U.K. financial-services companies are more pessimistic than at any time in the past year on the outlook for business growth, according to the Confederation of British Industry.
The CBI said that while activity in the financial services sector, which had rallied during the third quarter of last year, continued to grow during the final three months of 2009, businesses in the industry expect the recovery to be curtailed early in 2010.
The number of financial-services companies expecting a reduction in business volumes in the first quarter was 13 percent more than those anticipating a rise, the CBI said.
That’s the worst balance since December 2008 when the global economy was reeling following the collapse of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc., according to the statement.
Kiplinger magazine’s February 2010 issue published the annual ranking of the 100 Best Value public colleges and universities.
Given the weak economic landscape and the steep cost of tuition at private universities, paying for a high-quality education can be a greater economic burden than ever before.
To determine its rankings, Kiplinger’s evaluated academic quality and weighed it against the cost of attendance and financial aid. Because the study focused on value, the methodology emphasized academic quality indicators — including admission rates, SAT and ACT scores, student-to-faculty ratios and graduation rates — which were accorded twice the weight of affordability.
To assess cost, Kiplinger’s considered the total cost of attendance, the total cost after financial aid, the average percent of financial need met with aid and the average amount of student debt at graduation.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill topped the list, follwed by University of Florida and Virginia.
According to a survey by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and BIGresearch, the number of U.S. shoppers using credit cards this holiday season is expected to decline 10.1 percent this year, making up 28.3 percent of shoppers versus 31.5 percent a year earlier,
With continuing economic trouble, it’s no surprise that fewer people will be relying on credit cards this year.
Another 42.5% of holiday shoppers plan to use primarily debit or check cards, a 2.5% increase from last year, the survey found.
Credit card usage, meanwhile, is expected to fall by 10.1% to 28.3%.
