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[ad_1] March is celebrated as Women’s History Month. While globally there’s much talk of women emancipation and empowerment, the pandemic and its aftereffects have continued to impact the lives of women in urban cities. On one hand, women were constantly counting on family members and peers for a happy work-life balance, but a certain section of society lacked access to good health and nutrition. The GOQii Women’s Health Matters report 2022 states that women with menstrual problems have increased in 2021, to an average of 38.8% as against an average of 32.8% of female health issues in 2020. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) at 31.2% has increased by 9% from 2020. There is a need for constant dialogue and interaction to improve access to many essential services, especially for adolescent girls in urban slums deprived of basic health and education services. The pandemic forced them to stay indoors; many were deprived of basic health and education services or access to services like phone for online classes, and instead asked to do household chores. Over 68% of adolescent girls faced challenges in accessing health and nutrition services; 67% did not attend online classes during lockdowns; 56% did not get time to indulge in outdoor play and recreation during the lockdown. The research-led study titled ‘The world of India’s girls—Wings 2022’ by NGO Save the Children, India, highlights the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on girls, with a focus on populations in urban slums. The study unfolds the repercussions on girls’ access to health, education and opportunities for play and recreation with a focus on the changes that have taken place in the overall context of their insecurities. It also includes understanding the coping mechanisms adopted by the families to deal with the increased health and nutritional insecurities, the abrupt decline in learning opportunities and the pressure on early marriages. “India@100 cannot achieve its full potential unless we secure 100% of its children today. The report brings to the fore the risks our nation runs into by not securing children. Specifically, the fact that India @75 has almost half its children not able to equitably secure themselves with their basic rights,” says Sudarshan Suchi, CEO, Save the Children, who conducted the study in four states—Delhi, Maharashtra, Bihar, and Telangana. Also, professionally, a full-time WFH setup was more challenging for women, to deal with the extra burden of managing household chores and fulfilling professional responsibilities as most women saw uncertainty in careers or chose flexible working models in the last two years. But a contrasting study by International Workplace Group (IWG), a flexible office space provider, states how work-life balance made women choose their career paths and allowed them to be more productive. Over half (56%) agreed that hybrid working was positive for career progression. In fact, 49% said they would consider leaving their job if forced to work from the office five days a week, demonstrating the integral role hybrid working is now playing in people’s daily lives. Women stated how hybrid working improved their mental health, and greater distribution in household and childcare duties between them and their partner. However, with the financial benefits of hybrid working that helps save both time and money from daily commutes to office, women were able to save more for house deposits due to flexible work hours. “The pandemic has proved people can be just as productive when they’re splitting their time between home and the office and it’s highlighted the huge opportunity to improve working life. For women, the hybrid model represents a crucial opportunity to address existing inequalities at work and at home and has unprecedented potential to support women’s well being, family lives and career aspirations. For employers, there is a vast opportunity to attract more female talent and add tremendous value to their businesses,” says Fatima Koning, group chief commercial officer at IWG. [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] Offerpad CEO Brian Bair. It’s a zero-sum economy, right? The success of iBuyers is the failure of real estate agents. After all, iBuying companies Opendoor, Redfin and formerly Zillow are predicated on home sellers eschewing a listing agent and selling their home to the company.   But the iBuyer-agent relationship is shifting, as iBuying company Offerpad – the only iBuyer of the above group to ever turn a profit – is now quietly employing roughly 200 real estate agents, which the company calls “Solutions Experts.” These agents comprise 15-20% of Offerpad’s count of over 1,000 employees, said Jennifer Dohm, vice-president of communications at Offerpad in a written statement in response to questions from HousingWire. “Offerpad’s solution experts receive the same full pay benefits available to other fulltime Offerpad employees and most of their pay comes from commission,” Dohm added. These benefits include medical, dental and vision coverage and a 401(k) match program. In classifying agents as employees and not independent contractors, Offerpad joins a tiny sandbox of American companies that most prominently includes Redfin. Offerpad did not make executives available for this story. Dohm did write: “The best way for us to deliver the Offerpad experience is to have our agents fully devoted to our mission and core values as employees. In fact, their title at Offerpad is Solutions Expert because they are committed to offering Offerpad’s full suite of real estate solutions.” In a prior interview with HousingWire, Offerpad CEO Brian Bair described the need to align agent’s incentives with Offerpad’s. “We don’t want any decisions to be made from a commission perspective,” Bair said in September. Though both Redfin and Offerpad feature iBuying and real estate agents, the business models are different. Redfin’s agent division is separate from its iBuying arm, Redfin Now, and prospective sellers tend to first choose one service, or the other. But Offerpad’s agents are supposed to give sellers the option of either an instant home sale or putting their home on the market. Additionally, Offerpad’s agents help buyers, and, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing from earlier this month, give buyers early access to inventory instantly bought by Offerpad. The growing employment of agents is another twist in a seven-year-old, Chandler, Arizona-based company that continues to surprise. Offerpad went public through a special purpose acquisition company in August that was spearheaded by former Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff. The company debuted with a $2.7 billion market capitalization, but its Wall Street value quickly sunk below $1 billion. The valuation, though, has inched past the $1 billion mark after Offerpad announced $6.5 million in net income for 2021. A positive net income is far cry from everything in the nascent history of iBuying, including Opendoor, which posted a $662 million net income loss in 2021.   Offerpad operates on a much smaller scale than Opendoor, reselling 6,373 of the homes it bought in 2021, compared to 21,725 for Opendoor. Still, Offerpad’s sales increased 49% compared to 2020, and the company was in 21 markets at the end of 2021, compared to 14 one year earlier. So far, Offerpad’s agents have played a bit role in the company’s growth. Offerpad puts its work with home sellers into two different categories. There is “Express,” where the home is instantly bought with cash, and “Flex,” where the seller retains the choice of an Offerpad cash buy but markets their home on the local multiple listings service. “Our ‘Flex’ offering generates higher margins than our ‘Express’ offering,” according to the company’s annual report filed with the SEC. “But accounted for less than 1% of our total revenue in both 2020 and 2021, although we intend to drive greater roll-out of the ‘Flex’ offering across our platform.” The filing also warns of obstacles the company might face in employing agents. “Real estate agents considering working for us may not understand our compensation model or may not perceive it be more attractive than the independent-contractor commission-driven compensation model used by most traditional brokerages,” the filing reads. Offerpad also anticipates the same problem that Redfin has experienced – employing the correct number of agents to meet the market’s demand. Expenses like employee salary and benefits “may result in us being unable to adjust as rapidly as some of our competitors, the report states. “Conversely, in times of rapidly rising demand we may face a shortfall of real estate agents.” As with Redfin, Offerpad employee agents were reluctant to speak without the company’s permission. Offerpad did not make agents available for this story. A cursory search of Offerpad agents show a mix of background’s similar to those at Redfin. Some agents are coming from other jobs like personal trainer and resort spa sales executive, while others joined Offerpad after stints at established brokerages including HomeSmart and Allen Tate. A common refrain from real estate agents and brokers is that being classified as employees can both limit their ambition and flexibility. The employee model “disincentivizes hard work, and caps earning potential,” said Courtney Poulos, CEO of ACME Real Estate in Los Angeles and Orlando. “With independent contractors, there’s no ceiling.” However, an iBuyer investing any level of resources in its own agents is a new wrinkle. Previously, agents in markets like Atlanta and Phoenix have had an uneasy but sometimes functional relationship with iBuyers, who themselves have walked a thin line. In 2019, for example, Opendoor CEO Eric Wu told journalist Kara Swisher agents are often “a friend of a friend or a brother-in-law” that the seller feels obligated to bring in. Wu did say that other agents can “help you through a process that is confusing and causing you stress.” The post Offerpad proposes iBuyer-agent marriage appeared first on HousingWire. [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] Making the decision to invest in cryptocurrency is one part of the process, but you also need to pick the best crypto exchanges and crypto wallet for your needs. After all, a crypto wallet is where you will store your private keys, which keeps your crypto assets safe from hackers and thieves. Not only that, but you’ll need to select a crypto exchange that makes it possible for you to send and receive crypto, whether your goal is building long-term wealth or making short-term trades for profit.  In many cases, the easiest place to store your crypto is the exchange where you purchased it. To help you find the best crypto exchange for purchases and trades, we compared the most popular options out there today. In the meantime, we also conducted some research that can help you avoid crypto scams and the financial losses they cause. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the digital nature of cryptocurrency means that, if something unexpected happens, you can lose your crypto assets and find there are virtually no agencies that can help you recover your funds. This can happen if “your online exchange platform goes out of business, you send cryptocurrency to the wrong person, you lose the password to your digital wallet, or your digital wallet is stolen or compromised,” they write. With this in mind, you’ll want to choose the best crypto wallet for your needs and goals, but you’ll also want to learn about this industry, crypto safety, and common scams to avoid before you open an account. #ap24334-ww{padding-top:20px;position:relative;text-align:center;font-size:12px;font-family:Lato,Arial,sans-serif}#ap24334-ww #ap24334-ww-indicator{text-align:right}#ap24334-ww #ap24334-ww-indicator-wrapper{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;justify-content:flex-end}#ap24334-ww #ap24334-ww-indicator-wrapper:hover #ap24334-ww-text{display:block}#ap24334-ww #ap24334-ww-indicator-wrapper:hover #ap24334-ww-label{display:none}#ap24334-ww #ap24334-ww-text{margin:auto 3px auto auto}#ap24334-ww #ap24334-ww-label{margin-left:4px;margin-right:3px}#ap24334-ww #ap24334-ww-icon{margin:auto;padding:1px;display:inline-block;width:15px;height:15px;min-width:15px;min-height:15px;cursor:pointer}#ap24334-ww #ap24334-ww-icon img{vertical-align:middle;width:15px;height:15px;min-width:15px;min-height:15px}#ap24334-ww #ap24334-ww-text-bottom{margin:5px}#ap24334-ww #ap24334-ww-text{display:none}#ap24334-ww #ap24334-ww-icon img{text-indent:-9999px;color:transparent} Ads by Money. We may be compensated if you click this ad.Ad #ap24334-w-map{max-width:600px;padding:20px 0 10px;margin:0 auto;text-align:center;font-family:”Lato”, Arial, Roboto, sans-serif}#ap24334-w-map #ap24334-w-map-title{color:#212529;font-size:18px;font-weight:700;line-height:27px}#ap24334-w-map #ap24334-w-map-subtitle{color:#9b9b9b;font-size:16px;font-style:italic;line-height:24px}#ap24334-w-map #ap24334-w-disclosure{margin-top:10px;font-size:12px;color:#9b9b9b}#ap24334-w-map #ap24334-w-map-map{max-width:98%;width:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:65%;margin-bottom:20px;position:relative}#ap24334-w-map #ap24334-w-map-map svg{position:absolute;left:0;top:0}#ap24334-w-map #ap24334-w-map-map svg path{fill:#e3efff;stroke:#9b9b9b;pointer-events:all;transition:fill 0.6s ease-in, stroke 0.6s ease-in, stroke-width 0.6s ease-in}#ap24334-w-map #ap24334-w-map-map svg path:hover{stroke:#1261C9;stroke-width:2px;stroke-linejoin:round;fill:#1261C9;cursor:pointer}#ap24334-w-map #ap24334-w-map-map svg g rect{fill:#e3efff;stroke:#9b9b9b;pointer-events:all;transition:fill 0.6s ease-in, stroke 0.6s ease-in, stroke-width 0.6s ease-in}#ap24334-w-map #ap24334-w-map-map svg g text{fill:#000;text-anchor:middle;font:10px Arial;transition:fill 0.6s ease-in}#ap24334-w-map #ap24334-w-map-map svg g .ap00646-w-map-state{display:none}#ap24334-w-map #ap24334-w-map-map svg g .ap00646-w-map-state rect{stroke:#1261C9;stroke-width:2px;stroke-linejoin:round;fill:#1261C9}#ap24334-w-map #ap24334-w-map-map svg g .ap00646-w-map-state text{fill:#fff;font:19px Arial;font-weight:bold}#ap24334-w-map #ap24334-w-map-map svg g:hover{cursor:pointer}#ap24334-w-map #ap24334-w-map-map svg g:hover rect{stroke:#1261C9;stroke-width:2px;stroke-linejoin:round;fill:#1261C9}#ap24334-w-map #ap24334-w-map-map svg g:hover text{fill:#fff}#ap24334-w-map #ap24334-w-map-map svg g:hover .ap00646-w-map-state{display:initial}#ap24334-w-map #ap24334-w-map-btn{padding:9px 41px;display:inline-block;color:#fff;font-size:16px;line-height:1.25;text-decoration:none;background-color:#1261c9;border-radius:2px}#ap24334-w-map #ap24334-w-map-btn:hover{color:#fff;background-color:#508fc9} Diversify your portfolio with Cryptocurrency Investments. Online trading platforms offer a wide variety of cryptocurrencies for trading. Click on your state to start investing today! HawaiiAlaskaFloridaSouth CarolinaGeorgiaAlabamaNorth CarolinaTennesseeRIRhode IslandCTConnecticutMAMassachusettsMaineNHNew HampshireVTVermontNew YorkNJNew JerseyDEDelawareMDMarylandWest VirginiaOhioMichiganArizonaNevadaUtahColoradoNew MexicoSouth DakotaIowaIndianaIllinoisMinnesotaWisconsinMissouriLouisianaVirginiaDCWashington DCIdahoCaliforniaNorth DakotaWashingtonOregonMontanaWyomingNebraskaKansasOklahomaPennsylvaniaKentuckyMississippiArkansasTexas Trade Today Important Things to Know About Crypto Before you settle on a crypto exchange or crypto wallet, there are certain details you should understand about how wallets for crypto work, as well as the broader industry. Types of crypto wallets: First off, there are two main types of crypto wallets — software wallets that maintain your crypto assets online and using a mobile app, and hardware wallets that let you store crypto off the web. Crypto exchanges: Where a crypto wallet lets you store your crypto, a crypto exchange makes it possible to buy, sell and trade crypto. Liquidity: Some crypto exchanges make it considerably easier to cash in your crypto assets. Generally speaking, larger platforms make it easier to buy and sell crypto. Earn interest: Some crypto exchanges offer products that make it possible to earn interest on your crypto assets, so make sure to check for this option. Fees: There are costs involved in buying and selling crypto, so make sure to compare options based on the fees they charge. Our Picks for Best Crypto Exchanges BlockFi: Best overall Crypto.com: Best for flexibility Binance.US: Best for low fees Gemini: Best for safety Coinbase: Best for liquidity Best Crypto Exchanges – Company Reviews BlockFi: Best overall .m00646-mc-pros-cons.gfc .lits-cont .header{font-family:Muli,sans-serif}.m00646-mc-pros-cons.gfc .lits-cont ul.list li{font-family:Muli,sans-serif}.m00646-mc-pros-cons.bcb .lits-cont .header{font-family:”nimbus-sans”,sans-serif}.m00646-mc-pros-cons.bcb .lits-cont ul.list li{font-family:”nimbus-sans”,sans-serif}.m00646-mc-pros-cons{display:flex;max-width:675px;margin:0 auto;padding:20px 0}.m00646-mc-pros-cons .lits-cont{flex:1}.m00646-mc-pros-cons .lits-cont .header{display:flex;justify-content:start;align-items:center;font-family:Gelasio,serif;font-size:20px;font-weight:700;text-transform:uppercase;line-height:1.3}.m00646-mc-pros-cons .lits-cont .header .indication-img{display:flex;align-items:center}.m00646-mc-pros-cons .lits-cont ul.list{margin:0;padding:0;margin-top:18px;list-style:none}.m00646-mc-pros-cons .lits-cont ul.list li{font-family:Georgia,serif;font-size:18px;font-weight:400;margin:0;margin-top:17px;line-height:1.3;padding-left:30px;position:relative}.m00646-mc-pros-cons .lits-cont ul.list li:first-child{margin-top:0}.m00646-mc-pros-cons .lits-cont ul.list li::before{content:””;display:block;width:20px;height:20px;margin-right:10px;vertical-align:middle;background-size:contain;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-position:center center;position:absolute;left:0;top:2px}.m00646-mc-pros-cons .lits-cont.pros ul.list li::before{background-image:url(data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZpZXdCb3g9IjAgMCAyMCAyMCI+PHBhdGggZmlsbD0iI0E1RENBMCIgZD0iTTEwIDBDNC41IDAgMCA0LjUgMCAxMHM0LjUgMTAgMTAgMTAgMTAtNC41IDEwLTEwUzE1LjUgMCAxMCAwem01LjEgNy45bC01LjQgNS40Yy0uMi4yLS40LjItLjYuMnMtLjQtLjEtLjYtLjJsLTIuNy0yLjdjLS4zLS4zLS4zLS45IDAtMS4yLjMtLjMuOS0uMyAxLjIgMGwyLjEgMi4xIDQuOC00LjhjLjMtLjMuOS0uMyAxLjIgMCAuMy4zLjMuOSAwIDEuMnoiLz48L3N2Zz4=)}.m00646-mc-pros-cons .lits-cont.cons{margin-left:20px}.m00646-mc-pros-cons .lits-cont.cons ul.list li::before{background-image:url(data:image/svg+xml;base64,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)}@media screen and (max-width: 600px){.m00646-mc-pros-cons{display:block}.m00646-mc-pros-cons .lits-cont{margin-left:0}.m00646-mc-pros-cons .lits-cont ul.list li{font-size:14px;padding-left:24px;margin-top:12px}.m00646-mc-pros-cons .lits-cont ul.list li::before{width:16px;height:16px;margin-right:6px;top:0}.m00646-mc-pros-cons .lits-cont:first-child{margin-top:0}.m00646-mc-pros-cons .lits-cont.cons{margin-left:0;margin-top:35px}} Pros No monthly fees or minimum deposits Offers a crypto credit card Earn interest on your crypto deposits Cons Some of their products are not available in every state Unimpressive ratings for their mobile app (3.3 out of 5 stars in the App Store) BlockFi offers a mobile app and online portal that makes it easy to buy, sell and trade cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. Benefits of using this platform include broad access to a broad range of tokens including BTC, ETH, LTC, PAXG, UNI, DAI, LINK, BAT, and USD-based stablecoins, as well as immediate trade execution and world-class customer support. BlockFi also stands out due to its BlockFi Interest account, which lets you earn up to 9.5% in interest on your BlockFi crypto assets. The company also has its own credit card, the BlockFi Rewards Visa® Signature Credit Card, which lets cardholders earn 1.5% cashback on every crypto purchase they make. You can even take out a loan through BlockFi while using your crypto assets as collateral. 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Their mobile app lets you purchase or trade crypto at its real cost, and you can also use the app to pay people or get paid in various cryptocurrencies.  Crypto.com also has its own NFT platform, as well as a

[ad_1] The post How to Make Money Singing appeared first on Millennial Money. If we’re being perfectly honest, I love singing karaoke. But does that mean I can make a career out of singing? No.  That said, if you have a golden voice, why not make some money with it? In this post, I’m going to cover the top ways to make money singing. From street performing to teaching and everything in between, if there’s a way to get paid using your voice, you’ll learn about it here. 11 Best Ways to Get Paid to Sing Here’s a list of my favorite ways to bring in extra money using your voice.  1. Sing on the Street  Take a walk through any large city, and you’re bound to find someone playing an instrument or singing and collecting a fair amount of cash. The official term for this is busking—and it’s a fun way to gain free exposure and collect a few bucks in the process. Busking is illegal in many places, so make sure to check the local rules in your area before getting out there. With that said, if you tend to see performers playing regularly—without getting hassled by the police—it’s probably safe for you to test the waters. If you’re interested in the idea, be strategic about where you set up. Avoid busking on private property or in front of a business that might not want you there. The last thing you want to do is scare potential customers away. At the same time, if you’re really good, you could potentially draw people in. As a tip, busking is all about entertaining the public. It’s perfectly fine to mix in some original music, but people generally tip more when they hear cover songs they are familiar with. When you play music that others want to hear, they may even want to join in and sing with you. Go along with it and show them a good time. It may lead to more tips. 2. Write Jingles  Make fun of me all you want, but one of my favorite songs is “Give Me a Break,” the jingle that still has people everywhere thinking about Kit Kat bars. The same goes for hits like Subway’s “Five Dollar Footlong” and Chili’s “I Want My Baby Back.” If you have a professional-grade singing voice, you can work for an ad agency as a singer and help companies bring their jingles to life. Once you break into the music business, other opportunities will inevitably pop up. You can also freelance and create custom songs, ads, and tutorials for your clients. Offer your services on sites like Fiverr or Upwork to find these types of gigs. Fiverr Fiverr is one of the top platforms for finding freelance gigs for around the world. Sign up now for free! Sign up with Fiverr 3. Sing at Corporate Events I’m going to let you in on a little secret: Corporate events are an awesome side hustle for singers. These events can range in size and scope, from cocktail hours to networking events and seasonal parties. Companies will often pay thousands of dollars to entertain their guests, and so this can be a great way to make money, form business connections, and land recurring jobs. 4. Start a YouTube Channel YouTube is a potential gold mine for emerging vocalists. It’s your digital stage to the world. You can instantly reach global audiences. And the best part is that it’s completely free. If you have an amazing voice and focus on producing the right type of content, you could potentially go viral. The only thing you need to be aware of is that YouTube has millions of users trying to make it in the music industry. That being the case, you have to put your best foot forward if you want people to notice you.  Learn how much money Youtubers can make here. 5. Start a Band The most traditional way to make money singing is to form a band. Once your band is up to speed, contact your local bars and restaurants to find gigs. You can also make money playing house concerts and local community events. If you can sing the blues, rock, jazz, country, reggae, pop, or hip hop, you should have no trouble finding local gigs. This is especially true in the post-COVID economy, where many local businesses are looking for musical entertainment to attract customers. The only real downside of playing in a band is that you will have more expenses and less revenue because you have to share the money you bring in with everyone else. Eventually, your band may get to the point where it puts out an album. This can potentially lead to recurring revenue streams, a record label, and a job traveling around making music. 6. Join a Church Choir  Churches of all faiths depend on music for their services. As it turns out, many of them pay professional singers to enhance the worship experience. In most cases, you don’t even have to be religious to join a choir. As long as you can sing well, read music, and show up on time to events, church performances can be a solid side hustle. 7. Become a Music Teacher If you’re considering launching a full-time music career, becoming a music teacher could be one of the best decisions you can make. Teaching music full-time will lead to steady money, with the average salary for a full-time music teacher hovering around $44,000. In addition to a decent salary, most music teachers also typically enjoy excellent benefits and a pension. But to make it in this line of work, you have to be comfortable working with young people and planning the curriculum. If you’re great with kids and love to teach, this could be your calling. And best of all, you can make extra money teaching lessons and performing your own gigs on the side. Two awesome online teaching platforms that I have

[ad_1] Have you been wanting to try Dollar Shave Club? You can get their Starter Set for just $5 shipped right now! If you’ve been curious about Dollar Shave Club, you can sign up and get a Starter Set for just $5 shipped right now! This also might make a unique gift idea for someone! This initial Starter Set includes the executive razor handle, two 6-blade razor cartridges, a trial-sized shave butter, a trial-sized post shave dew, and a trial-sized prep scrub. This is a great value!! I’ve been using Dollar Shave Club for quite a while now, and I really like it! You can read my completely honest review of Dollar Shave Club here. Note: When you take advantage of this deal, it signs you up for the Dollar Shave Club membership that will renew after the first month at the full executive razor price of $9/month. Be sure to go into your membership settings and cancel (or change to a cheaper razor) if you don’t want to continue. Go here to sign up and get your $5 Dollar Shave Club Starter Set. [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] Turkish finance minister says rise in energy prices accelerating inflation [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] India is in final talks to start wheat export to Egypt while discussions are going on with countries like China, Turkey, China and Iran to begin the outbound shipments of the commodity, the commerce ministry said on Saturday. It said that India’s wheat exports increased to USD 1.74 billion during April-January 2021-22 as against USD 340.17 million in the same period last year.In 2019-20, wheat exports were worth USD 61.84 million, which rose to USD 549.67 million in 2020-21, it said. It also said that the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has recently organized a meeting of key stakeholders in the value chain for promoting exports to those countries which have a huge shipment potential in the wake of global supply chain disruptions due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. “At the meeting, the Railways assured to make available sufficient rakes to meet any immediate demand for additional wheat transport. Port authorities have also been asked to augment dedicated terminals along with dedicated containers for wheat apart at ports,” it added. India’s wheat exports are mainly to neighbouring countries with Bangladesh having the largest share of more than 54 per cent in both volume and value terms in 2020-21. It has entered new wheat markets such as Yemen, Afghanistan, Qatar and Indonesia. The top ten importing countries for Indian wheat in 2020-21 were Bangladesh, Nepal, United Arab Emirates, Sri Lanka, Yemen, Afghanistan, Qatar, Indonesia, Oman and Malaysia. “We are giving thrust on building infrastructure in the value chain for giving boosts to cereal exports in collaboration with the state governments and other stakeholders such as exporters, farmer producer organizations, transporters etc,” said M Angamuthu, Chairman, APEDA. India accounts for even less than 1 per cent in world wheat export. However, its share has increased from 0.14 per cent in 2016 to 0.54 per cent in 2020. India is the second largest producer of wheat with a share of around 14.14 per cent of world total production in 2020. India produces around 107.59 million tonnes of wheat annually while a major chunk of it goes towards domestic consumption.Major wheat growing states in India are Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar and Gujarat. “The unit price of wheat plays an important role in international trade. While the unit export price of wheat has increased for all countries in the last five years, India’s unit export price is slightly higher than that of other countries. This is one of the factors adversely impacting wheat exports from India,” it said. In order to ensure seamless quality certification of products to be exported, APEDA has recognized 220 labs across India to provide testing services for a wide range of products and exporters. [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] When Curtis Mangus of Premier Mortgage Resources in Meridian, Idaho looked into pivoting into reverse after serving decades in the traditional mortgage business, he asked his managing partner at the lender about its reverse mortgage department. The partner smiled. “You are the reverse mortgage department,” he said. Mangus then worked to build the dedicated reverse mortgage department at his new company from scratch and has found a notable degree of success by building Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) for Purchase (H4P) business through the use of continuing education (CE) classes designed for licensed real estate agents. The result is that H4P business has become a notable share of his total business. Since H4P volume is only a small fraction of the total business done in the reverse mortgage industry based on 2021 data, Mangus sat down with RMD to discuss his approach in successfully cultivating H4P business. 1% of the national HECM for Purchase total Understanding the reality of national H4P business is key to contextualizing the success Mangus has had in his own business, he explains for RMD. “Of the six million home purchases done in 2021 only about 2,200 of them were H4P,” he says. “The product is not even on the radar screen for [real estate] agents. I closed 28 H4P transactions last year, over 1% of the national total. My market share in this area continues to grow steadily even though on a national level it is stagnant or even declining.” Curtis Mangus Mangus began teaching CE classes designed for real estate agents around 2011, as the mortgage industry was still finding ways to fully recover from the 2008 financial crisis. Touching on the reverse mortgage topic in one of these classes proved to be a difference-maker for him, he says. “Over the years I ended up teaching classes on renovation loans, mortgage insurance, mortgage mechanics, etc.,” he says. “Then about six years ago, I taught a class on government loans and included a class section on reverse mortgages, and things have never been the same.” His reverse loan production accelerated when walking his referral partners through the intricacies of a reverse mortgage, but says that more specific interest was derived from discussions specifically about H4P. “When I started teaching this section on HECM for Purchase, I could not get the agents to talk about anything else,” he says. “I subsequently have developed two more CE classes that only deal with HECM loans. In the last six years, my HECM production has steadily grown.” In 2020, his personal loan production broke 100 units, and increased by an additional 25% in 2021, he says. 60% of his volume comes from traditional HECM loans, 20% came from HECM for Purchase, and the final 20% from HECM-to-HECM refinances, he says. The key difference in the acceleration of his business has been in offering the CE classes to referral partners, most specifically real estate agents. The power of CE classes for referral partners The idea of creating CE classes is not a new one, Mangus says, and it does not only work for one type of partner like real estate agents. “CPAs, attorneys and financial planners also need CE credits as well,” he says. “If you’re able to provide value in a CE class, I believe this strategy can work with most financial professionals [to increase reverse mortgage business]. Real estate agent CE classes are required in all states, but unfortunately there is not much uniformity between states.” Mangus has had CE classes approved in seven states, he says, and there is not much crossover in the content when comparing the variations offered in the different states, he explains. “If you’re a reverse mortgage professional interested in this marketing strategy check with a few of your agent friends, and the state real estate board on what it takes to be a CE instructor, and get a CE class approved,” he recommends. For anyone interested in putting such a plan into practice, Mangus has a series of “tips” that professionals can use to develop their own class offerings in their specific localities, particularly if H4P is a business segment sought for expansion. “The first tip is to teach the H4P section first since this will keep the agents engaged when they find out they can actually get a paycheck from the loan,” he says. “Be sure to keep the H4P section and the refinance section completely separate. Their heads will explode if you don’t.” Mangus also says that practicing delivery is key, describing that even having taught over 200 classes himself, different audiences will not react uniformly to the information. Practicing delivery will ensure clear and concise communication of detailed reverse mortgage information. Stories and anecdotes that help to contextualize the information also assist in comprehension by attendees, he explains. When telling those stories or anecdotes, anything directly related to H4P can provide a boost to both understanding and enthusiasm, he says. “One rhetorical question I use tends to sum it up: ‘who doesn’t want to buy a house for half, and then never make a payment?,” he says. Connecting a reverse mortgage to a retirement strategy Reverse mortgage professionals are all too familiar with the potential illustrative power of tying the product to a comprehensive retirement strategy, especially as retirement in America comes under further strain based on attributes like rising debt levels and dwindling retirement savings. Making a direct connection between reverse mortgage subject matter and the generally risk-averse nature of financial professionals can be helpful, Mangus says. “Tie the class into a retirement strategy. This is a lesson I learned the hard way,” he says. “Showing people how they can extract equity out of the house is not nearly as effective or impactful as tying the use of the product to a larger retirement strategy. Be sure to address the myths related to ‘not owning the home’ or ‘signing over the equity to the bank’ early on in the class.” Connecting with the professionals you teach

[ad_1] I was a college intern at a local investment firm when I first learned what a “stock market crash” was. It was 2001 and the market was already on the decline. After the tragic events of 9/11, the stock market continued to lose value. Here’s how the S&P 500 looked in 2001 (chart courtesy of Koyfin.com): Stock Market Crash of 2001 The chart above may show what the stock market crash “looked” like but I assure you it doesn’t capture what it felt like. The look of defeat on the financial advisors I was working with could not go unnoticed. For those that lived it you know the crash didn’t stop in 2001. It continued well into 2002 erasing millions of wealth in our country. I thought that was the stock market crash I would ever witness in my life. That was until 2008… New investors often think of stock market crashes as rare events when in fact, the opposite is true. The market experiences a crash every few years. While the COVID Crash of 2020 might have been a nightmare in its own right, it’s far from the worst crash ever. That one was so short-lived that you probably don’t even remember it happened. But since I experienced 2 stock market crashes fairly close to each other and recognizing it has been over 13+ years since anyone has experienced a really severe down market, I thought it would be a good idea to warn new investors. Especially for those that started investing with online apps or brokers that have only seen green when they check their accounts. To put the stock market crash factor into perspective, I’ve put together this list of the top 10 worst stock market crashes in history. As you’ll see, stock market crashes come in all shapes and sizes, and they’re even common throughout history. This list goes on the way back to 1907, which goes to show you how long crashes have been taking place. What is a Stock Market Crash? A stock market crash is a noticeably rapid decline in share prices. Stocks normally fluctuate, even within the same day. There could even be identifiable patterns, like the market rising on a few percentage points one week, then falling a few the next. It all balances out, and either the market continues to rise, or stays in a narrow trading pattern. We can think of a crash as being a disturbance in the normal pattern. Rather than repeating the cycle of short-term advances and declines, the market goes into a deep dive. There’s no specific definition of what a stock market crash is, and they’re often labeled well after the fact. But a stock market crash can be seen as an unusually large decline in the market, typically happening within a short time frame. The Different Causes of Stock Market Crashes Market crashes can come about because of extended gains, which can last over many years. These are sometimes referred to as bubbles, that can come crashing down when valuations get too high. A good example of this was the Dot-com Bust in 2000 (which only made #8 on this list). Losses in that crash were concentrated in technology stocks that reached levels that have nothing to do with their financial fundamentals. What happened afterward was totally predictable, even though it didn’t seem obvious at the time Other times, market crashes are caused by major events. Examples include the World War II Crash (#7 below) and the Crash of 2020 (#10). One was caused by a world war, and the other by a global pandemic. Like market bubbles, market crashes last until they peter out. That’s usually brought about by a combination of stock prices falling to more reasonable levels, and some combination of positive developments that reverse the negativity that caused or contributed to the crash. The upshot is that each crash sets up the next boom. For that reason, we should think of crashes as an opportunity to buy stocks at deep discounts. What’s the Difference Between a Stock Market Crash and a Bear Market? It can be difficult to establish the dividing line between a stock market crash and a bear market. This is mostly because the end result is the same – most investors lose money, and usually a lot of it. But the main factor separating the two is duration. Crashes tend to be short and sharp. For example, the market may lose 30% in just two or three months. Or in the case of the Crash of 1987 (#9), it may last only a few weeks. There have been crashes that lasted only a few days. These are what are often referred to as flash crashes. Bear markets, on the other hand, tend to last longer. Generally, they’ll go at least one year, but can often run for two or three. Some bear markets, like the Crash of 1929, lasted for several years, and include a series of crashes. This gray zone between stock market crashes and bear markets also explains why there are different lists on what makeup the biggest crashes in history. Top 10 WORST Stock Market Crashes in History Our list of the top 10 worst stock market crashes in history takes in every identifiable crash since 1900. In most cases, I’ve used the Dow Jones Industrial Average to determine the percentage decline and duration of each crash. That’s because it was the primary measure of the stock market, at least until the 1970s, when the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ started becoming more standard measures. Here are the top 10 stock market crashes in history: 1. September 3, 1929 to July 8, 1932 Percentage Decline: 89.2% Duration: 34 months Without a doubt, this crash is the worst in stock market history. It was the first of a series of crashes that occurred during the 1930s and early 1940s, during the time commonly referred to as the Great Depression. What made the

[ad_1] The post Sustainable Investing: Profit While Protecting the Earth appeared first on Millennial Money. There’s an unfair assumption that all corporations put profits first and couldn’t care less about our fragile environment. But like many assumptions, that’s not true. In fact, there are a lot of companies focusing on sustainable practices to protect the Earth. And you can invest in them to both lend your support and make some potential profits along the way. In this guide to sustainable investing, we’ll explore how you can make money from doing good for the planet. Table of contents What Is Investing in Sustainability? Sustainability Isn’t a New Concept Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Sustainable Investing vs. Socially Responsible Investing (SRI Sustainability and socially responsible investing aren’t exactly interchangeable Other terms for sustainability How to Invest in Sustainability Disadvantages of sustainable investing Standardization and lack of information  Research and due diligence Alternative Ways to Invest in Sustainability Building a Sustainable Lifestyle What Is Investing in Sustainability? Dictionary.com defines sustainability as “the quality of not being harmful to the environment or depleting natural resources, and thereby supporting long-term ecological balance.” You will often see companies in the agricultural and retail industries talking about sustainability.  Investing in sustainability means investing in companies that take sustainability seriously. Sustainability Isn’t a New Concept The EPA’s discussion of the importance of sustainability started with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. It was one of the first laws that focused on protecting future resources and considering the social, economic, and environmental impacts of business practices. Decades later, concerns about climate change and environmental damage are still being discussed and researched for future generations.  Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Us older millennials and prior generations might remember the EPA’s Reduce, Reuse, Recycle campaign. This simple alliteration got us thinking about sustainability and how small, simple actions can have a large impact.  In addition to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, the EPA’s site has several other resources for greener living. Topics include Living Sustainably, Being Green on the Road, Throw Away Less, Choosing Greener Products & More.  Learn More: Decluttr Review 2022 7 Easy Ways To Make Money Recycling Best Selling Apps for 2022 | Sell Your Stuff Online or Locally Sustainable Investing vs. Socially Responsible Investing (SRI When researching sustainability and social responsibility in investing, many common terms will seem interchangeable. One term I have been seeing often is ESG, which stands for “Environmental, Societal, and Governance” factors. ESG, socially responsible investing, and sustainability all seem to be intertwined. Sustainability and socially responsible investing aren’t exactly interchangeable Although these types of investing terms seem to be interchangeable, there are some subtle differences. Sustainability is a subset or part of socially responsible investing corporate social responsibility. By definition, sustainability focuses primarily on the environmental factor. Socially responsible investing as a whole is the “big picture.” Sustainability is in the details.  However, when sustainability was one of the top buzzwords in my MBA program, it referred to the likelihood of a company being able to take action for the long term. Is this variable sustainable over time? Sustainability is often synonymous with long-term impact.  Other terms for sustainability The Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment is a great resource to learn more about investing in sustainability. Other terms that describe sustainability are ethical, community, or impact investing. You may also see green, mission-related, or socially responsible investing.  How to Invest in Sustainability You can start with an SRI investment strategy. Betterment has created three portfolios of low-cost exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that focus on SRI practices. Along with Social Impact and Broad Impact portfolios, Betterment offers a Climate Impact portfolio that supports companies working to mitigate climate change. Morningstar has created its own sustainability rating. FinancialMechanic.com has broken it down: Morningstar deducts points from a corporation’s sustainability rating if there are ESG problems, lawsuits, or other issues. This is one option for finding sustainable funds.  Partnersinfire.com mentions two other sources for sustainability reporting: MSCI ESG ratings and Sustainalytics ESG Ratings. Although different agencies have different standards, you can research them and see which most align with your values.  If you want to  make an even more positive impact with your investing, partnersinfire.com also mentions mentions an impact-investment reporting process that is even more thorough than sustainability reporting. Betterment Varies Betterment can help grow your money by making saving and investing easy. Invest in a tailored portfolio, set buckets for your goals, and earn rewards. Get Started Disadvantages of sustainable investing There are disadvantages to a responsible investing strategy using ESG issues, sustainability, or social responsibility.  Standardization and lack of information  One issue with sustainable investing is financial return. Data shows that there isn’t a strong argument that sustainable investing, or socially responsible investing at the higher level, outperforms other investments.  A big issue is a lack of information. ESG scorecards, sustainability reports, and other SRI data don’t have a standard governing body or data-reporting tools. This also causes a lack of transparency in what companies could be in the different sustainable funds.  Research and due diligence Another disadvantage to sustainable investing is research and due diligence. This may be a disadvantage only to passive investors. For those who want a “set it and forget it” investment strategy, sustainability may require further research. Because of the lack of standards and transparency, further research is required to make sure you are investing according to your values and the impact you wish to make.  Alternative Ways to Invest in Sustainability You don’t have to directly invest in sustainability through mutual funds. There are other ways to invest directly. Invest in companies that you value by purchasing their goods and services or stocks. Recommend your favorite companies to others and mention that you love their products and that the company believes in corporate responsibility as well. Show others how the company makes an impact on their communities.  Learn More: Renewable Energy Stocks: 11 Green Energy Companies With Massive Upside Potential 7 Best Climate Change Stocks to Buy Right Now 5 Top