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By: eminem

There comes a time in many small businesses when a decision has to be made whether or not to hire employees.

Maybe you've reached the point where you need to grow, but you're not sure you're ready to bring on more people. Or maybe you want to stay small and lean, and don't want the bother of having employees. Or maybe it's just been a bad year (totally understandable in this economy!) and cash flow is crunched.

Whatever the reason, there's still work to be done. And today there are more ways than ever to get the work you need taken care of without hiring. Where you turn depends on what type of business you have, and your particular needs.

Here are a few suggestions on where you can get the workers you need for the work you need done:

1. Subcontractors and Freelancers
You aren't the only person who does what you do (even if you're the best!). Find a few good people you can call on when you have too much work and not enough time. Be sure to negotiate a price that will allow you to still make money on the job, though. Also, make sure you know how your client(s) feel about someone else doing the actual work. FYI...there are a lot of freelance websites on the internet where you can go to find quality people. Elance.com, guru.com, and iFreelance.com are a few you might try out.

2. Virtual Assistants
More and more small businesses are turning to virtual assistants to help them grow and organize their businesses. VAs are independent contractors who work from home and provide a variety of professional, personal and office support. They can perform a variety of tasks, including general administrative work, writing reports, editing, creating marketing materials, making customer contacts, database development and maintenance, thank you notes...the list goes on and on. Some VAs also provide personal services to clients such as scheduling doctors' appointments, party planning, coordinating a move, and so much more. You can locate a VA through two professional organizations: Virtual Assistance U, and the International Virtual Assistants Association.

3. "Temps"
You can get temporary workers for just about any job you have - from answering the phone and general secretarial work, to manual labor...and everything in between. When you use temps, you get skilled workers, without having to pay benefits. Most temp agencies have stringent screening procedures make sure the workers they hire and send out have the necessary skills to do the job.

4. Interns
As part of their college training, many bright young students are available for temporary positions. Interns are mostly available in the summer, but many schools offer year-round internship programs. Depending on the school and the program, interns work for either very cheap or free. You, in turn, are to provide valuable on-the-job training. Different colleges have different requirements, so check with the one(s) where you think you'd have the best luck for your particular type of business.

5. Friends and Family
Who better to count on in crunch times than those closest to you? Asking for their temporary help - either on a volunteer basis, or at a reduced wage - can be a good way for them to be part of your business while providing the help you need. Get the kids involved as well! It'll teach them responsibility

6. Delivery services
Don't even think about hopping in the car and driving that brochure clear across town to the printer yourself. Remember, time is money! Instead, pick up the phone and call the delivery service. Delivery services will pick up and deliver just about anything to just about anywhere. They will charge you, but it's worth the price, believe me. And it is a legitimate client-billable expense. To find a reputable delivery service, look in the phone book, and/or ask around to see if anyone you know has any recommendations.

7. Contracted Services
When you need a specialized service on a regular basis, consider contracting it. Instead of hiring a bookkeeper, use an accountant. Instead of hiring a janitor, contract a janitorial service. Grounds upkeep, security, decorating, fish tank cleaning (yes, really!), plant maintenance, equipment maintenance, printing...all are services you can contract.

As you can see, there are many good ways to get the job done without actually adding people to the payroll. Whether to hire personnel, use an alternative, or use a combination of both depends on your business model and what makes the most sense for you and your small business.

By: Donna Williams

Philip Scott, This is Money

8 November 2007

A languishing dollar, rising tensions in the Middle East, and reports of diminished reserves in the US have sent the oil price soaring.

This week, West Texas Intermediate crude firmed to a record high of $98.62 a barrel. Already in 2007, prices have increased by a staggering 60% and many experts believe 'black gold' could be about to break the $100 barrier – and still have some distance to run.

The booming economies of China and India now account for 27% of world orders for oil and the International Energy Agency has cautioned that demand in these emerging markets will cause the oil price to rise even further.

Tim Guinness, manager of the Investec Global Energy fund says: 'The oil price is likely to have to rise to $150 a barrel before demand is significantly affected.' He believes there is still room for investors to participate. 'Oil and gas company shares are valued as if oil will be $55. If it averages say $85 there is big upside of 50% plus. If it goes to $150 there could be huge upside of 100% or more.'

Nik Bienkowski, head of research at ETF Securities, an exchange traded fund provider, adds: 'A lot of people laughed when $100 oil was mentioned two years ago, but now everyone from Mexican tortilla buyers to Italian pasta consumers realise cheap commodities may be a thing of the past. $100 a barrel oil is not so funny anymore.'

Robin Batchelor manager of BlackRock's MLIIF World Energy Fund says the oil market looks set to remain tight over the next 18 months. He adds: 'Many businesses are still valued assuming an oil price 30 or 40 dollars below today's level, so investors can benefit as valuations move up to bridge the gap.'

So how can you profit from a rising oil price?

FUNDS

You don't have to invest in a specialist oil portfolio to get exposure and gain from higher oil prices. Managers such as Bill Mott, responsible for PSigma Income, and Neil Woodford, who manages Invesco Perpetual Income, have more than 10% of their funds invested in the oil and gas sector.

Bradley Mitchell, manager of the Royal London UK Growth fund, has been predicting increased oil prices for almost two years and has been positioning his fund to take advantage of the hike. Mitchell has invested in specialist oil firms, such as Rockhopper Exploration, which is prospecting for offshore reserves around the Falkland Islands. Shares in the firm soared 10% a few days ago on good news about the firm's latest seismic surveys.

If you are looking for a more specific play there are general energy funds available. Mick Gilligan of Killik & Co cites Investec Global Energy, which invests in a combination of oil producers, refiners and services companies. His 'top ten' holdings include BP, Shell, Exxon and ConocoPhillips.

Gilligan also notes the ABN AMRO Energy fund, which is Luxembourg based but available to retail investors in the UK, as well as the Australian portfolio, Oceanic Natural Resources.

But if you want something a little more adventurous - and risky - you could invest in the Junior Oils Trust (JOT). Managed by Angelos Damaskos, the fund buys into small oil stocks, which the manager believes have the potential to grow rapidly. They may also be targets for a takeover by one of the multinational oil producers, who are discovering that buying up other companies is the easiest way to increase their own oil reserves.

Large players such as Shell, Exxon and BP are desperate for extra oil reserves as they simply do not have enough to meet demand, so they will be keeping an eye on the smaller players' fortunes.

One holding in the JOT is Burren Energy and the recent announcement of a takeover approach for the firm makes it the fifth core holding to be the subject of a bid during the past three years.

Mark Dampier of Hargreaves Lansdown, an independent financial adviser, says: 'Damaskos will only buy shares in companies that are cash generative and have proven oil reserves. He focuses the portfolios on his best ideas, holding a concentrated portfolio of just 23 stocks (of which the largest 10 holdings account for 50% of the fund) and keeping a little cash aside to take advantage of any new share issues that come to the market. Since launch the fund has grown by over 87%, which is well ahead of the oil price.'

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS

Exchange traded fund specialist ETF Securities has six oil exchange traded commodities (ETCs) that allow investors to gain direct exposure to one, two and three year oil futures prices in Brent and WTI (West Texas Intermediate) oil benchmarks. ETCs track the market in the same way as index funds, but like shares, you can buy and sell them during the trading day without having to pay stamp duty on purchases.

Currently most investors cannot invest in oil futures due to limited market access and lack of liquidity in pricing. Futures are financial instruments that allow investors to sell something they do not actually own in the hope of profiting from rising or falling markets.

Justin Urquhart Stewart of Seven Investment Management warns: 'As these ETCs are based on future pricing, investors will not be investing in a fund that exactly matches the present oil pricing and investing in a single commodity can be a risky strategy.'

SHARE TIPS

The market consensus is that Tullow Oil is a favoured stock – over the past 12 months it has risen 39%. The proposed takeover of Burren Energy has given its share price a boost over the past year it has increased by 39% and experts believe it has more to go yet.

Cairn Energy, up 30% over the past 12 months, has had some success with its oil fields in India and the market is hoping that this will continue.

Oil services firm Abbot, is up 13% over the past year while Hunting Group has risen 33%. John Wood corporation has shot up by 80%.

Bigger players such as BP and Shell have struggled in comparison, up 6.1% and 6.6% over the past 12 months. In the refinery business they have faced stiff competition and have endured problems on the processing side.

Philip Scott, This is Money
29 August 2007

Soaring demand and falling supplies are sending crop prices rocketing. Experts believe this could be just the beginning of a long-term boom in agricultural prices. While this may be bad news for shoppers, it could signal a profitable harvest for investors.

The cost of agricultural and 'soft commodities' such as coffee and wheat have dramatically increased over the past year and now international wheat prices are at their highest for a decade, sending buyers into a panic.

In Europe wheat prices have almost doubled to €237 a tonne this year. Last week after Canada, the globe's second-largest exporter cautioned that its output could be a fifth less than last year's levels - wheat rocketed to a record $7.54 a bushel in Chicago.

Due to the boom, the cost of pasta in Italy is expected to increase by 20%. In the UK, bakeries predict they too will pass on further wheat price rises, and in France the cost of a baguette, a staple of the French diet, is expected to rise.

According to Richard Crane, an analyst at Deloitte, the rising price of wheat and soft commodities is compounding the negative impact of foot and mouth on the UK to a much greater extent.

He said: 'Many producers are facing almost 100% price rises in feed costs – the largest cost in producing livestock. Looking ahead production is unlikely to be viable without price rises.'

Earlier this year, there were riots in Mexico after the surge in crop prices sharply drove up the cost of tortillas. But experts think the new highs do not represent a peak and investors could do very well over the coming years.

Christopher Wyke at fund management group Schroders says: 'After coming out of a quarter-century bear market, we are now at year one of a 20-year bull market in agricultural and soft commodity prices.'

Bob Haber, manager of the Fidelity American Special Situations fund adds: 'I believe that far from reaching bubble proportions, commodities in many cases remain mispriced. They are being driven by a deep-seated secular trend that will support prices for many years. The supply side for many items is not as flexible as before and demand is likely to keep growing for many years to come.'

Bad weather, increasing demand from emerging economies and a growing desire for alternative fuels are the three primary causes of rising crop prices. The weather has been disastrous for wheat. This summer, too much rain in Germany, the UK and France, Europe's largest supplier, has reduced supplies. On the other side of the world, Australia, one of the largest exporters of agricultural produce, has been enduring its worst drought for more than a century.

'Egypt is the largest importer of wheat in the world. It normally sources it supplies from Australia and it has increased its order by 250% this year because of the lower supply,' says Wyke. 'In addition, Morocco has upped its order by 300%. But the question is where are they going to source that much extra?'

The world population passed six billion in 1999 and, according to the United Nations, every year there are 78 million more mouths to feed - providing a strongly expanding market at a time when world food stocks are at historically low levels.

The boom in emerging markets such as such as China and India has meant increasing wealth. As a result in China the population is now consuming expensive food such as beef in greater quantities than ever before - consumption of dairy produce there has doubled over the past five years.

Approximately 9lbs of feed is required to produce 1lb of beef and in China, the population is eating four times as much beef today as it did in 1980. There is a huge demand across Asia for animal feedstuffs with massive orders from Taiwan and Japan placed just last week.

Policy changes and government-mandated programmes are driving the market for alternative fuel, particularly ethanol, which is derived from corn and sugar.

In the UK the government wants 5% of all fuel sales to be biofuels by 2010 – an increase of 20 times on present levels while the US government wants to cut dependency on oil by 20% by 2017 chiefly through a fivefold increase in the use of renewable fuels.

Today about a fifth of America's maize crop is set aside for ethanol production, compared with 3% just four years ago. Brazil, the world's largest exporter, is investing millions in the area and plans to more than double ethanol exports from £308m to £667m by 2010.

So how can investors benefit? There are a number of ways you can invest. On the London Stock Exchange, there are several listed funds known as known as exchange traded commodities (ETCs) that track a range of agricultural goods including sugar, corn, cattle, and coffee.

ETCs, like exchange traded funds, match the performance of a particular index and investors can trade them during the day in the same way as ordinary shares.

Investors can also chose a basket ETC that tracks a number of different products. This is likely to give less volatile returns - the grains ETC tracks corn, wheat and soybeans.

Schroders has a Luxembourg domiciled fund – the Schroder Alternative Solutions Agriculture fund, which invests in commodities across the globe.

Bob Haber, who manages the Fidelity American Special Situations fund has invested in a number of companies set to do well out of the agricultural boom.

If you want to benefit from the alternative energy boom you could look at the Merrill Lynch New Energy Technology trust which focuses on the environmental sector.

The JPMorgan Natural Resources fund chiefly invests in hard commodities such as uranium but its manager, Ian Henderson, also has exposure to 'softs' too, such as palm oil, which is used for cooking and as a source for alternative fuel.

The T.Bailey Growth fund, a fund of funds has been invested in the JPMorgan Natural Resources fund for some time, but recently topped up its holding in the Schroder Alternative Solutions Agriculture fund.

Investing directly in shares is a risky strategy but there are London listed firms investors can consider. Keith Bowman of Hargreaves Lansdown stockbrokers cites MP Evans, which has palm oil and rubber plantations in Indonesia and also cattle in Australia. Another LSE listed group, Asian Citrus, runs orange plantations in Asia.

Bowman says: 'Investors could also look at Tate & Lyle, the sugar producer, and Associated British Foods, which produces the likes of Ryvita and is also the owner of Primark.'

Philippa Gee of Torquil Clark, an independent financial adviser, urges investors to exercise caution when looking at commodity and agricultural-based investments. She says: 'So many people jump into very hot investments - we saw it happen with the technology boom seven years ago - but the difficulty is getting out at the right time. Agricultural stocks and soft commodities are going to be volatile investments so investors need to be prepared to ride the downturns as well as any booms.

'An average investor should hold no-more than 5% in this sector, if you are very happy to take substantial risk, you could up your holding to 10% maybe even 15% but that is only for those who have the funds to cover any losses.'

Such is the boom in the agricultural sector that a number of mainstream fund launches pencilled in for 2008 are now expected to have more commodity exposure than a typical portfolio today.

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Philip Scott, This is Money
29 October 2007

Indian stocks soared to an all-new new high as the nation's main index, the Sensex, rocketed to more than 20,000 points this week as foreign investors ploughed cash in.

The Sensex, which is comprised of India's 30 largest companies, gained 3.8% to close at 19,977.97, after reaching a record high of 20,024.87 points earlier on Monday.

Already this year foreign investors have injected some $18bn into Indian equities, driving the index up almost 40% and experts are forecasting more growth.

Earlier in the month, the Indian Government announced it was taking measures from 25 October to monitor anonymous foreign investing which, although it caused some initial market concern, has been welcomed by experts as an extra layer of regulation which should ultimately protect investors. The chief worry is that foreign investors could withdraw large amounts of cash from the Indian market, which could subsequently lead to a sharp slump in equity prices.

Arun Mehra, manager of the Fidelity India Focus fund said: 'India is changing and new themes are emerging all the time. For example, huge gas and oil fields have been found recently on the East coast which will have an impact on the rupee and imports. Lifestyles are changing, more people are using the internet and thinking about healthcare. Property development is also increasing.'

One of the biggest drivers of growth is the changing demographics. Wealth is increasingly filtering down to rural and traditionally low-income sections of society, and India's middle class now totals 200m and this is expected to swell to 500m over the next eight years. The gross domestic product (GDP) of India has enjoyed phenomenal growth from some £16bn in 1980 to a whopping £500bn today.

In addition it also has one of the youngest populations in the world, with around half aged below 26. Experts point out that lifestyles are changing too with a growing number of people using credit cards, buying mobile phones, eating out, shopping in big department stores and spending their money on healthcare, travel and luxuries. Over the coming three years some 71m will join the working age demographic.

'What we have taken for granted for years in the UK is now unfolding in India. Purchasing power is starting to come through and households are moving up the income chain,' adds Mehra.

'Another big issue in India is infrastructure. While India is ahead of China - the other big powerhouse in Asia - in terms of its service industry, it is at least 10 years behind with infrastructure development. However, this is starting to change and $320bn of infrastructure investment has been targeted between now and 2012 with projects in place for improving roads, ports, telecommunications, airports, railways and power.'

Justin Urquhart Stewart of Seven Investment Management is however urging caution as he believes many investors in India suffer from a 'highly inflated expectation on returns'.

He says: 'The global economy is slowing down and emerging markets, especially those that have been doing so well, will inevitably be hit. There is a huge amount of speculation, but this is a very volatile region. Right now India looks like a terrible fashion fad. There needs to be a reduction in valuations to more realistic levels.'

Volatility no doubt dogs the Indian market. In 2006, when markets around the globe tumbled in May and June, the Indian Sensex index plummeted by nearly 30% in just five weeks. Following the Government's recent legislation on foreign investors, shares fell by 10%, although they managed to recover to just 1.7% down by the end of trading on the same day.

There is a limited selection of pure India funds but some of the growth has been exceptional. Mark Dampier of Hargreaves Lansdown, an independent financial adviser, likes the HSBC GIF Indian Equity fund. Launched in 1996 it has achieved a phenomenal return of 1,514% since then, according to fund analyst Morningstar.

Darius McDermott of Chelsea Financial Services, another adviser, likes Fidelity India Focus - up 250% since it launched in August 2004 - and First State's India portfolio, which has posted a return of 45% since its inception a year ago.

Neptune is one of the latest fund managers to get in on the India game. The group launched its India fund at the end of December last year and since then it has delivered growth of 31%. JPMorgan's Indian investment trust has delivered 735% over the past five years.

McDermott says: 'While India has a very good long-term story, this is for high risk investors only, but there have been some excellent returns from India funds, particularly over recent years.'

Another way in is to buy a generalist emerging markets fund which invests in a spread of regions. Gavin Haynes of Whitechurch Securities recommends First State Global Emerging Markets Leaders, Baillie Gifford Emerging markets and JPMorgan Emerging Markets for investors who prefer this route.

Jane Wallace, Daily Mail
15 November 2007

Funds investing in China and Hong Kong are posting fantastic returns. Jupiter China is up 92% in a year, Gartmore China Opportunities is up 96% and Invesco Perpetual Hong Kong and China 74%, according to data analyst Morningstar.

But how long can this boom continue and, crucially for investors, will it all end in tears?

Hong Kong is directly benefiting from the economic miracle that is 'Made in China'. Computers, toys, furniture and even socks are made for rock-bottom prices in what has become the factory to the rest of the world. And China, along with Hong Kong - its platform to the West - is getting rich on the back of it.

The recent hikes in the region's stock markets say it all. The Shanghai Composite index has risen a whacking 163% in the past 12 months, according to Yahoo Finance, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng has gone up by 39%.

The British FTSE 100 has limped along over the same time, says data provider Morningstar, recording just a 5% rise. Such amazing leaps do, however, ring alarm bells. It seems all too similar to the boom and bust in technology shares in the late 1990s.

This time it's different, say the fund managers - but they also said that about technology. So what is the story? Xian Quanqiang, senior analyst at First State Investments in Hong Kong, says: 'Those technology companies in the 1990s had no income. They were marketing themselves on a dream with no justification for a high share price.'

In complete contrast, he argues, Chinese companies are showing 'very robust growth' in revenues. Figures for the first half of 2007 saw earnings for the average company grow by an eyewatering 71% on the year before.

But can it continue? Local experts say even if there is a slowdown, growth rates will remain respectable.

'Look at the environment,' says Emerson Yip, investment manager at JF Asset Management in Hong Kong. 'These companies are in the fastestgrowing economy in the world.'

He points to telecoms firm China Mobile, whose target market is now the millions of people living in the nation's secondary cities who are yet to buy mobile phones. 'Other global firms would be hard-pressed to match that potential,' he says.

However, one area is definitely looking frothy: the so- called 'A share' market. These are shares of Chinese firms listed in Shanghai or Shenzhen, a city in southern China. Unlike Hong Kong, these stock markets are tightly controlled.

Chinese private investors cannot buy foreign shares directly so must stick to local firms, causing huge demand which drives up prices.

'People want to invest in shares and property because inflation means they are not earning anything on savings rates,' explains Nicholas Yeo, investment manager at Hong Kongbased Aberdeen International Fund Managers. 'Money is pouring into the stock market. If you are a fund manager, you can't hold on to it. You just have to invest it where you can.'

Mr Xian at First State thinks A-shares in general are 'substantially' overvalued and prices will fall back at some stage. But such a correction is likely to be controlled, either by government, or over time as local investors learn more about real values.

He says: 'One thing the Chinese Government wants to avoid is social instability. There are a lot of firsttimers with no understanding of risk who have put their life savings in the market. Turbulence could cause people to get upset.'

This would be particularly undesirable in the run-up to the Olympics in 2008. If you are investing in an emerging markets or China fund you could have exposure to these A shares, which are responsible for the massive over-valuation of some stocks.

Petrochina, for instance, if valued on its A shares price, becomes the largest company in the world, beating Exxon, but it has only a third of the revenues. In fact, there are signs the bubble may already have burst. The Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao, announced on 5 November the much-vaunted plan to give mainland Chinese investors direct access to Hong Kong's stock market would be delayed.

The comments were widely interpreted as a warning against speculating in shares and, if so, it had the right effect. As the hot money moved out, Hong Kong's Hang Seng market plunged over 5% in one day and is yet to recover while the Chinese markets also declined, but not by so much.

Nevertheless, in contrast to the mainland, Hong Kong is viewed as more stable and sensibly priced. 'There are pockets of high value, but Hong Kong is not in a bubble,' says Mr Yip.

He believes the outlook is still favourable. Hong Kong can continue to piggy-back Chinese growth. And, because its currency is tied to the US dollar, its interest rates are falling in line with American rates, another spur to growth.

So should you invest, hold or get out? Despite short-term upsets, advisers think the longer-term picture is rosy, especially as China becomes politically and economically more important. Be prepared for a rough ride and treat this as a longterm investment. China is not for the cautious and there will be significant dips along the way.

Advisers recommend having up to 20% of your portfolio in emerging markets, depending on the amount of risk you are prepared to take. But you should have no more than 5% in a single country.

Tim Cockerill, head of research at adviser Rowan & Co, selects the wider-ranging First State Asia Pacific and Martin Currie Asia Pacific which carry substantial investments in Hong Kong and China.

Above all, it's worth timing your investment for a downturn. Mark Dampier, head of research at adviser Hargreaves Lansdown, recommends Jupiter China and Neptune China. 'Wait for a bad day in the markets and then buy,' he says. At least you can be sure there will be a fair few of those.

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