Business Directory

Top 10 Businesses Of The Future (2020-2030)

2022-03-30T07:52:00.001-07:00

Top 10 Businesses Of The Future (2020-2030)

Electrical Re-charging Station

Welcome to 2030. You are looking down the window thinking about the good old time of ICEs (Internal combustion engine) cars. Those petrol/gas refilling stations you used to know have given way to electricity re-charging stations. Your auto-mobile business friend that deals in traditional cars is out of business. And so is the auto-repair shop down the street. An electric car with “power of tesla” imprinted on it stops by the street corner’s electricity dispenser to get a refill. Instantly, that profit-oriented side of you kicks the other fear-driven side. Now you can perceive the hard cold cash that could be rolling into the bank for you if you started your own electrical recharging station. Your brain is ignited and dispensing several questions on autopilot into your mind. How do you get started? How much capital do you need to kick-start? What’s the pricing regulation like?

At the speed of technological advancement, the time of electric cars is already in some developed countries. And soon enough petrol pumps and fossil energy will not be spoken of never again. So you see a future of liquidation for petrol station owners and I see a new goldmine most especially for the early starters of electrical recharging stations

Taxi Dispatching

Still 2030. You are down the stairs and a phone conversation takes your attention. The caller hangs up then shortly a Lambo parks next to them. They went in and off. You ask yourself what just happened. Wake up man, it is 2030 which means it may be over with the old traditional courier services. This is the era of taxi dispatching and it is here already. Uber is proof.

As of now, there are about 20 taxi dispatch software of which TaxiMobility is trusted by 1000 companies. But what is taxi dispatching and what is a taxi dispatching software? I hear you ask. Well, a taxi dispatching service provider links just any licensed driver with passengers. The business is all about allocating driving jobs to readily available drivers. But how do dispatching service providers get in touch with these drivers? That’s where the need for a taxi dispatch app/software kicks in. These apps connect dispatchers with passengers, let dispatchers assist drivers with directions to the location of pickups. And you know what this means? You may either create your own taxi dispatch software and sell a solution to taxi dispatch businesses or maybe hold a taxi dispatch business yourself. Meanwhile, you may do just both. All in all, taxi dispatch may be the easiest to start and the least capital intensive business idea of the nearest future.

Drone Delivery

Seen people taking tropical pictures with the help of flying drones? AI (artificial intelligence) is already touching our lives in every direction. And soon we will be a lot more connected to it than we are today. Today, drones are developed for several purposes. While some are grenade droppers and spying devices in the military, others are being used in tunnels and mines to see ahead. But you know what? Big e-commerce companies like Amazon have intelligently found an out-of-the-box application for our new drone friends. The new Prime Air drone of Amazon is capable of delivering a 2.7kg package over a long distance of 15 miles in just 30 minutes. And in months from now, Amazon will be delivering by drones alone.

Imagine what the future holds for the present commercial delivery service business owners using buses and vans. Many will fall out of business, few will adapt to the coming change, and many startups will evolve. This is a message to you as a delivery service business holder and as well an eye-opener into a promising opportunity.

Home Sharing

The hotel rooms are reeking in cobwebs. The once clinking sounds of bottles are instead the chirping of crickets. What’s evolving as a replacement for the fallout of hotels with the business world? And why does your friend’s condo appear on Craiglist now and then?

Brian Chesky, Joe Gebbia, and Nathan Blecharczyk cofounded Airbnb the first-ever home-sharing brand late 2008 in the streets of San Francisco. And just today, not only does Airbnb claim a $31 billion networth to its name but has opened the doors to this new billion dollars idea to the like of Book Holdings and VRBO of Expedia. Does this mean that people are getting much inclined to home-sharing than they are to hotels? The answer is yes. In 2015 alone, Airbnb home-sharing site recorded a monthly visit of 94.9 million. Why? Home-sharing beats hotels to the dust with offers such as; a larger accommodation, wide range of amenities, cost-effective, longer stay, convenience, and a generational appeal. And that’s why your friend’s condo unit is on listing for house-sharing. If you own a hotel, it’s time for a tabula rasa.

Solar Power Business

The removal of utility poles has brought about an increment in space for social development. Meanwhile, dams are getting transformed into photovoltaic power stations. Here comes Alexandre Edmond’s prophesy.

Are you aware of the new fashion hats with solar panels in them? These hats allow you to keep your devices, your phones most especially, powered on the go. You wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve seen one or two solar-powered cars from Volvo, Toyota, or and Honda. Not only is the world shifting away from burning fuels as a way to escape global warming but the cost of electrical power is pretty high compared to the solar system. Not only do we see an end to electricity power holding companies but a new dawn of solar business which is in fact here already. So if you are asking what business will grow in the future, solar power business is one.

Passenger Drone Business

Seen the movie Men in Black or Colin Farrell’s Total recall earlier? Yes? Then you’ve seen those flying drone vehicles with passengers in them. Well, the first-ever drone limo service had been started in 2017 with Ehang 184 the one passenger drone. Ehang 184 travels at the speed of 100 miles per hour and it was made by Chinese popular drone engineering corporation Beijing Yi-Hung.

While this may write an ending line to the history of planes and land transportation especially, many drone transportation service brands will come to the limelight. So whatever your business plan maybe today for the future, this is yet another future business staring at you.

Nano Technology and Watson health business

In 20 years, life span will increase with the ultimate power of nanotechnology. Nanotechnology is simply a branch of technology that deals with small dimensional systems with large inputs. Some of the innovations of nanotechnology today include tiny robots of less than 100 nanometers that can be injected into the body system to cure even the most chronic diseases.

If you are seeing an end to traditional medical services already by this then the Watson of IBM will amaze you. A hyper-intelligent supercomputer that has the most accurate answer to just anything. With these two powers available decentralized, chances are techy individuals with a good knowledge of AI will be the leading-edge of the medical sector. Therefore, it’s definitely a race of who is most techy than of who has the highest degree certificate in the medical field.

Consultancy

Technology and its advent are pushing forward rapidly. Every sector and every business are obviously getting affected in score ways. The most obvious is the recent massive attention paid to internet/online marketing. Every businesses today must have an online presence and that’s the new good rule of thumb. How then are businesses finding adding flexibility to their rigid working traditions and ethics?

Consultancy is the answer. Consultants are professional advisors to business holders in the law sector, human resources, finance, healthcare, and more. Consultants also serve as startup assistants. And due to the continued technological advancement, the need for consultants is ever increasing. Isn’t it about that time you hone in your consultancy skill and maybe kick-start a consultancy business? Here are the top profitable consulting business ideas to look into.

Robotic Rentals and Repairs

There are already robots vested with several industrial and manufacturing responsibilities. In China today, there are robots used in schools, in the military, healthcare, and in many industrial automation companies as well. Sooner or later there will be no such thing as human labor force with the likes of Kengoro, the Japanese most advanced robot that has just all the capabilities of a human.

But no matter the efficiency, speed, and accuracy of these newly found tech companions, there’s always someone needed to take care of them when they fault out. Therefore, I welcome you to the future industry of robotic repairs. A future industry with good promises for robotics engineers. And are there some more future business opportunities coming from this end. Of course yes. There will be robotic rentals, robotic outlets, and even more businesses coming from the emergent of robots in great scores.

3D Printing and Data Crunching

3D printing is taking over the recycling of things soon. Need a pair of those sunglasses? Print it. Need your own personal sneakers? Print it. The only downside is printers are way expensive as at now. But as long as technology keeps advancing and more 3D printers are being developed, the cost will ease.

On the other side, as the need to take businesses digital is on the high, consumers’ data are an essential resource. Which means there is a need for data crunching specialists. The question now is, would you learn data crunching and start your own data crunching brand now? Would you become a 3D printer operator right from now?

2022 to 2032

Times are a’changing. What may have been a great business idea last decade may not necessarily be one of the best businesses to start in 2022.

Ten years ago many of the hottest new business ideas for 2022 may not have even existed! The growing influence of the Millennial generation is starting to impact which will be the top industries of the next decade. Furthermore, Gen Z are growing up and reaching a point of having more significant spending power.

The key for business success in the next decade is to cater to the wants and whims of these two powerful generations: Millennials and Gen Zers.

Micro-mobility services

Millennials are 21% more likely than Gen Xers to purchase homes in city centers. This growing trend towards urban living has birthed one of the most popular transportation options today – electric scooters.

Even if you can’t (understandably) afford to compete with the likes of Bird and Lime, don’t be discouraged. You don’t have to have your own line of electric scooters to get into the micro-mobility industry! Think of the bigger picture – accessories, branding of scooters, and scooter services.

If you have a knack for enterprising you could offer a full service solution including recovery and collection of scooters, charging them, maintaining them, and redeploying them to prime locations during the course of the day. If you’re willing to work at unusual times of the day, have basic handyman skills, and prefer not to sit in an office all day, this could be one of the best business ideas for 2022 for you.

Food truck

The foodie trend for this decade is fast, casual, healthy food. Almost 40% of Millennials (CB Insights) eat takeout food and, in line with their fit lifestyles, generally prefer healthy options.

A food truck with healthy menu options gives Millennials the convenience, ambience and nutrition they crave. You could even cater to a niche market by offering, for example, vegan food or specialty dishes. If you decide you want to grow your business, you could always apply for a commercial Loan from Bank

Fitness center

Gone are the days of the gym chains dominating the fitness industry, so us little guys have a chance of starting a fitness business in 2021. Millennials have proven to prefer boutique fitness studios over large, impersonal gyms – and aren’t afraid to spend money for such a sense of community and personalization. According to a CB Insights study, 76% of Millennials exercise at least once a week, and collectively spend almost $7 billion per year on gym memberships (Gen Xers and Baby Boomers spend half of that).

You can start out small, offering classes in your area of expertise such as yoga, boxing, pilates or more.

Pet portal

Millennials see their pets as their ‘starter kids’ and expect to spend more on their dog over its lifetime than they would on their own medical care. Tapping into the pet market is a potential goldmine for the next decade.

It’s also the perfect way to combine an online business with traditional services. You could source pet products and sell them online, or you could serve as an affiliate for pet product sellers. But aside from the retail element, you could offer a full pet services solution including dog walking, pet sitting, grooming, and even doggy daycare. You could expand your business by creating a portal matching dog sitters or walkers with pet owners.

Freelancing

You can join the gig economy and start a freelance business in 2021 based on your area of expertise. If you don’t specialize in any one thing, such as graphic design or social media, you can always start a Virtual Assistant business which often just requires basic admin and organizational skills. Freelancing requires very little startup costs and you can do it from the comfort of your own home.

Educational courses: Got knowledge to share? Write it down, or even better yet, create a podcast. Here are some key tips for launching

Research your target market
Make your course interactive including checklists
Use text, video, audio and imagery
Decide on a format, for example PDF, PowerPoint and SCORM
Choose the right e-Learning platform
Create a website and/or landing page
Promote using content, SEO and social media best practices

The richest investors in shipping are buying gasoline tankers

2012-03-22T07:50:00.000-07:00

The richest investors in shipping are buying gasoline tankers, anticipating that fuel demand will expand faster than the fleet for the first time in nine years.

Global shipments will jump 4.3 percent in 2012 as vessel capacity gains 3.7 percent, according to London-based Clarkson Plc (CKN), the world’s largest shipbroker. Daily rates for Medium- Range tankers, each hauling enough fuel to fill about 780,000 cars, will rise 19 percent to an average of $14,844 this year, the median of 10 analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg shows. That’s more than the $10,999 anticipated in forward freight agreements, traded by brokers and used to bet on future rates.

While demand for seaborne gasoline, diesel and other products is expanding to a record, it still won’t be enough to eliminate the glut of ships.

Product tankers are traveling farther because new refinery capacity is being built in Asia, increasing ship owners’ returns from each cargo.

John Fredriksen, whose publicly traded assets are valued at $9.27 billion, ordered as many as 10 of the tankers last month.Wilbur Ross, whose company manages about $10 billion of assets, was part of a group buying 30 vessels in September. Global refineries are shifting to India and China from Europe and the U.S., increasing delivery distances and tying up vessels for longer, effectively boosting demand for shipping.

“This is smart money that has historically done well investing at the right time of the cycle,” said Jonathan Chappell, an analyst at Evercore Partners Inc. in New York whose recommendations on the shares of shipping companies returned 9.8 percent in the past three months. “Those purchases by Ross and John Fredriksen confirm that the fundamentals appear most attractive for product tankers.”

Crude Carriers

MR tanker rates averaged $12,500 last year, 29 percent more than in 2010, according to Credit Suisse Group AG.

That’s different from most of the rest of the shipping industry. Earnings for very large crude carriers, about eight times bigger than MRs, averaged $22,137 in 2011, down from $42,616 in 2010, Clarkson data show. Capesizes, the biggest coal carriers, got an average of $15,639, compared with $33,298 a year earlier, according to the London-based Baltic Exchange, which publishes costs along more than 50 maritime routes.

Fredriksen, 67, ordered six MR tankers valued at $210 million last month from Changwon, South Korea-based STX Offshore & Shipbuilding Co. and took an option for four more. Ross invested about $300 million in Diamond S Shipping of Greenwich, Connecticut, which bought vessels from Cido Tanker Holding Co. It was the 74-year-old’s first investment in shipping.

U.S. seaborne imports of refined products will rise about 9 percent to 2 million barrels a day this year, helping to compensate for projected declines across Europe, led by a 5 percent drop inGermany, according to Clarkson. China will become a net exporter by 2015 and India, which already sells more than it buys, will be refining 70 percent more oil products by 2016, the shipbroker estimates.

Seaborne Gasoline

The U.S. exported 60,385 barrels a day more refined products than it imported in 2011, the first net sales since at least 2001, Energy Department data show. Five years earlier, net imports averaged 2.3 million barrels a day.

While demand for seaborne gasoline, diesel and other products is expanding to a record, it still won’t be enough to eliminate the glut of ships. Cargoes of refined products that will reach 99.9 million deadweight tons will be met with vessel supply of 114.2 million, Clarkson’s forecasts show. Deadweight tonnage is a measure of carrying capacity, and the estimates include all types of product tankers.

Shipping companies will still lose money. Scorpio (STNG) Tankers Inc., the owner of 12 products vessels, will narrow its net loss to $13.6 million this year from $82.7 million in 2011, the mean of four analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg shows.

Torm A/S (TORM), the largest publicly traded owner of the vessels, will report a loss of $166 million, down from $453 million, seven predictions show. Shares of the Hellerup, Denmark-based company, on track to fall for a sixth year in 2012, will plunge 73 percent to 0.81 krone in the next 12 months, according to the average of five estimates. Torm deferred debt repayments four times since December.

Automobile Association

Rising gasoline prices may curb consumption. The pump price of regular gasoline in the U.S. rose to $3.767 a gallon on March 4, compared with $3.206 on Dec. 20, data from the American Automobile Association show. A liter (0.26 gallon) of gasoline averaged about 1.61 euros ($2.13) across the 27-nation European Union last week, from 1.48 euros in the first week of December, according to data from the European Commission.

Oil prices are rising because of mounting international tension over Iran, which the U.S. and EU say is developing nuclear weapons. Sanctions on Iranian crude are curbing trade with the second-biggest member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, and the nation has threatened to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf, the transit point for about 20 percent of the world’s crude.

East Coast

The narrowing surplus capacity in product tankers compares with growing gluts elsewhere. The VLCC fleet will expand 6.3 percent this year as demand swells by 3.2 percent, Clarkson estimates. The combined fleet of carriers hauling coal, iron ore and grain will gain 13 percent as the number of cargoes advances 4 percent.

Product tankers are traveling farther because new refinery capacity is being built in Asia, increasing ship owners’ returns from each cargo. European and U.S. East Coast refineries are scheduled to cut about 12 percent of their output by the middle of the year, data compiled by Bloomberg show. They are losing money because they use crude oil priced off Brent, currently trading at a 16 percent premium to the West Texas Intermediate benchmark used by Midwest and Gulf Coast refineries.

India is the largest Asian supplier of refined products to the U.S., and monthly deliveries rose 26 percent to a record 1.9 million barrels last year, Department of Energy data show. India is more than twice as far from New York as Rotterdam.

Scorpio Stock

While Monaco-based Scorpio is expected to report a loss this year, its shares will advance 24 percent to $7.92 in the next 12 months, the average of six analyst estimates shows. Seven of eight analysts covering the company and tracked by Bloomberg recommend buying the shares.

“The two points on the graph are crossing,” said Charles Mantell, the analyst in London who compiles Clarkson’s product- tanker forecasts. “It’s a combination of change in supply and change in demand. Growth in Asia and America will tip into positive. It’s far better than the crude market.”

Italian growth data confirms nation in recession

2012-03-22T07:45:00.000-07:00

Italian growth data confirms nation in recession:

Italy's economy contracted 0.7 percent in the fourth quarter from the third, definitive data showed on Monday, confirming the country is in a recession expected to last for much of the year.

National statistics office ISTAT said gross domestic product was down 0.4 percent year-on-year, slightly revising a preliminary estimate of -0.5 pct.

Domestic demand slumped, investments and inventories declined while net exports contributed positively.

Third quarter growth was confirmed at -0.2 percent q/q, but revised to +0.4 percent y/y from a previous estimate of +0.3 percent.

The two consecutive quarters of decline in GDP constitute analysts' technical definition of a recession.

The figures underscore the difficulties facing Mario Monti's technocrat government as it grapples with a shrinking economy dragged down by austerity measures and a debt crisis.

Italian data lagged a euro zone average of -0.3 percent q/q and +0.7 percent y/y. Economic indicators are pointing to a further slowdown for most of 2012 in Italy, which has been the most sluggish economy in the euro zone over the last decade.

The Bank of Italy forecasts a 1.5 percent full-year contraction this year, far steeper than the government's official projection of -0.4 percent.

Over the whole of 2011, Italian GDP rose a work-day adjusted 0.5 percent, compared to a 1.8 percent rise in 2010.

German exports post steepest drop in nearly 3 years

2012-02-16T07:43:00.000-08:00

German exports post steepest drop in nearly 3 years

German exports posted their steepest fall in nearly three years in December, data showed on Wednesday in a sign Europe's largest economy is weakening in the wake of the euro zone debt crisis.

Data from the Federal Statistics Office showed seasonally-adjusted exports fell 4.3 percent, the steepest decline since the height of the financial crisis in January 2009. The median forecast in a Reuters poll was for a drop of just 1.0 percent.

The trade surplus narrowed to 13.9 billion euros from a revised 14.9 billion euros the month prior. That compared with a consensus forecast for a dip to 14.0 billion euros in a Reuters poll of economists.

Imports fell unexpectedly, by 3.9 percent. They had been forecast to rise 0.6 percent.

Moody's warns UK, France, Austria over AAA rating; cuts others

2012-02-16T07:40:00.000-08:00

Moodys warns UK, France, Austria, Italy, Spain and Portugal

over

AAA rating; cuts others

Rating agency Moody's warned on Monday it may cut the triple-A ratings of France, the United Kingdom and Austria, and it downgraded six other European nations including Italy, Spain and Portugal, citing growing risks from Europe's debt crisis.

Moving less aggressively than rival agency Standard & Poor’s last month but putting the United Kingdom’s rating in jeopardy for the first time, Moody’s said it was worried about Europe's ability to undertake the kind of reforms needed to address the crisis and the amount of funds available to fight it.

It also said the region's weak economy could undermine austerity drives by governments to fix their finances.

The U.S. rating agency said it changed the outlooks for the ratings of France, the UK and Austria to negative due to "a number of specific credit pressures that would exacerbate the susceptibility of these sovereigns' balance sheets."

Germany's top-tier rating was described as "appropriate" by Moody's And it affirmed the triple-A rating on the euro zone's bailout fund, the European Financial Stability Fund.

Moody's, which said late last year it was reconsidering its European ratings, cut by one notch the ratings of Italy, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Malta and downgraded Spain by two notches.

Moody's said the scope of the downgrades was limited due to "the European authorities' commitment to preserving the monetary union and implementing whatever reforms are needed to restore market confidence."

The announcement came a day after Greece's parliament approved a deep new round of budget cuts in the hope of securing new bailout funds and avoiding a chaotic default in March.

The rating outlooks of the nine countries affected by Moody's action was set to negative, "given the continuing uncertainty over financing conditions over the next few quarters and its corresponding impact on creditworthiness," Moody's said.

BRITAIN, FRANCE UNDER PRESSURE

Britain's finance minister responded by saying the country must keep its promise to slash its large budget deficit.

"This is proof that, in the current global situation, Britain cannot waver from dealing with its debts," finance minister George Osborne said. "This is a reality check for anyone who thinks Britain can duck confronting its debts."

The government in Britain has come under increasing pressure to soften its austerity measures to give a stalling economy room to breathe.

The French government said it will press ahead with its policies to improve competitiveness and growth while reducing the government deficit.

"The government is determined to press ahead with its actions to boost growth and competitiveness, notably the reform of the financing of welfare, of employment and the reduction of public deficits," Finance Minister Francois Baroin said in a statement.

Moody's move on Monday follows one by Standard & Poor's last month, when France and Austria lost their triple-A status, while Italy, Spain, Portugal, Cyprus, Malta, Slovakia and Slovenia were downgraded. S&P also cut the EFSF by one notch.

Also in January, rating agency Fitch downgraded the sovereign credit ratings of Belgium, Cyprus, Italy, Slovenia and Spain, indicating there was a 1-in-2 chance of further cuts in the next two years.

Germany loses patience with Greece

2012-02-16T07:35:00.001-08:00

Germany loses patience with Greece

Germany is running out of patience with throwing money into the "bottomless pit" of Greece's debt crisis and any lingering sympathy in Berlin is being undermined by anti-German slogans on the lips of politicians and austerity protesters in Athens.
    While officially hailing the Greek parliament's approval of the savings package required for a new 130 billion-euro bailout, Berlin signalled this would not automatically mean more aid, as the feeling grew that Greece should not be saved at any cost.
    With Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble warning "Greek promises aren't enough for us anymore" and Economy Minister Philipp Roesler saying "fear of Day X (a Greek euro exit)" is fading, Germany seems to have tired of issuing threats that it would never follow through.
    "Berlin threatens Greeks with end to aid," read the front page of the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper, while Die Welt wrote: "Schaeuble warns Greeks: no savings, no money."
    The sight of Greek anti-austerity protesters and politicians blaming Chancellor Angela Merkel for their plight provoked anger in the patriotic pages of Germany's best-selling daily, Bild.
    Greeks and other European recipients of aid to which Germany is the biggest single contributor "should put flowers outside our embassies and send the chancellor thank-you notes".
    "Instead the demonstrators insult their German helpers and liken our government to Nazis, which is intolerable," it said.
    Officially, Merkel's government remains committed to enabling another aid package for Greece and doing what it can to avoid the first sovereign default in the euro zone.
    "The chancellor knows her place in history is tied to Greece and she won't want to be remembered as the one responsible for a default," said a conservative lawmaker, asking not to be named.
    But the MP said the Greek parliament's approval of the unpopular savings plan, including a 22 percent cut in the minimum wage, did not arouse much interest in Berlin "because nobody really believes any more that Greece will deliver".
    'NOT THE END OF THE WORLD'
    While Merkel's own Christian Democrats (CDU) remain largely on message with the chancellor and European Commission on the need to keep Greece in the euro, more eurosceptic allies from the Christian Social Union (CSU) and Roesler's Free Democrats (FDP) are taking a more aggressive line with the Greeks.
    "There can be no more concessions. Now only deeds count," said the FDP Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle while CSU leader Horst Seehofer spoke of German referendums on future bailouts - something Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert ruled out.
    Hans Michelbach, an MP on the budget committee in the Bundestag (lower house) which exerts some control over the bailout payments, said Athens should not be under any illusion that its parliament's vote meant the release of fresh aid would be automatic.
    "Even the best agreements are no use without an efficient administration. Unfortunately so far we don't get the impression that the governments in Athens have really made a serious commitment," said Michelbach, a CSU deputy.
    Schaeuble reinforced this impression by telling lawmakers last Friday that even the latest Greek savings plan would not put the country on track to cut public debt to 120 percent of gross domestic product by 2020 - its chief condition for aid.
    Such dogged insistence on strict terms for aid is one of the reasons Merkel has kept a lid on growing scepticism in Germany about how deserving Athens is of such largesse. In one recent opinion poll, two thirds of Germans surveyed said they doubted Greece's determination to make savings.
    For Erik Nielsen, global chief economist for Unicredit, an Italian bank, the chancellor's unmatched success in preventing the rise of a major eurosceptic backlash is down to her heeding the "German public's sensitivities to lending their tax money to a country that does not implement very many of its promises".
    But with her finance minister talking of Greek aid as "a bottomless pit" and growing incredulity about Athens meeting such conditions, Merkel must be worried about the Bundestag's special session on the second Greek bailout due on Feb. 27.
    Merkel narrowly avoided disaster - for the euro and her own political fortunes - in September's vote in the Bundestag on the current bailout mechanism (the European Financial Stability Mechanism). She cannot afford more lawmakers to start thinking like CDU MP Christian von Stetten, who told one paper: "A Greek exit from the euro zone would not be the end of the world."

Spain sees solid demand for 3 medium-term bonds

2012-02-16T07:33:00.000-08:00

Spain sees solid demand for 3 medium-term bonds

Spain saw solid demand for 3 medium-term bonds on Thursday, selling 4.1 billion euros ($5.4 billion) of the paper, just above the targeted range, but with some pressure on yields as support from cheap cash from the European Central Bank waned.

Investors may have also been pushing for a premium as talks on the second Greek bailout faltered.

Spain sold 2.3 billion euros of a bond maturing July. 30, 2015 at an average yield of 3.322 percent compared to 2.861 percent paid at the last primary auction on Feb. 2.

The bond was 2.2 times subscribed, compared to 1.6 times earlier in the month.

The Treasury shifted 733 million euros of the other 2015 issue, maturing Jan. 31, at an average yield of 2.966 percent and a bid-to-cover ratio of 4.4, and 1.1 billion euros of a bond maturing Oct. 31, 2019 with a 4.832 percent yield and 3.3 times subscribed.

The Jan. 2015 bond last sold on the primary market August, 2011 and the longer dated issue was last sold in October of last year. Yields were down on both from last year.

The treasury has benefited from the ECB's long-term refinancing operations (LTRO) which flooded markets with almost a half a trillion euros of cheap three-year cash in December and will provide more of the same at the end of this month.

Earlier, official data showed Spain's economy shrank for the first time in two years, weighed down by weak domestic demand and faltering exports as its main trading partners own economies stumble.

Spain saw solid demand for medium- and long-term bonds, paying over 2 percentage points less to issue a 5-year bond than Italy this week, easing concerns it was the euro zone’s weakest link. Italy had to pay a record 6.47 percent on 5-year bonds, offering little relief to investors in the region.

Italy’s main employers’ lobby, Confindustria said Italy is already in recession and will not emerge from it until the third quarter of 2013, Confindustria said.

“There is still a lot of uncertainty surrounding Europe and that is worrying investors,” said Ken Hasegawa, commodity derivatives manager at Newedge Brokerage in Tokyo.

Signs of weakness in the global economy are also upsetting investors. China’s factory output shrank again in December, a preliminary purchasing managers’ survey showed, reinforcing concerns that manufacturers face waning global demand and tight domestic credit.

Greece battles mistrust to target bailout deal

2012-02-16T07:28:00.000-08:00

Greece battles mistrust to target bailout deal

Acrimony within currency union as mistrust grows
Talk of delaying all or part of Greek bailout
Euro hits 3-week low as nerves remain

Greece expressed hope it was within days of finally securing a 130-billion-euro EU/IMF bailout to ease its debt crisis but markets reacted sceptically on Thursday as acrimony grew between Athens and euro zone partners led by Germany.

Frustrations exploded as Greek President Karolos Papoulias, an 82-year-old veteran of the resistance to Nazi occupation of Greece during World War Two, lashed out at Germany's finance minister for appearing to suggest Greece might go bankrupt.

Past backsliding on promises by Athens has created a growing mood of mistrust, with German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble likening Greece to a "a bottomless pit" and asking on Wednesday whether Athens would stick to new promises.

"I cannot accept Mr Schaeuble insulting my country," Papoulias riposted.

"Who is Mr Schaeuble to insult Greece? Who are the Dutch? Who are the Finnish?" he asked of critics in two countries which, like Germany, have heaped pressure on Athens.

Greek officials insisted after late-night talks with euro zone counterparts that they had met the final demands set by the European Union and IMF to seal a second rescue deal needed to avoid chaotic default when debt repayments fall due in March.

But the euro slid to a three-week low on the dollar in early Thursday trade as markets focused on a Reuters report that finance officials in the currency union were looking at ways to delay all or part of the rescue deal while avoiding a default.

EU sources told Reuters euro zone officials were studying the option of postponing part or all of the rescue deal until after the elections while still avoiding a disorderly default.

"Confidence has indeed sunk to a low point," Dutch Finance Minister Jan Kees De Jager told Dutch paper Het Financieele Dagblad, suggesting one option was to delay delivering the bailout in full until after a Greek election expected in April.

"Schaeuble Junta", ran a headline in the conservative Eleftheros Typos newspaper, harking back to Greece's painful spell under military rule during the 1960s and 1970s.

Greece is pinning its hopes on a fresh meeting of euro zone finance ministers scheduled for Monday after it failed this week to clinch a deal to avert a bankruptcy which could shake financial markets around the globe.

Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos said Athens had plugged a 325 million-euro gap in a promised 3.3 billion euros of extra budget savings this year, noting both parties in the government of Prime Minister Lucas Papademos had signed up to austerity measures which already triggered rioting in Athens on Sunday.

Venizelos said he hoped euro zone officials could tie up all the issues before the ministerial Eurogroup meets on Monday, opening the way for a bond swap deal with Greece's private creditors, known as PSI, which will reduce its debt mountain.

"These issues will be prepared at a Euro Working Group meeting on Sunday in Brussels so that, with good faith, the final decision for the approval of the (bailout) programme is taken and the public announcement of the PSI is made on Monday," he told reporters after a conference call with euro zone peers.

Greece had said it must initiate a debt swap deal with private bondholders by Friday to meet a March 20 deadline for the 14.5 billion euros in debt repayments. It was hoping to have the euro zone's backing for its second bailout this week. If that backing now comes on Monday, it is possible the debt swap could start in the middle of next week.

    LINGERING DOUBTS

    After the three-hour conference call among the 17 euro zone ministers, Eurogroup chairman

Jean-Claude Juncker said progress had been made but made clear some matters remained open on making sure the bailout plan is carried out in full.

"Further considerations are necessary regarding the specific mechanisms to strengthen the surveillance of programme implementation and to ensure that priority is given to debt servicing," he said.

That was echoed by one government official in Germany, where public opinion is hostile to bailing out Greece.

"Questions remain that are very important to Germany and other member states about the sustainability of the programme," said the official, who declined to be named.

Juncker predicted things would fall into place by Monday although any number have deadlines have been set, only to be missed.

Greek conservative leader Antonis Samaras - tipped to become prime minister after a possible vote in April - gave a written pledge on Wednesday to stick to the austerity package but added that "policy modifications" might be required to boost growth.

Greece has yet to publicly specify how it will find the remaining 325 million euros worth of budget cuts and the cabinet - which would normally be required to approve such cuts - was not scheduled to meet on Thursday.

A new survey by the VPRC polling company showed Samaras' New Democracy party getting 27.5 percent, down from its 30.5 percent score in January, but still well ahead of the newly-founded Democratic Left party in second with 16 percent.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti warned on Wednesday that the debt crisis was fuelling resentment within the bloc and rejected the idea of a "goodies and baddies" division between so-called virtuous northern states and profligate southern ones.

ATHENS, Feb 14 (Reuters) - The Greek government rushed on Tuesday to wring out another 325 million euros in budget cuts to satisfy euro zone finance ministers mulling whether to sign off on a rescue package to save the country from a chaotic default.

Squeezed between sceptical European capitals and deep anger in Greece, political leaders must also produce written commitments to stick to the terms of the 130 billion euro ($172 billion) bailout before the ministers meet on Wednesday.

A government official said the cabinet had already a proposal on the table and that Prime Minister Lucas Papademos would chair a session of the government at 3 p.m. (1300 GMT)

"There is a specific proposal by the government for the 325 million euros to be submitted to the Eurogroup tomorrow," the official, who declined to be named, told Reuters.

A second government source said: "The government will have a solution before the Eurogroup (meeting of euro zone finance ministers)."

Greek lawmakers endorsed another 3.3 billion euros in cuts in wages, pensions and jobs on Sunday despite unrest on the streets of the capital, Athens.

The violence was the worst in years, with dozens of buildings set ablaze, damaged or looted.

But the bill left unexplained 325 million euros of cuts that the European Union and International Monetary Fund now want clarified before they sign off on the bailout.

There was no immediate sign that political leaders would put pen to paper to guarantee they will implement the terms of the bailout before and after an election expected in April.

Antonis Samaras, leader of the conservative New Democracy party and a member of the coalition, has taken a harder line on the austerity measures than others in the coalition.

He is the frontrunner to become prime minister in April, and while he voted 'Yes' in parliament on Sunday and expelled from the party a quarter of his deputies for rebelling, Samaras indicated he would try to renegotiate the terms of the bailout.

  There is growing doubt among Greece's foreign lenders that the country - threatened by deepening social turmoil – is willing to and capable of seeing through a second round of punishing austerity since 2010.

LEAVE EURO ZONE?

Greece needs the funds to avoid a disorderly default when 14.5 billion euros in debt repayments fall due on March 20.

The bailout provides for a bond swap to ease Greece's debt burden by cutting the real value of private-sector investors' bond holdings by some 70 percent. Officials say the terms of the swap will be announced on Wednesday.

"The next three weeks will be hellish. The list of actions regarding the PSI (Private Sector Involvement) and the memorandum is extremely pressing," government spokesman Pantelis Kapsis said on Monday.

Underlining the doubts of Greece's euro zone partners, Luxembourg's finance minister, Luc Frieden, said on Monday that a failure by Greece to meet all the conditions laid down for it would lead to its exit from the euro zone.

Greece may decide it is better to leave the euro zone than to go through with such severe budget cuts, he told the Atlantic Council in Washington.

A sharply devalued currency would give it more flexibility. "It might be something which would allow Greece also to get a new start ... to create an economy that can create jobs. This however is not a scenario that I would prefer," he said.

The euro zone was better prepared now than a year ago to cope with a Greek default and exit from the euro zone, Frieden said, a view echoed by German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble speaking to the ZDF public broadcaster.

But U.S. rating agency Moody's, citing growing risks from Europe's debt crisis and worries about its ability to make needed reforms, downgraded the ratings of six European countries late on Monday and put Britain, France and Austria on negative outlook.

Uncertainty about the resources that will be devoted to tackling the crisis and Europe's "increasingly weak macroeconomic prospects" were other factors behind its action, it said.

Greeks swept rocks and broken glass from the streets of Athens on Monday after a night of violence that gave lawmakers a taste of the challenge they face in implementing a deeply unpopular austerity bill demanded by the country's foreign lenders.

Firefighters doused the smouldering remains of several buildings, set ablaze by hooded youths during protests against the package of pay, pension and job cuts adopted by parliament on Sunday after 10 hours of debate.

The bill was the price of a 130 billion euro ($172 billion) EU/IMF bailout to save Greece from a chaotic default next month.

The government of Prime Minister Lucas Papademos must come up with a further 325 million euros in budget savings to satisfy euro zone finance ministers, scheduled to meet on Wednesday, and political leaders must commit to implementing the measures even after an election pencilled in for April.

Papademos' government saw 43 deputies rebel in what may be an indication of the difficulties in ensuring politicians stick to the programme, which include a 22 percent cut in the minimum wage -- a package critics say condemns the economy to an ever-deeper downward spiral.

Police said 150 shops were looted in the capital and 48 buildings set ablaze. Some 100 people - including 68 police - were wounded and 130 detained, a police official said on Monday.

There was also violence in cities across the country, including Greece's second-largest city Thessaloniki and the islands of Corfu and Crete, said the official, who declined to be named.

Greeks were shocked at the burnt buildings that included the neo-classical home to the Attikon cinema dating from 1870.

"We are all very angry with these measures but this is not the way out," said Dimitris Hatzichristos, 30, a public sector worker surveying the debris.

Altogether 199 of the 300 lawmakers backed the controversial bill. The 43 who rebelled were immediately expelled by their parties, the socialists and conservatives.

"Night of terror inside and outside the parliament," conservative daily Eleftheros Typos wrote on its front page.

Asian shares and the euro gained modestly on Monday and MSCI's broadest index of Asia Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS edged up as much as 0.3 percent.

 "SHORT-TERM SACRIFICES"

Papademos, a technocrat brought in to get a grip on the risis, denounced the worst breakdown of order since 2008, when violence gripped Greece for weeks after police shot a15-year-old schoolboy.

"Vandalism, violence and destruction have no place in a democratic country and won't be tolerated," he told parliament on Sunday as it prepared to vote.

But he said that imposing the austerity on a nation that has already endured several years of cuts would be tough.

"The full, timely and effective implementation of the programme won't be easy. We are fully aware that the economic programme means short-term sacrifices for the Greek people," Papademos said.

Greece needs the international funds before March 20 to meet debt repayments of 14.5 billion euros, or suffer a chaotic default that could shake the euro zone.

"It was just as hard for us to say 'Yes' as it was for fellow members of the parliament to say 'No' ... I said 'Yes', because 'No' would be catastrophic," Yannis Magriotis, Deputy Infrastructure Minister (from PASOK), told Mega TV on Monday.

Overnight, a Reuters photographer saw buildings engulfed in flames and huge plumes of smoke rose in the night sky outside parliament.

"We are facing destruction. Our country, our home, has become ripe for burning; the centre of Athens is in flames. We cannot allow populism to burn our country down," conservative lawmaker Costis Hatzidakis told parliament.

The air in Syntagma Square outside parliament was thick with teargas as riot police fought running battles with youths who smashed marble balustrades and hurled stones and petrol bombs.

Terrified Greeks and tourists fled the rock-strewn streets and the clouds of stinging gas, cramming into hotel lobbies for shelter as lines of riot police struggled to contain the mayhem.

On the streets of Athens many businesses were ablaze, including a building housing the Asty, an underground cinema used by the Gestapo as a torture chamber during World War Two.

ENOUGH

The EU and IMF say they have had enough of broken promises and that the funds will be released only with the clear commitment of Greek political leaders that they will implement the reforms whoever wins the April election.

The bill sets out 3.3 billion euros ($4.35 billion) of extra budget cuts for this year alone.

It also provides for a bond swap to ease Greece's debt burden by cutting the real value of private-sector investors' bond holdings by some 70 percent. Greece would have missed a Feb. 17 deadline to offer a debt "haircut" to private bondholders if the vote had not been passed.

Many Greeks believe their living standards are collapsing already and the new measures will deepen their misery.

"Enough is enough!" said 89-year-old Manolis Glezos, one of Greece's most famous leftists. "They have no idea what an uprising by the Greek people means. And the Greek people, regardless of ideology, have risen."

Moody's may downgrade 17 global banks, securities firms

2012-02-16T07:22:00.002-08:00

Moody's may downgrade 17 global banks, securities firms

Cites tougher funding, regulatory and economic environment
Includes, BofA, Goldman, Citi, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley.
Barclays, BNP, Deutsche, HSBC, SocGen also included
Rating agency puts 114 European institutions on watch
Cuts ratings on some insurance firms, cut outlook on others

(Adds detail in paragraph 19)

By Ian Chua and Soyoung Kim

Feb 16 (Reuters) - Moody's warned on Thursday it may cut the credit ratings of 17 global and 114 European financial institutions in another sign the impact of the euro zone government debt crisis is spreading throughout the global financial system.

It was reviewing the long-term ratings and standalone credit assessments of a range of banks, Moody's added. Markets were unaffected by the Moody's announcement.

"Capital markets firms are confronting evolving challenges, such as more fragile funding conditions, wider credit spreads, increased regulatory burdens and more difficult operating conditions," the ratings agency said in a statement.

It said among 17 banks and securities firms with global capital markets operations, it might cut the long-term credit rating of UBS , Credit Suisse and Morgan Stanley by as much as three notches following the review. It said the guidance was indicative.

Among the banks that might be downgraded by two notches are Barclays , BNP Paribas , Credit Agricole, Deutsche Bank , HSBC Holdings ,and Goldman Sachs.

Bank of America and Nomura were included in those that might be downgraded by one notch.

The U.S. rating agency said in a separate statement its action on 114 financial institutions from 16 European nations reflected the impact of the debt crisis and deteriorating creditworthiness of its governments.

It cited more fragile funding conditions, increased regulatory burdens and a tougher economic environment for its review of banks and securities firms with global reach.

Moody's salvo follows rounds of downgrades in European sovereign ratings as the euro zone's struggle to keep its weakest link Greece afloat has been driving up borrowing costs and straining finances of other nations.

Last Monday, Moody's cut the ratings of six European nations including Italy, Spain and Portugal and warned it could strip France, Britain and Austria of their top-level AAA grade.

Standard & Poor's cut France's and Austria's top ratings and downgraded seven other euro zone nations last month. It also cut the euro zone's bailout fund by one notch.

Moody's on Thursday also downgraded the insurance financial strength ratings (IFSR) by one or two notches of several insurance companies, which it said related to their investment and operating exposures to Spain and Italy.

These included Unipol Assicurazioni SpA, Mapfre Global Risks, Assicurazioni Generali SpA and Allianz SpA. It affirmed the IFSR of Allianz SE , AXA SA , Aviva Plc and their subsidiaries, but cut the outlook on the rating to negative from stable.

VICIOUS CIRCLE

Asian shares and the euro were weaker on Thursday on concerns about another delay in cementing a bailout for Greece. Traders said markets didn't not show any specific reaction to the Moody's announcement.

In its review of European financial institutions, Moody's said that once completed, the ratings would "fully reflect the currently foreseen adverse credit drivers."

European banks' bond holdings of struggling euro zone nations Greece, Portugal, Ireland, Spain and Italy have trapped Europe in a vicious circle.

The falling value of the debt puts pressure on banks, which in turn weighs on lending and economic activity, making it tougher to sustain the growth that governments badly need to shore up their finances.

The biggest single group among the 114 institutions under review were headquartered in Italy, followed by Spain, with more than 20 each. Nine were headquartered in Britain, 10 in France and seven in Germany.

Moody's said nine of the 17 banks with global reach are included in the list of 114 financial institutions in Europe.

European Union leaders have been trying to put a financial "firewall" around the nations most afflicted by the euro zone debt crisis.

But jittery market sentiment suffered a fresh setback on Wednesday when several EU sources told Reuters that the euro zone was considering a delay in parts of a second bailout plan for Greece.

Moody's said that for 99 European financial institutions, the standalone credit assessments have been placed on review for downgrade. For 109 institutions, the long-term debt and deposit ratings have been placed on review for downgrade.

For 66 institutions, the short-term ratings have been placed on review for downgrade.

Business Listing Scripts

2011-04-15T06:18:00.000-07:00

We got a new client today who wanted a brand new website equipped with business listing directory feature. According to him, the script should be in PHP, does not cost much and meets all requirements of a basic business listing directory. It should support multiple image uploads for a listing, be able to do rating(optional) and reviews, supports (paypal IPN) payment method, provides google map locator facility and finally be equipped with small CMS to create some content/article pages, that’s all. After searching a lot i settled with one that is listed at top the list below. In the process(to find the script), i went through many directory scripts written in PHP. In the view of client requirements, some of them lacked one or another requirement or just over did the job. Some which suited the requirements just exceeded the client budget. Finally i chose Web 2.0 Directory CMS v2.5 which is cheap and looks quite promising to me. Let’s see how it comes out to be with the new website. (We shall add website’s link later sometime when it’s done and live) Among all of the business listing directory scripts i went through, i would chose 7 scripts which i would prefer to work with. One’s choice may vary, having client requirements and budget in mind. For example phpMyDirectory listed at number 4 could come at first position if the website was to be featured rich having some blog and forums etc. NOTE: For someone looking for a free business directory script, i would say that there is nothing like free, at least not a full featured business directory script. You must have to respect the efforts and time of developers behind any popular and successful project. Yes there are communities which provide free and ready to use code (like wp, joomla, wordpress) but there are people behind who support these communities with their efforts, time and money. In particular, if you are looking for a full featured business listing script in PHP for free, you would be disappointed. Here is my list: Web 2.0 Directory CMS v2.5 (Classifieds Management System) Some of the important features are: SEO Friendly Google Maps (Locations integrated with Google Maps) Google Analytics Google translate service Facebook connect YouTube uploads ACL (Access Controll Lists, user access level and management) Banner ads management Content Pages I18n module (Ability to translate not only interface, but also content of the directory) Unlimited depth of Categories (A listing can be in multiple categories) Payment Gateways (PayPal, 2Checkout IPN scripts) Attach video files to listings by uploading it directly to YouTube Email notifications Smarty templates Auto listing blocking Rating and Reviews Multiple photos with slide show WYSIWYG Editor Manage Custom Fields and Search fields (form fields) Favourites and Bookmarks Contact Seller Email to Friend Website: http://www.salephpscripts.com/demo2/Pricing: Free/$90 Suited most for my project (with some cool social networking features including facebook login) and it is cheap as well. Let’s see how it comes out to be with the new website. UPDATE ON Feb 20, 2011 Note: This directory script uses CodeIgnitor as a framework and Smarty as a template engine. If you are good in both and your needs coincide with that of mine this directory is certainly for you. Customer support is very good and they responded instantly to my queries/issue i faced while installing it on Windows Server. With their prompt support i was able to install it successfully and things seems to be working fine till now. EasySearchDirectory – Business Directory and Yellow Page Script Main features are: Unlimited Categories Search listings by using the name, category, state, city or country or even radius from a zip / post code. Visitors can also sort the list by business name, distance or rating ascendingly or descendingly. ZIP – Radius Search SEO Friendly Listing Detail URL Integrated Google Maps Events Calendar Tell Your Friend Secured Contact Form Real Time Picture Verification (captcha) Rating Add to Favourite Content Pages Automatic Watermark Multiple Photos (admin can set limit) Built In WYSIWYG Editor Integrated Payment Processors (Paypal or 2CheckOut) Coupon or discount codes Online Manual (Yes, it is just FAQ though) Good for simple listing, photos – yes, content pages – yes, option to edit email templates like password recovery email etc.. One additional feature in addition to other basic features are Events Calendar and and Watermarking of images. I am still confused between the script listed at first place and this one. I hope i don’t change my mind to this one very soon. Website: http://www.easysearchdirectory.comPricing: $79.95 phpDirectorySource According to them, phpDirectorySource Business directory script that is fully configurable and compatible with the SMARTY template engine. Unlimited category and membership levels. Accept payments through Paypal IPN. 100% localization with a built in language translation system. Radius postal code search. Supports multiple site design templates. Someone looking for all basic directory features in a light weight script is good to purchase this one. Pricing: $75.00Website: http://www.phpdirectorysource.com/ phpMyDirectory – Link, Directory, or Classifieds Script Unlimited categories/locations SEO Friendly URLs Template System Language Files for translation Payment Gateway Management Backup Manager IP/URL/Website Banning/Filters Email Templates Google/Mapquest/Yahoo Map API Module/Plugin System Invoices Image Gallery Documents Gallery Products Gallery Bookmarking Statistics Tracking Ratings/Reviews PDF Export CAPTCHA/Security Images Listing/Review Approval Breadcrumb links Unlimited memberships Reciprocal Link checker Module Zip code radius module vBulletin module phpBB module If you are a looking for a website having lots of features along with directory feature, this could be a good choice. It seems not only providing you a good directory interface but also some inbuilt features such as CMS tools, blogging, forums etc., as well. It looks to be one of the most comprehensive and versatile directory script written in php. Manual and user guide are well documented. (Please be noted that like someone good in their profession they do advertize their product well and if the script has earned a good name and fame, it’s not only the script alone. Their marketting efforts also have contributed in a good amount in it, of course. Also, i have seen some script users complaing of their poor customer support. Please contact their customer support and clear all terms and queries before you got to purchase, this is just an advice.) Fyi, the script seller website, that is phpmydirectory.com is one of the well mainainted website among all directory script selling websites i am listing on this page. Website: http://www.phpmydirectory.comPricing: 99.95 New PHP Business Listing Script / B2B Marketplace CMS for content pages Newsletter System Banner Management Google Adsense Management Plan Package Management Trade Lead Management Automatic RSS Creator Automatic Sitemap Creator and Google Ping PayPal Payment Gateway 4 Types of Product Gallery Upgrade to Sponsored or Premium Listings any time User can Advertise thier Banners User can Advertise thier Leads Manage Product Catalog Summary / Statistics Report In fact, this is something more than just a business directory script. It provides you with a fully working Trade Lead Management system. I haven’t looked at the full working of this script but i guess they are good at what they do.Website: http://www.zincksoft.com/businesslistingscript.htmlPricing: $349 EasyDirectoryManager – Integrated Directory, Event, News, Photo Gallery, Reviews and Coupon Script. Main Features are: Unlimited Categories and subcategories Enhanced Photo Gallery Google Maps integration Customer Reviews and Ratings Events classifieds News or article pages Banner rotation system Paypal and 2Checkout Payment Youtube video integration Coupon sharing Improved Approval features Website: http://www.easydirectorymanager.net/Pricing: $399 All basic and advanced features of a business listing directory. It looks promising, but keeping other competitors in mind who sell almost similar featured script for 3-4 fold cheaper price, it seems a bit costly to me. Anyways, it could be a good choice for someone who believes in and/or expects high quality services in return for high price. BizDirectory 2 :: Business Directory Software Unlimited categories with unlimited sub-category depth. Search engine friendly URL’s. Track listing & website visits. Integrated with Google Maps. Paypal (Monthly, quarterly, semiannual and annual subscription options, as well as one time payment options, free to higher package available) Multiple photo uploads with zoom feature (opened in new window) I have used this directory script in one of my client’s website(http://www.trades-people.com) but honestly to say it is not one of the best written business listing directory script available in PHP. As a web developer you would not be satisfied with this one at all. But, as a site owner it gives you all the features you would be looking for in a web directory. Back-end is good. It is very light weight script which makes use of only one page (index.php) for almost all front end transactions. With this one it is just a matter of 1-2 hours to customize whole front end! Website: http://idevspot.com/Pricing: $49.95 I hope someone this post helps someone in choosing their most suitable business listing directory. If your choice is different please post it here in a comment and we would try to include it if it is certainly good.