Abstract: An analyst's performance is evaluated by utilizing information pertaining to at least one revision issued by the analyst involving at least one investment. This evaluation includes determining a conditional performance score indicative of the analyst's performance relative to other investors. The performance score is determined at least in part by considering an average historical performance of the investment, following the revision. In addition, the performance score is also determined using a historical consistency of the analyst's performances with respect to revisions involving the investment, and a number of revisions made by the analyst. Then, the performance score may be adjusted according to one or more adjustments, including adjustments for accentuating a number of issued revisions and a return amount, to generate a final performance score.

Abstract: With an electronic money managing system using an electronic-money medium, a user is freed from worrying about a balance in the medium, avoiding unnecessary spending. The system has a medium storing e-money that is spent for payments by a payment section in response to charging by a charging section. A minimum balance setting section sets in the medium an amount payable only for a particular purpose as a minimum balance. A purpose judgment section discriminates whether or not a payment is for the particular purpose. A balance judgment section discriminates whether or not a total balance of electronic money remaining in the medium after the payment is smaller than the minimum balance. A control section controls so as to prohibit the payment, if the result of the discrimination by the purpose judgment section is negative and also if the result of the discrimination by the balance judgment section is positive.

Abstract: A system for information management consists of a product, for instance a notepad sheet, which has a writing surface (3) with a position code (5), which codes a plurality of positions on the surface, and a device, which is adapted to record the information which is being written on the writing surface by detecting the position code. Moreover, on the product there are a number of activation icons (7a-g). When such an activation icon is detected by the device, the device initiates a predetermined operation which utilizes the recorded information. Such an operation can, for instance, consist of sending the recorded information to an indicated address. A product, a device, a method and a computer program for information management are also shown.

Abstract: A method for providing a bid price and/or an offer price of an option relating to an underlying asset, the method including the steps of receiving first input data corresponding to a plurality of parameters defining the option, receiving second input data corresponding to a plurality of current market conditions relating to the underlying value, computing a corrected theoretical value of the option based on the first and second input data (110), computing a bid/offer spread of the option based on the first and input data (116), computing a bid price and/or an offer price of the option based on the corrected theoretical value and the bid/offer spread (118), and providing an output corresponding to the bid price and/or the offer price of the option.

Abstract: A method and system are provided which enables automotive dealers to use a standard PC and Internet-type browser software package to enter credit/loan application data over the Internet. Such data can then be automatically distributed via the Internet to designated financial institutes or loan service providers for processing. The system also receives responses back from the service providers and displays these responses to the requesting dealer. To accommodate financial institutions which have not been provided with prearranged access, the system provides automatic enablement of facsimile transmission to dealer-chosen banks and credit unions. In addition, other information which facilitates the automotive credit process, such as completion of standard department of motor vehicles forms, insurance forms, etc.

Abstract: An automated system and method for creating a class of loan securities includes determining if a characteristic for each of a plurality the loans satisfies at least one criteria, selecting each of the plurality of loans that satisfy the criteria, and creating the class of loan securities using the selected loans.

Abstract: A method for financing future intentions of a first party (1, 15) pursuant to a first contract (4, 18) with a second party (2, 16) for a specified monetary sum. A contract (5, 19) involving a variable annuity is obtained from a third party (3, 17). A guaranteed benefit equal to at least the specified monetary sum is paid to the second party by the third party to pay for the fulfillment of the future intentions of the first party. The variable annuity has a guaranteed annual increase.