Bank share prices fell sharply in the third week of 2017, as more banks reported Q4 earnings. Initial positive readings of earnings shifted to the negative, as investors were disappointed by lack of traction in the lending segment as well as setbacks in noninterest income generation. Net interest margins were flat for the largest banks in Q4, despite a steepening yield curve and the highest bond yields since mid-2015. Shares of the largest banks were down -2.9% (led by Citigroup...

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US stocks rallied Friday morning, but some of these gains pared off after Trump adopted a protectionist tone in his first national speech as the 45th president of the United States. While Trump’s inaugural address continued to fuel investor concerns regarding future trade policies, overall US equities ended the day on a positive note. Despite the release of relatively strong 4Q earnings results by several major banks, the Dow and S&P finished the week with some minor losses, while the...

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It describes how the commercial manager should bring professional skill and influence through the infrastructure project lifecycle and demonstrates the importance of understanding and translating the investment case into disciplined processes; recognising the impact of scale and the uniqueness of engineering not seen elsewhere in general practice, and tailoring the approach to cost, risk and engaging the supply chain. Download the report here Compliments of RICS - a member of the EACCNY

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Making good on a campaign pledge, President Trump today signed an Executive Order withdrawing the U.S. from the TPP process, the marquee trade initiative of the prior administration. The TPP would have lowered trade barriers amongst its twelve members (Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Vietnam), accounting for approximately 40% of the world’s economy.  Five years of negotiations culminated in an agreement in October of 2015; however it needed the ratification by...

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Fearful that the punitive tariffs threatened by President Donald Trump would prompt a global backlash against US trade, including a flood of successful lawsuits against the United States in the World Trade Organization, many are urging the new President to support instead the border tax adjustments that House Republicans are reportedly moving ahead aggressively to try to enact. Speaker Paul Ryan has said that imposing border adjustments as a part of corporate tax reform is a better way than tariffs...

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On December 21 2016, AG Sharpston issued an opinion that is regarded as an important indicator with respect to trade agreements that will have to be entered into between the EU and the UK after a Brexit. The opinion related to the Free Trade Agreement between the EU and Singapore (the ‘EUSFTA’), which was initiated in September 2013. The EUSFTA is destined to be an agreement between the EU and the Republic of Singapore, without participation of the Member States....

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In a previous article, we summarized the key provisions of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulation, “Retention of EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 Immigrant Workers and Program Improvements Affecting High-Skilled Nonimmigrant Workers,” which went into effect on January 17, 2017. In this article, we analyze the key provisions and the practical implications for employers and employees in further detail. 1. Retention of Priority Dates The regulation clarifies that an employee retains his or her priority date immediately upon approval of...

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We focused in a recent article on key terms and concepts of which to be aware when negotiating US term sheets. Frequently, however, we’re asked for general advice on how non-US emerging companies initially can attract potential US investors. Our first five tips are below; the next five will be included in a forthcoming article. You can also check out this video for a preview of the full list. The Threshold Question Before seeking US capital, non-US founders should ask themselves why...

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NEW YORK, NY, USA - World Trade Centers Association, Inc. (WTCA) is proud to announce that it has named Jennifer Guerrero as its Chief Financial Officer, and the most recent addition to its senior leadership team at Headquarters. “Bringing Jennifer onboard is a key moment for us as we continue to ramp up for what we are certain will be an important time for our Association,” said Scott Ferguson, Chief Executive Officer. “In 2017 and beyond Jennifer will help us remain...

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Montenegro has concluded double taxation treaties with more than 35 countries, and this number continues to grow. The most recently signed treaty is the one concluded with Montenegro. The agreement affects persons who are residents of one or both of the contracting states and applies to the Portuguese personal income tax, corporate tax and surtax as well as to the Montenegrin personal income tax and corporate tax. The agreement stipulates that dividends paid by a resident of one contracting state to...

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