Writing a startup business plan that works is not as hard as it may seem at first. You may hear dire statistics about the low rate of business plan acceptance by investors and lenders, but you must keep in mind that many fail to achieve funding because of entirely avoidable mistakes.These are a couple of the common mistakes that can cause a business plan to miss out on funding:Sections Fail to Fulfill Their PurposeEvery section of a business plan...more
Christmas is the holiday for giving gifts to the ones you love and care for, eating delicious meals and generally sharing your time with friends and family. But before all that joy and happiness, comes the preparation which for some people can be far from the most enjoyable of occasions. Navigating the Christmas rush through shopping centre car parks can be one of the most stressful experiences of the season, but rest assured, here are some...more
The PP market started the first week of 2010 in China and SE Asia with considerable price hikes from suppliers, which has led to a larger disparity between the prevailing import offers in the Mediterranean markets and the new spot prices in Asia as per Chemorbis. Steadily rising feedstock costs, along with supply concerns for propylene resulting from problems in the upstream chain caused higher import offers to Asia this week. The bullish run of crude oil prices, on the rise since H2-December, reaching above the $80/barrel psychological threshold, was also a significant driver behind the strong upward trend as it fuelled bullish speculations in the Chinese market, leading players to purchase this week. In China, a global producer announced a price hike of US$70/ton on their January homo-PP offers this week, bringing their new price for Middle Eastern origin to US$1280/ton CFR China, cash. The producer cited limited allocations and the bullish domestic market, which rose by US$20-75/ton this week also due to higher inflation expectations and delivery disruptions from snow storms. Another Middle Eastern supplier issued a larger increase of US$100/ton on their homo-PP offers for later...more
Rising base metals prices have come as a ampener for several companies like automobile and durable manufacturers. Even as India is set to witness a boom in auto market, the competitive pricing may be hit by the rise in prices of aluminium and copper prices.Aluminium futures in Shanghai climbed to 17,555 yuan a tonne, their highest level since...more
Now that the Italian market is gradually coming back from the long year-end holidays, a couple of major European producers have started to reveal their January prices to Italy with large price hikes although they have all agreed that the market activity has not been resumed yet. This is because buyers have extended their shutdowns, combining their...more
According to a report from the Mysteel consultancy in Shanghai, China is expected to increase steel supply by 8.6% in 2010 to 621.5 million tones. Xinhua news agency said that despite an expected increase in domestic prices caused by increased costs of iron ore, coking coal and other steelmaking ingredients.The need for more steel stems from the multi billion dollar, multi year economic stimulus package that has boosted production of such steel bearing products as agricultural machinery and equipment, infrastructure construction materials, environmental protection equipment, motor vehicles and emission-reduction equipment. Since the construction of these key projects usually lasts for three years and longer.Xinhua said that expanded consumption for such raw materials as steel will continue in 2010 and 2011.Meanwhile, the Chinese central government has forecast that China's economy as measured by gross domestic product will grow by between 8% and 10% in 2010. Some private economists put the figure even higher, at more than 10% since Mr Li Yizhong, minister of the China Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has announced fixed-asset investment growth of 22% this year.The...more
While the opportunity to start a new business venture may be exciting to most there is a great deal of work that is involved in pursuing this venture and that may be overwhelming to many. Many new business owners feel they have no choice but to do it...more
As the small business industry grows in popularity many of these business owners are starting to run into the issues related to small business limitations. These limitations vary from venue to venue but can prove to be difficult obstacles for any...more
In the recent economy many small businesses have found some great success in the various marketplaces. When a small business achieves this success they have the opportunity to begin expansion of their company though many owners have reservations...more
The power behind the small businesses has grown in the last decade as a result of the various events occurring in the business world. The weakening economy has lead many of the major businesses to pursue the option of outsourcing their labor and...more
According to industry estimates, the number of SMEs listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) has plunged by around 11% over last 5 years. Currently, the number of scrips listed on the exchange stand at 7,887, of which 2,814 are of small and...more
confidence, particularly among SMEs in India, which dropped sharply during the recessionary period, is now rising back again. Signs of global economic improvement have boosted positive sentiment among small businesses not only in India but also...more