets is not a stock exchange. To be quoted in the Pink Sheets, companies do not need to fulfill any requirements (e.g. filing financial statements with the SEC). With the exception of foreign issuers, mostly represented by ADRs, the companies quoted in the Pink Sheets tend to be closely held, extremely small, or thinly traded. Most do not meet the minimum U.S. listing requirements for trading on a stock exchange such as the New York Stock Exchange. Many of these companies do not file periodic reports or audited financial statements with the SEC, making it very difficult for investors to find reliable, unbiased information about those companies.
For these reasons the SEC views companies listed on Pink Sheets as "among the most risky investments" and advises potential investors to heavily research the companies in which they plan to invest.
Buying Pink Sheets shares is supposed to be difficult. Broker-dealers are enjoined to weed-out unsophisticated investors who may get an e-mail or word-of-mouth tip about a small stock. Many Pink Sheets stocks may only be registered for sale in one state so that the only way to purchase the stock is to make a DRIP/business/unsolicited/accredited or other sophisticated form of investment. Many registered representatives do not even know how or if they can sell them.
Council Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87 of 23 July 1987, creates the goods nomenclature called the Combined Nomenclature, or in abbreviated form 'CN', established to meet, at one and the same time, the requirements both of the Common Customs Tariff and of the external trade statistics of the European Union.
The codes and the descriptions of goods established on the basis of the combined nomenclature shall replace those established on the basis of the nomenclatures of the Common Customs Tariff and the Nimexe.
It is established on the basis of the harmonized system. The combined nomenclature shall comprise : (a) the harmonized system nomenclature; (b) Community subdivisions to that nomenclature, referred to as 'CN subheadings' in those cases where a corresponding rate of duty is specified; (c) preliminary provisions, additional section or chapter notes and footnotes relating to CN subheadings.
Each CN subheading shall have an eight digit code number : (a) the first six digits shall be the code numbers relating to the headings and subheadings of the harmonized system nomenclature; (b) the seventh and eighth digits shall identify the CN subheadings
The Commission established an integrated tariff, of the European Communities, referred to as the 'Taric', based on the combined nomenclature.
The combined nomenclature, together with the rates of duty and other relevant charges, and the tariff measures included in the Taric or in other Community arrangements shall constitute the common customs tariff referred to in Article 9 of the Treaty, which shall be applied on the importation of goods into the Community
Member States may insert subdivisions after the CN subheadings for national statistical purposes, and after the Taric subheadings for other national purposes.
The Commission shall be assisted by a Committee on Tariff and Statistical Nomenclature, called the 'Nomenclature Committee'.
'Favourable tariff arrangement' means any reduction or suspension, even under a tariff quota, of a customs duty or charge having equivalent effect or of an agricultural levy or other import charge provided for under the common agricultural policy or under the specific arrangements applicable to certain goods resulting form the processing of agricultural products.
Commission shall adopt each year by means of a Regulation a complete version of the combined nomenclature together with the corresponding autonomous and conventional rates of duty of the Common Customs Tariff, as it results from measures adopted by the Council or by the Commission. said Regulation shall be published not later than 31 October in the Official Journal of the European Communities and it shall apply from 1 January of the following year.
The Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community (in French: Nomenclature statistique des activités économiques dans la Communauté européenne), commonly referred to as NACE, is a European industry standard classification system consisting of a 6 digit code.
NACE is equivalent to the SIC and NAICS system: *Standard Industrial Classification *North American Industry Classification System
The first four digits of the code, which is the first four level of the classification system, are the same in all European countries. The fifth digit might vary from country to country and further digits are sometimes placed by suppliers of databases.
The Wertpapierkennnummer, (WKN, WPKN, WPK or simply Wert), is a German securities identification code. Six digits or capital letters (excluding I and O), no check digit.
There have been several changes in the WKN definition: * WKN were switched from numeric to alphanumeric on 2003-07-21, as described in this German pdf * The first 2-4 Letters may show the issuer of the Instrument, as described in this German pdf * The number ranges representing different classes of securities have been cancelled long ago.
The WKNs and DE-ISINs are provided by WM-Datenservice.
WKNs may be obsolete in future, and be replaced by ISINs.
Before the German spelling reform of 1996 the correct spelling was "Wertpapierkennummer".
This category is for companies with securities quoted on the Pink Sheets quotation service in the United States. It is common but incorrect to state that companies are "listed" on the Pink Sheets, which is not a stock exchange.
[Abstract not available for the article]
[Abstract not available for the article]
[Abstract not available for the article]
[Abstract not available for the article]
[Abstract not available for the article]
[Abstract not available for the article]
[Abstract not available for the article]
[Abstract not available for the article]
[Abstract not available for the article]
[Abstract not available for the article]
[Abstract not available for the article]
[Abstract not available for the article]
[Abstract not available for the article]
[Abstract not available for the article]
[Abstract not available for the article]
[Abstract not available for the article]
[Abstract not available for the article]
[Abstract not available for the article]
[Abstract not available for the article]
[Abstract not available for the article]
[Abstract not available for the article]
[Abstract not available for the article]
[Abstract not available for the article]
[Abstract not available for the article]
[Abstract not available for the article]
[Abstract not available for the article]
[Abstract not available for the article]
A trademark classification is a way the trademark examiners and applicants' trademark attorneys arrange documents, such as trademark and service mark applications, according to the description and scope of the types of goods or services to which the marks apply. The same trademark or service may be (or in many cases MUST be) classified in several classes, and some countries permit several classes to be registered in the same document. There are fees ordinarily associated with each classification, whether for initial application or later renewal.
An application filed for descriptions covering more than one class of goods or services may also be divided later (for a fee) into several different applications for synchronization with a phased roll-out of multiple classes of products. Because of international priority claim issues, classes may be deleted from an application but not added after the initial filing date. There are often disputes regarding the exact classification to apply in an application, partly because prior registrations may already occupy broad areas that overlap the products described by a later applicant. Many countries permit marks to cover an entire class without regard to specific descriptions of goods or services.
There is a general classification of marks into trademarks, service marks, certification marks and collective marks, each of which have slightly different rules. Within the broad categories of trademarks and service marks there are dozens of international classes defined for each category.
For the purpose of obtaining a trademark clearance, it is advisable to search all related classifications of goods and services that could interact with or be supplied by a potentially confusing mark that already exists.
In the United States, the USPTO maintains the Acceptable Identification of Goods and Services Manual to assist applicants and examiners to distinguish between classifications properly and consistently. Specific descriptions must be submitted for each type of goods and services to be covered by the registration, and overly broad terms will be rejected, depending upon how "crowded" a classification may be.
The S&P/ASX 20 index is a stock market index of stocks listed on the Australian Securities Exchange from Standard & Poor's. The S&P/ASX 20 index is composed of the 20 largest companies by market capitalisation. It is a part of the S&P Global 1200. All 20 companies also feature in the S&P/ASX 50 index as of September 2007.
[Abstract not available for the article]
TARIC (Integrated Tariff of the European Communities) is designed to show the various rules applying to specific products when imported into the EU. This includes the provisions of the harmonised system and the combined nomenclature but also additional provisions specified in Community legislation such as tariff suspensions, tariff quotas and tariff preferences, which exist for the majority of the Community’s trading partners. In trade with third countries, the 10-digit Taric code must be used in customs and statistical declarations.
TARIC builds upon the international harmonised system
The North American Product Classification System, or NAPCS, is a classification system used by Canada, Mexico, and the United States to classify products produced by industries in those countries. It is scheduled to be implemented from 2007 onwards.
NAPCS is a multi-phase effort by Canada, Mexico, and the United States to develop a comprehensive list of products, product definitions, and product codes that will be organized into an integrated demand-based classification framework that classifies both goods and services according to how they are principally used. It is intended that NAPCS will be used throughout the statistical community to coordinate the collection, tabulation, and analysis of data on the value of products produced by both goods- and services-producing industries and on the prices charged for those products.
The focus in the initial phases of NAPCS will be directed at identifying and defining the products of services-producing industries. NAPCS as a classification system will be a complementary to but independent from the North American Industry Classification System.
The S&P 1500, or S&P 1500 Composite Index, is a stock market index of US stocks made by Standard & Poor's. It includes all stocks in the S&P 500, S&P 400, and S&P 600.
The S&P CNX 500 is India’s first broad-based stock market index of the Indian stock market. The S&P CNX 500 represents about 96% of total market capitalization and about 93% of the total turnover on the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE).
The S&P CNX 500 companies are disaggregated into 72 industry indices, the S&P CNX Industry Indices. Industry weights in the index reflect the industry weights in the market. For e.g. if the banking sector has a 5% weight in the universe of stocks traded on the NSE, banking stocks in the index would also have an approximate representation of 5% in the index.
When a group of countries form a customs union they must introduce a common external tariff. The same customs duties, import quotas, preferences or other non-tariff barriers to trade apply to all goods entering the area, regardless of which country within the area they are entering. It is designed to end re-exportation; but it may also inhibit imports from countries outside the customs union and thereby diminish consumer choice and support protectionism of industries based within the customs union.
The common external tariff is a mild form of economic union, but may lead to further types of economic integration. In addition to having the same customs duties, the countries may have other common trade policies, such as having the same quotas, preferences or other non-tariff trade regulations apply to all goods entering the area, regardless of which country within the area they are entering.
An important example of a common external tariff is that of the Mercosur countries (Brazil, Argentina,Venezuela, Paraguay and Uruguay).
A Reuters Instrument Code, or RIC, is a ticker-like code used by Reuters to identify financial instruments and indices. The codes are used for looking up information on various Reuters financial information networks (like Bridge) and appear to have developed from the Quotron service they purchased in the 1980s.
Rogers Plus is the overall banner for the retail operations of the Rogers Cable subsidiary of Rogers Communications. It was formed in early 2007 from the merger of the Rogers Plus chain of telecommunications stores previously operated by InterTAN under licence from Rogers, and the company-owned Rogers Video chain of video stores. Rogers is currently in the process of retiring the Rogers Video and Rogers Wireless brand names from its stores and is re-branding them as Rogers Plus. Rogers Video is the largest Canadian-owned chain of video stores, and 5th largest in North America. It operates over 300 stores, second only to Blockbuster Canada (which has over 400). Rogers stores also provide sales and service for Rogers cable TV, Internet, Home Phone and cellphone service in markets where Rogers offers these products. The chain grew considerably in the 1990s through take-overs of smaller, local chains. For example, in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Rogers took over the TVS Video Superstore and Family Video (not to be confused with the Saskatoon-based Family Video chain that became VHQ.) chains.
The Rogers Plus stores previously operated by InterTAN are located mainly in shopping malls, as a retail venue for Rogers's communications products. While most Rogers Video locations have been selling other Rogers products for many years, it is not yet clear whether these Rogers Plus locations will begin selling or renting DVDs as well.
Rogers Video has also partnered with ZIP.ca to provide an online DVD rental service, Rogers Video Direct, which allows users to rent online and have DVDs delivered by mail.
In October 2006, Rogers Video announced it would no longer charge late fees for video rentals nor would it charge any restocking fees on videos returned past the due date. Instead, past a certain date (30 days), Rogers will contact the customer and request that they pay the retail price of the item, if they fail to pay for the price of the item, the fee will be transferred over to a collection agency. However, in October 2007, Rogers Video announced the return of late fees on select items on the Top 10 list. Customers would pay a dollar less on these movies initially ($4.39, instead of 5.39). If kept for over a day, a charge of one dollar for a maximum of four days (or four dollars) would be charged to the account. This was said to be done in order to encourage people to bring back their movies so that certain popular new releases would be available to others. Because the customer pays one dollar less for these movies, the "Return It Fast For Cash" deal was eliminated. All other movies remain the same as before.
Late fees also apply to video game rentals.
March 10 2009, Rogers Video will announce the return of late fees in their stores, the flipside being a cheaper initial rental price. Customers can choose to rent a movie for 4.99 for one day, $1 late fees for each day following, or the customer can choose to pay an additional $1 to upgrade to not having late fees. After 8 Days the title will be sold to the customer, a return of the title would result in a $1.75 restocking fee. All movies that had previously been 2 day rentals will now become new release one day rentals.