The new coalition government of Luxembourg formed after the elections held last October recently released its government programme. It is the expression of a strong commitment to further strengthen the competitiveness of the Luxembourg economy and to sustain the long-term development of its financial centre. Arendt & Medernach, one of the pre-eminent Luxembourg lawfirms and a EACCNY member would like to share with you the key measures highlighted in this programme. To download the document, please follow this link. For further information,...

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In 2012 global budgets for research and development climbed by 5.8 percent to USD 638 billion, a clear continuation of the growth trend in recent years following the economic crisis of 2009. This is the conclusion of the "Global Innovation 1000" study of the strategic consulting company Booz & Company. For the ninth straight year, the company analyzed the budgets of the 1,000 companies with the highest R&D expenditures in the world. Due to the crisis, European investments in research and...

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The Trepp CMBS delinquency rate continued its impressive turnaround in November, which marked the sixth consecutive month of improvement. With a rate decrease of 32 basis points in November, the delinquency rate for US commercial real estate loans in CMBS is 7.66%. The Trepp delinquency rate has dropped 268 basis points since reaching an all-time high of 10.34% in the summer of 2012. As we noted last month, with only one month of data remaining in 2013, there could still be...

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Researchers at the Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP) in Vienna succeeded in developing a biological imaging process with an in-depth effect. This new technology is particularly suitable for sensitive and dynamic samples. The new microscopy technique developed by IMP in cooperation with the Vienna University of Technology enables a three dimensional image of the analyzed sample to be created with a single measurement. The new light microscopy method is based on converting the position information of fluorescent markets into color...

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The Cayman Islands Government signed a Model 1 intergovernmental agreement with US Government on 29 November 2013. The intergovernmental agreement provides the framework for automatic exchange of tax information under the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act ("FATCA"). The Model 1 intergovernmental agreement and associated Cayman Islands Legislation will provide for Cayman domiciled foreign financial institutions to disclose information to the Cayman Tax Information Authority. The Cayman Tax Information Authority will implement the data-reporting framework for the automatic exchange of...

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After two months of relatively low liquidation volume, November brought a return to average levels. Liquidation volume came in at $1.2 billion in November, up from $960 million in October and $870 million in September. Volume registered on par with the 12-month moving average of $1.18 billion. Further, the majority of loans liquidated fell into the greater than 2% loss severity category. November loss severity landed at 48.10%, up considerably from October's 38.58% and above the 12-month moving average of...

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GRANITO appreciates that regardless of how unhealthy a country's economy is, changing the place of home-country manufacturing may either not be feasible or in fact the best way to increase profits. Where locale is set, and costs are as low as possible, sales must increase, normally in a foreign territory. This often presents the need to identify new funding opportunities to support the process of internazionalization. GRANITO understands there tends to be truth in the old saying "It takes money...

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The CD 2006-CD3 deal has had its share of problems over the last seven years. To date, losses have exceeded 7% of the pool balance and the G class (the 25% that remains) is the first loss bond. Over 8% of the pool has been modified and about 9% is delinquent as of November. Given all that, it is with great reluctance that we add another loan to the list of assets worth watching. This one is the $80 million White Plains Plaza note. The...

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The state funding bank aims to increasingly assist start-ups in Austria. Recently AWS established its own start-up center designed to bundle activities such as funding and training. On balance, Austria will invest an additional EUR 100 million each year in promoting start-ups. Federal Minister of Economy, Family and Youth Reinhold Mitterlehner primarily aims to facilitate the foundation of new companies on the basis of this measure. “Our main objective is to improve access to risk capital. A total of EUR...

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The Cayman Islands Monetary Authority signed and memorandum of understanding with Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin) on 22 November 2013 providing for mutual assistance regarding the supervision of managers of alternative investment funds who operate on a cross-border basis in both jurisdictions. The memorandum of understanding will serve as a co-operation agreement for the purpose of systemic risk oversight and will facilitate the exchange of information between CIMA and BaFin, cross-border on-site visits between the jurisdictions and also provide a framework...

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