News - World's 50 Safest Banks - according to Global Finance

Here is the excerpt from Global Finance Magazine - Feb 2009

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New York, February 25, 2009 — Such has been the turmoil in the world’s banking industry that, for the first time, Global Finance magazine is publishing a mid-year update of its much-respected Safest Banks listing. A full report on the list will appear in the April issue of Global Finance.The “World’s 50 Safest Banks” 2009 were selected through a comparison of the long-term credit ratings and total assets of the 500 largest banks around the world. Ratings from Moody’s, Standard& Poor’s and Fitch were used.

Global Finance has published its “World’s SafestBanks” listing for 17 years and this ranking hasbecome a recognized and trusted standard of credit worthiness for the entire financial world. “The rating agencies have determined these banks have demonstrated a more prudent and sustainable approach to risk than their peers,”says Global Finance publisher Joseph D.Giarraputo. “More than ever customers all around the world are viewing long term credit worthiness as the key feature of the banks with which they do business.”

1.KfW(Germany)

2.Caisse des Depots et Consignations (CDC)(France)

3.Bank Nederlands Gemeenten (BNG)(Netherlands)

4.Landwirtschaftliche Rentenbank(Germany)

5.Rabobank(Netherlands)

6.Landeskreditbank Baden-Wuerttemberg-Foerderbank(Germany)

7.NRW. Bank(Germany)

8.BNP Paribas(France)

9.Banco Santander(Spain)

10.Royal Bank of Canada(Canada)

11.National Australia Bank(Australia)

12.Commonwealth Bank of Australia(Australia)

13.Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA)(Spain)

14.Toronto-Dominion Bank(Canada)

15.Australia & New Zealand Banking Group(Australia)

16.Westpac Banking Corporation(Australia)

17.Banco Espanol de Credito S.A. (Banesto)(Spain)

18.ASB Bank Limited(New Zealand)

19.HSBC(United Kingdom)

20.Credit Agricole(France)

21.Wells Fargo(United States)

22.Nordea Bank(Sweden)

23.Scotiabank(Canada)

24.La Caixa(Spain)

25.Svenska Handelsbanken(Sweden)

26.US Bancorp(United States)

27.Banco Popular Espanol(Spain)

28.DBS Bank(Singapore)

29.Pohjola Bank(Finland)

30.Deutsche Bank(Germany)

31.Société Générale(France)

32.Intesa Sanpaolo(Italy)

33.Bank of Montreal(Canada)

34.DnB NOR Bank(Norway)

35.The Bank of New York Mellon(United States)

36.Caixa Geral de Depositos(Portugal)

37.United Overseas Bank(Singapore)

38.OCBC(Singapore)

39.Axa Bank Europe(Belgium)

40.Credit Suisse Group(Switzerland)

41.Landesbank Baden-Wuerttemberg(Germany)

42.Nationwide Building Society(United Kingdom)

43.CIBC(Canada)

44.National Bank Of Kuwait(Kuwait)

45.Barclays(United Kingdom)

46.UBS(Switzerland)

47.JPMorgan Chase(United States)

48.Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ(Japan)

49.Banque Federative du Credit Mutuel (BFCM) (France)
50.Credit Industriel et Commercial (CIC)(France)

--- Global Finance magazine February 25, 2009 ---

Technical Analysis - Update Dow and All Ords Weekly Gann Charts

As an update to the charts published near the start of December, we again look at the weekly charts for both the Dow Industrial Averages (DJIA) and the Australian All Ordinaries (XAO). The DJIA has broken through the important angle and is heading steeply downwards to the next bear angle. If it continues at the current rate, it may reach 5800 later in March or early April.

The XAO so far does not seem to follow the steep decline although it too has recently broken a support angle and downward movement is likely. The next support line (Yellow) is some way off. At this time, it is harder to make a call for the XAO - it depends on how deep the DJIA falls and how much influence it has on the XAO.