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  1. Hi Folks, If I intend to send some money (e.g. S$10k) from Singapore to a relative in USA who is holding a Bank of America account, what would be the method which would provide a good conversion rate with minimum administrative charge? Or is there any other way which is quick and cheap? Thanks for your advice.
  2. http://metro.co.uk/2014/07/22/meet-amazon-amanda-the-plus-size-model-who-sits-on-men-for-money-4806258/ Meet Amazon Amanda, the plus-size model who sits on men for money Alison Lynch Tuesday 22 Jul 2014 12:12 pm 115 shares Share on FacebookShare on Twitter Amanda is seen here wrestling with client Sergio (Picture: Barcroft)Good work if you can get it. Amazon Amanda (real name Amanda Soule) is, by any stretch of the imagination, a larger-than-life presence. The 38-year-old weighs 20 stone, is a statuesque 6ft 3ins in height and boasts a 44DD bust, making her a huge hit with guys who enjoy being sat on, squashed, carried, and, yes, wrestled by super-sized, Amazonian woman. After growing too big to be a mainstream model, Amanda discovered a whole subculture where she could earn money just by sitting down all day – on men, who then paid her for the privilege. Amanda often towers over her diminutive clients who like to be carried, lifted and sometimes sat on (Picture: Barcroft)Yep, she makes a living out of making men feel small. Las Vegas-based Amanda, who insists nothing sexual takes place between her and her clients, has over 6000 fans on Twitter and describes herself as ‘Amazon by height, BBW by size and goddess by nature’, according to The Mirror. She tends to tower over her diminutive clients. Despite a largely open-door policy, Amanda admits she did once have to turn down a terminally-ill client for fear she would squash him to death. LOL
  3. Wud u lend money to friend whom not in touch for years and suddenly ask u for a loan?
  4. Nice ending and good that the kids had the right morals! College students track down owner of an old couch they bought -- because it had $40k stuffed in it Three students from New Paltz, New York were settling in to the couch they just bought when they found an envelope in the armrest with $700 in it. According to The Little Rebellion, New Paltz geology student Reese Werkhoven said that he "almost peed" because the most he ever found in a couch was 50 cents. After a 20 minute search of the old couch they got for just $20, Werkhoven, New Paltz graduate Lara Russo and Mount Holyoke graduate Cally Guasti now had a total of $40,000 in cash. Their initial excitement was dampened however, when Russo found a woman's name on one of the envelopes, causing a moral dilemma. They then each called their parents for advice, and they were all told the same thing: do not spend the money, do not tell anyone else about the money, find the woman on the envelope and find out if it's her money. However, although they knew they didn't earn the money, there were other things they had to consider. What if the person is just a really bad person? To this they were told that if they didn't think that someone was a good person or deserving of the money, then they had no obligation to give it to them. This only made the lines blurrier, so they tracked down the woman anyway. Werkhoven's mother found the woman in a phonebook, so her son called her after work. He confirmed who she was and then told her about the couch, promising to return it to her, but she simply replied: "Oh. I left a lot of money in that couch." This left him worried, and when they approached her house, the 'beware of dog' signs and mounted cameras didn't reassure them at all. They were relieved when the woman's daughter and granddaughter greeted them at the door as they could tell that they were good people. After they returned the money, the old woman explained how the money got to them. Her husband had had a heart condition and knew his time was limited. Before he died, he gave her money each week to put away for when he passed. For 30 years she stored her savings inside an old couch in the television room where she slept. When her husband passed away, she remained working as a florist and continued to store her money in the couch, until she had an operation on her back and went to a rehabilitation center for several months. Upon the woman’s doctor’s advice, the woman’s daughter and son-in-law replaced the couch she used to sleep on with a full-size bed. The couch ended up at the Salvation Army store in New Paltz where the three students nearly didn't buy it because they thought it was ugly and smelly, but it was the only one that fit their living room. The woman then gave them a $1,000 reward for making the right moral decision.
  5. good idea? safe? if a child has an OCBC accounts and can they anyhow send money to friends?
  6. “What burning ‘paper money’ really meant those days.” During a funeral ceremony in ancient China, paper-made models of houses, sedan chairs, treasure chests, clothes, daily utensils, and even effigies of servants, were burnt as the cortege was leaving home for burial in the cemetery. The ORIGINAL meaning of such an act is to show everyone present that all former possessions of the deceased cannot be brought along to the next life. At one’s death, everything one had ever owned has to be left behind. The burning only emphasizes this message, as it is the most graphical, symbolic, and dramatic way of showing total loss! There is a Chinese saying that ‘no possessions can be brought along to the next existence; the only thing that follows one is his deeds, or ‘karma’ ‘ ( 万般带不去,唯有业随身 ). Furthermore, his relatives and friends only follow the deceased up to the grave, but soon turn to go home, leaving the dead alone in his tomb! Thus, the burning of cheaply-produced paper models and effigies served as an effective educational tool. Witnessing how fire consumes every ‘former possession’ of the deceased, even an illiterate peasant or young child was able to understand this sense of total relinquishment at death. Today, this practice is completely misunderstood by the majority of Chinese. Instead of the original meaning, paper-made models have been turned into “paper offerings” – with the mistaken thought that whatever one burns, his departed relatives will obtain in the netherworld! Hence people nowadays burn paper models of the latest i-Pads, smartphones, LED screens, and “paper money” in inflated sums in order to please the dead. All these will not help the departed ones at all. In fact, this misunderstanding will only harm the living by maintaining their ignorance and delusions. http://www.nalanda.org.my/what-burning-paper-money-really-meant/
  7. New York - American business magnate Warren Buffett's earnings of US$37 million (S$47 million) a day has made him the billionaire who made the most money in 2013, according to research company Wealth-X. The legendary investor raked in a gain of US$12.7 billion during the year and his net worth currently stands at US$59.1 billion. Even though he made the most gains in 2013, Microsoft co-founder and chairman Bill Gates still holds the title of the wealthiest billionaire in the world. In 2013, Gates' personal fortune increased by US$11.5 billion, with his assets totalling up to US$72.6 billion, said Wealth-X. Followed (Following) closely behind in the third spot is American casino tycoon Sheldon Adelson who made a profit of US$11.4 billion from his gambling properties in Las Vegas, Macau and Singapore. Wealth-X reported that his personal net worth is estimated to be more than US$35 billion. The Asians who made it in the list include Japanese Masayoshi Son from SoftBank and Hong Kong casino magnate Lui Chee Woo, with financial gains of US$10.3 billion and US$8.3 billion respectively. Son was named sixth in the list, and Lui came in at ninth. On average, Wealth-X said the billionaires in the list made approximately US$29 million per day in 2013 and increased their wealth by 41.6 per cent. The 10 individuals collectively gained US$101.8 billion in 2013, bringing their combined wealth to US$347 billion, an increase from US$245 billion in January 2013, reported Wealth-X. Even though Warren Buffett made the most gains in 2013, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates still holds the title of the wealthiest billionaire in the world. Here's the full list, ranked by billions made from Jan. 1 to Dec. 11, 2013: 10. Carl Icahn made $7.2 billion The corporate raider had a big year after bets on Netflix and Herbalife (HLF) yielded Icahn Capital Management $800 million and $500 million profits, respectively. He tweeted his thanks to Netflix (NFLX) CEO Reed Hastings and Kevin Spacey, star of the streaming service's hit show, "House of Cards." 9. Lui Chee Woo made $8.3 billion The founder of Galaxy Entertainment Group became Asia's second-richest man in 2013 as gambling revenue grew at a record pace in Macau. Lui is looking to expand his flagship casino in the city's Cotai area, which is known by many as the Asian version of the Las Vegas Strip. 8. Larry Page made $9.3 billion Google's co-founder and CEO made $3 billion in 24 hours when Google (GOOG) stocks hit an all-time high in October, breaking $1,000 for the first time. Android became the world's most popular operating system, running on 43 percent of the globe's smartphones. 7. Sergey Brin made $9.3 billion Brin, Google co-founder and head of special projects with Google X, made $2.9 billion in the October stock surge. As of Dec. 11, Brin is worth an estimated $30 billion, a 4.8 percent percent increase over the year. 6. Masayoshi Son made $10.3 billion The founder of Softbank, Asia's top Internet and telecommunications corporation, lost $70 billion in the dot-com crash, but he's surging back in a big way. The purchase of Sprint (S) and a large investment in Finnish game-maker Supercell are highlights in a year that saw Son's personal net worth more than double, growing from $8.8 billion to $19.1 billion. 5. Mark Zuckerberg made $10.5 billion Facebook (FB) stock hit an all-time high in October, and revenue continues to grow despite questions about the longevity of the product. 4. Jeff Bezos made $11.3 billion The founder and CEO of Amazon (AMZN), which made $17.1 billion in net sales in the third quarter, raised some eyebrows when he bought the Washington Post for $250 million this summer. 3. Sheldon Adelson made $11.4 billion According to Wealth-X, the casino mogul's personal net worth grew to an estimated $35.3 billion this year thanks to profits from his gambling properties in Las Vegas, Macau, and Singapore. 2. Bill Gates made $11.5 billion The world's wealthiest man ended the year with a personal net worth of $72.6 billion, up nearly 19 percent from $61.1 billion in 2012. 1. Warren Buffett made $12.7 billion Berkshire Hathaway's (BRK-A) (BRK-B) CEO personally made about $37 million a day in 2013, a year that saw the company's acquisition of Heinz and Nevada's NV Energy.
  8. LOUIS VUITTON PULLS OUT OF SINGAPORE STREET DOG FUNDRAISER BECAUSE DOGS ARE TOO LOW CLASS Post date: 14 Nov 2013 - 2:15pm Source : http://therealsingapore.com/content/louis-vuitton-pulls-out-singapore-street-dog-fundraiser-because-dogs-are-too-low-class The road to saving stray dogs is an uphill one, filled with set backs & difficulties. Esquire Magazine asked me yesterday why, I, an aesthetics doctor who people will view as being living in glamour & driving a nice car, decided to dedicate my life to doing this. I replied that before I started saving street dogs, I was indeed one of such people- chasing the "Singapore dream". But embarking on such a journey changes you profoundly. At the beginning, people thought I was doing this to get attention, waiting for me to give up. My colleagues, parents and loved ones were dead against it, telling me to spend my time and money doing better things. But compassion is a universal language. We may all have different views, but at our core, everyone speaks the same simple language of kindness - not only to humans, but to animals as well. That is what unites us in saving Singapore's street dogs. My interview with the good people at Esquire Magazine yesterday was supposed to be for a charity fundraiser with Louis Vuitton . LV donated some items which would be auctioned, and the proceeds donated to Save Our Street Dogs. But in a dramatic turn of events, they pulled out during the photoshoot despite initially agreeing to be part of it - because LV felt that dogs, MONGRELS,, stray dogs, in particular, are too LOW CLASS for their brand image. It is an difficult road we have chosen to take, because many corporations and people are still blinded only with superficial glitter & bright lights, falsely holding onto the belief that the make-belief world of "luxury" they have crafted for themselves is the real one. To these corporations and people, "charity" is merely a means of making their brand look better, or making themselves look good - not for altruism. These people have forgotten the most important language of all - the language of compassion. Hawk Cut Weis Founder of SaveOurStreetDogs.com
  9. any bros here doing that? like placing ads, do errand runs, etc? just curious.
  10. JOACHIM SCHWASS How important is money to you? WARREN BUFFET Well, it is nice to have all you need. But I have had all I've needed since I was in my mid-twenties. I mean, you know, I have got everything in life that somebody could want
  11. Is this good for body paint or unnecessary? If I remember, it is $300-400+. Coating can last about a year, only wash body with water, but can not wash with soap, may remove the coating. But when wash the windscreen with soap, the soap will drip to the body right? http://www.mercedes-benz.com.sg/content/si...tar_Shield.html
  12. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singap...now/745958.html I rather not.
  13. look at HERE CAT A COE: S$73,100, This car price: S$70,988 Car dealer will pay back to buyer 73100-70899=S$2112 Hurry up!!! don't miss the earning money opportunity
  14. Call this fella. He say he can help [laugh]
  15. Any Bros here using AC Ryan? The Notebook can be connected to TV for watching Internet movies, so is there a need to get a AC Ryan?
  16. Sources: http://forums.condosingapore.com/showthread.php?t=17370 http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2013/ap...ation-deflation http://www.japantoday.com/category/busines...an-out-of-slump Prepare for asset inflation
  17. She alighted and turned her jeans pockets inside out, showing she had no money to pay the $5.40 taxi fare.
  18. Mindless money printing- the S$308.4032B reason why Singapore inflation is so high nowadays. According to video 'Causes of inflation: Cost-push and demand-pull'[ ] Cost push inflation is input cost inflation caused by land, labour, capital, entrepreneurship- any increase in the cost of these factors increases the final product cost (i.e. an increase in CPI(Consumer Price Index)). Demand Pull inflation is caused basically by the demand upon certain goods, as measured by the number of dollars people are willing to wage to attain a certain product. In the general scheme of things, in so far that consumers and suppliers of goods and services (we are all participants in each part in our daily affairs) remain decent and honest persons, with the tendency to 'consume' measured by one's tendency to 'produce'(productivity)- then theoretically, there would be NO consistent CPI rise except the occasional isolated demand/supply imbalance due to natural disaster or war. But Singapore is quite insulated away from any significant natural disaster or war, so why has the average price of goods between 1989 (CPI=71.3) and 2009(CPI=100) increased (inflated) by (100.0-71.3)/71.3 = 40.25% over the 20 years?? [see Pict: 'Singapore Annual Inflation rate and CPI (1980-2012)/Singstat'] Studying the chart about 'Singapore Money Supply (DBU), M1,2,3, 1989 to 2012' for monetary supply changes between 1989 and 2009, one would easily note that M1 (Narrowly defined, money supply (M1) consists of currency in active circulation and demand deposits) M1 grew from S$13.7446B (1989) to S$93.4721B(2009)- a whopping 5.8fold increase over the 20years documented. (WRT to the M3 numbers of S$71.0078B(1989) vs S$378.5260(2009), the increase is a 4.33fold increase over 20 yrs) The official foreign reserves of Singapore between 1989 and 2000 are not available but according to 'Singapore official financial reserves (2001-2011)', the totals were S$139.7143B(2001) and S$308.4032B(2011)- amounting to a 1.207fold increase over the 10 year period (of course subject to variations in international currency exchange rates [SGD exc rt, 2001-2011]). According to 'Singapore Time Series on Population (Mid-Year Estimates)' using the 20 year interval where census were taken between 1990 and 2010, the local resident population increased from 2735.9K (1990) to 3771.7K(2010): a 37.86% Singapore resident population increase over the 20 years mentioned. Singaporeans have not become more lazy, on the contrary, according to 'Singstat: Trends in Productivity and Value Added by industry' 'total economy' (large olive green dot) productivity in Singapore has certainly increased between 1991 and 2011. Whilst currency exchange rates may be a proximate measure of the relative depreciation of a nation's currency relative to others due to the effect of over supply of one nation's currency as compared to that of another, it cannot be denied that all nations around the world, led by the USA, are into a conspiracy of freely printing money which is of course inflationary 'Chart: Estimated global monetary Aggregates (1971-2010)' - the chart showing an approx 3 fold increase in world M3 money supply between 1989 to 2009. Thus in 'Singapore's inflation may remain elevated for years to come: survey' [CNA, 24Jan2013] "survey by the Singapore Management University (SMU)... composite five-year-expectation is 4.97 per cent" Guess Singaporeans are all victims of a world wide government conspiracy to keep them always working (savings are always eroded by inflation) till the day they die, and also in power (the SG govt has S$308.4032B(2011) alone in foreign reserves and gold). So moral of the story is that governments all around the world should stop printing so much money to keep inflation under control and voters need to demand so (so as to safeguard one's retirement years). Guess in Singapore, recent curbs upon car loan and housing loan quantum(s) are merely cosmetic changes meant to fudge inflation statistics yet do minimal to improve the lives of the poor and downtrodden. Perhaps the Singapore government could lead the way forward by firstly not printing so much money which only breeds inflation if not hyper inflation as the population growth within a limited land area can only be so much. Perhaps the Singapore government could start the discussion by explaining to the populace what it intends to do with its SGD 308.4032B(2011) in foreign reserves (should be more by now), and please be reminded, that convenient half truths by Ministers really do not help. Picts below, Rgds, B.C. [PictSource: SG money supply] [PictSource: 'Singapore Annual Inflation rate and CPI (1980-2012)/Singstat'] [PictSource: SG official Foreign Reserves (YOS2012)] [PictSource: Time Series on Population (Mid-Year Estimates)(1970-2012)] [ ] [PictSource: SGD exc rates, finance (2001-2011), YOS2012] Tags: Inflation, foreign reserves, gold, government, Singapore, politics, printing, corruption, fraud, democracy, dictatorship, capitalism, currency, gold standard, Anyhow, nice music that I like that U too might like: .
  19. Japan should let old 'hurry up and die': minister http://sg.news.yahoo.com/japan-let-old-hur...-113515884.html will you "go die" instead of wasting govt resources or depleting your own cpf , your child cpf and hard earned savings? in drama, we always heard ... "the old and poor man will say let me die, don't waste money" ... this is a real issue as aging population going full speed. what say you?
  20. Dear bro and sis, Need your opinion and advice, hope you all can help. Recently I bought a new car and put down my deposit. At the same time, i will trade in my old car to the dealer. I took the full loan so I will get back tsome money from the dealer. I will collect my car soon. i need to hand over the old car to the dealer on the day when i colkect my new car. However I was told by the dealer that I only can get the trade in amount plus the deposit back from dealer after one month only. The dealer will pay me back with cheque, that's need time to process. This is the reason I got from the dealer. Is this the normal practice? Do you guy think this is normal when buy new car and trade in the old car with them? I thought I should collect the trade in amount plus the deposit from dealer after hand over my old car since the owner name of my old car will be transferred to dealer? Hope to hear from you guys soon . Thanks.
  21. Many of us know that workshops are overcharging us. Whether it is an authorized workshop or it be Ah Tan's Motor (fictitious name). Many times we have no idea at all as to what went wrong and we will blindly listen to what the mechanics are telling us, nodding our heads as though we understood everything they said (or did not say). Most other times, we just grumble a little and hand over our ATM card. After all, when something goes wrong with our car, we just want to get it fix as soon as possible. Recently I met with one such incident and, in what I felt, had been totally ripped off. It was probably partly my fault for being too rough on the car. I had pulled up in a Shell station, grab the gear shifter, and with probably a little too much force, yanked it to "P". What followed was a heart sinking "krucckk" sound, accompanied by all the lights beside the gear indicator lighting up and the car now stuck in "R" gear. The gear shifter now has completely lost all resistance and could freely move from P to 1 with a push of a finger. The gear linkage had came loose. Now, if this were to happen to your friend (lets call him John), who is the average driver and knows nothing about cars, along say Ang Mo Kio Street 11. He/She would probably have thought the worst and a tow truck would be definitely called for. In his/her mind now, this seems to warrant a pretty serious repair, and equally hefty bill. The workshops know this and therefore, they charge accordingly. Let me show you what actually happened to my car. No. 2 is the Gear Linkage that goes to the shifter No. 3 is the Actuator Lever that is connected to the Gearbox itself Due to my excessive force, No.2 came loose from No.3. It is basically a rubber boot (No.2) that slots into a ball end on No.3. However, I had damaged the rubber boot slightly and it will not fit properly onto the actuator lever anymore. So, the workshop decided to change the actuator lever to another which has a screw end instead of a slot-in ball end. They then drill a small hole into the rubber boot so the screw can be fitted through and a nut can be used to hold it in place. This actuator lever is only a piece of metal about the size of your thumb. So I thought, Hey! That will be cheap! Estimated about maximum $30 for that piece. NO. It cost $240. I was a mechanic in army and I know a little about stuffs like that, $240, that is way overkill. The mechanic who knows me knew it was excessive but he said that's what the boss quoted and he can't do anything about it. Not wanting to put my friend in a spot, I reluctantly paid up. Now, if your friend John who by now believe that he needs to fork out at least $1000 for some huge damage to his gearbox was told that he will only have to pay $240. He'd be delighted and would have gladly paid up. Sad truth here is, due to the high cost of cars in Singapore, many people mistakenly think that car components cost a lot when in fact cost price for a basic Suzuki swift can be as low as $6000 -$8000 (est.). Do you think that a piece of metal warrants $240? If you have any similar experiences, do share under the comments section.
  22. Former midfielder Ballack unable to pay speeding fine LONDON -A lawyer for Michael Ballack claimed yesterday that the former Chelsea midfield player could not afford to pay a speeding fine because he is unemployed. The Daily Telegraph reported that the former Germany captain was caught by a speed camera doing 210kmh in his four-wheel drive Audi U7 on a Spanish motorway near the resort town of Trujillo on Oct 17. The limit for that stretch of road is 120kmh. At his initial court hearing the day after his arrest, his legal team were told that he faced a two-year driving ban and an
  23. collaboration with NUS and Shanghai Jiao Tong University. http://www.bschool.nus.edu.sg/Staff/bizteocp/Moneyin4D.pdf
  24. [Disclaimer - I am not related to the company listed at the above www site] just that i saw their truck on the road, and their tagline very different from the traditional approach
  25. Standard Chartered http://online.wsj.com/public/quotes/main.h...od=inlineTickerPLC agreed to pay $340 million to a New York regulator to settle allegations that the bank broke U.S. money-laundering laws in handling transactions for Iranian customers, after a weeklong, trans-Atlantic regulatory drama. Standard Chartered Chief Executive Peter A. Sands flew into New York to help negotiate the settlement, said people familiar with the bank. The sum is the largest fine ever collected by a single U.S. regulator in a money-laundering case. The agreement came just eight days after the regulator, Superintendent Benjamin M. Lawsky of the state Department of Financial Services, stunned the banking world, and fellow U.S. regulators, by accusing the fifth-biggest U.K. bank by assets of illegally scheming over a decade to hide more than 60,000 financial transactions totaling $250 billion for Iranian clients. The allegations and the settlement, which were first reported by The Wall Street Journal, sparked criticism of Mr. Lawsky from senior U.K. officials, including central banker Mervyn King. The settlement led the New York regulator to call off a hearing scheduled for Wednesday morning at its offices in Lower Manhattan. The bank's chief executive had flown to New York this weekend to oversee settlement talks, according to people familiar with the bank. The bank, which earlier had contested much of the allegations, acknowledged the fine covers all the transactions that the New York regulator alleged were illegal. The bank hasn't admitted wrongdoing. The settlement took the form of a term sheet signed by Mr. Sands that spelled out the key points in the agreement, including the monetary penalty, said people familiar with the matter. Because the deal was struck so quickly, the final settlement agreement is yet to be drafted in its full legal format, they said. The penalty is the latest in a series of enforcement actions by U.S. authorities against foreign banks over allegations they failed to uphold U.S. money-laundering laws. ING Bank NV of the Netherlands this year agreed to pay $619 million to settle charges in a case brought by U.S. Justice Department and the Manhattan district attorney's office, with the resulting funds split by those two entities. Other banks that have settled similar allegations that they broke U.S. sanctions laws in recent years include ABN Amro Bank, now part of Royal Bank of Scotland Group http://online.wsj.com/public/quotes/main.h...od=inlineTicker PLC, Credit Suisse Group AG http://online.wsj.com/public/quotes/main.h...od=inlineTicker and Barclays PLC.http://online.wsj.com/public/quotes/main.h...od=inlineTicker ING, Royal Bank of Scotland, Credit Suisse and Barclays acknowledged violating laws including the Trading With the Enemy Act. http://online.wsj.com/public/quotes/main.h...od=inlineTickerHSBC Holdings PLC is being probed by U.S. authorities and has told investors that it has reserved $700 million to pay fines. Standard Chartered's actions regarding Iran are still under criminal investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Justice Department, according to federal officials. The bank, following its internal review, had already uncovered $14 million of improper money transfers for Iranian clients, a bank spokesperson said. A Standard Chartered spokesman said a formal agreement "is expected to be concluded shortly." He added that the bank "continues to engage constructively with the other relevant U.S. authorities." Standard Chartered's actions regarding Iran are still under criminal investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Justice Department, according to federal officials.The bank, following its internal review, had already uncovered $14 million of improper money transfers for Iranian clients, a bank spokesperson said.A Standard Chartered spokesman said a formal agreement "is expected to be concluded shortly." He added that the bank "continues to engage constructively with the other relevant U.S. authorities." The settlement discussions between Standard Chartered and Mr. Lawsky's office began last Tuesday. Mr. Lawsky had leveled his allegations after the London stock market closed that Monday afternoon, U.K. time. The stock has dropped 7% on the London Stock Exchange since the allegations came to light Aug. 6, wiping out $2.4 billion in market value. While the bank's attorneys and executives worked to address the allegations, they also sounded out other U.S. regulators, in the hopes that all would come together to negotiate with the bank as a group. Both Mr. Lawsky's office and the bank's attorneys worked on two tracks. They prepared documents and presentations to hash out the facts of Mr. Lawsky's case at a hearing he set for Wednesday, while bracing to wrangle over the price tag and terms of a settlement agreement. The talks stretched late into Monday and were finalized Tuesday, said people familiar with the matter, with Mr. Sands signing the document just hours before Mr. Lawsky's office put out a statement at about 2 p.m. Four other U.S. regulators that have been probing the bank's actions weren't part of the settlement. The U.S. Treasury Department, the Federal Reserve, the U.S. Department of Justice and the Manhattan district attorney's office have been negotiating with Standard Chartered since 2011 to reach a settlement over its Iran-related transactions. Standard Chartered wanted to settle with U.S. authorities as a group to assuage investors' concerns about exposure to future penalties, but the other regulators didn't move quickly enough, said a person close to the bank. A Treasury Department representative said: "Our investigation continues. Treasury will continue working with our regulatory and law enforcement partners to hold Standard Chartered accountable for any sanctionable activity that occurred." A Justice Department spokesman said the agency "continues to work closely with our regulatory and other partners to determine what actions might be appropriate in this matter.'' "The Federal Reserve continues to work with the other agencies on a comprehensive resolution," said a Fed spokeswoman. "Banks that violate international sanctions aren't just breaking the law, they are enabling the financing of terrorist regimes and undermining our collective safety and security," said Erin Duggan, a spokeswoman for Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. As part of the settlement, Standard Chartered agreed to install a monitor chosen by Mr. Lawsky's office to oversee its international transactions. The bank also agreed to appoint its own auditors in its New York office to oversee compliance with U.S. money-laundering laws. Analysts say the settlement is a good outcome for Standard Chartered. They say the penalty is manageable for a bank that generated nearly $4 billion of profit in the first half of 2012. And the resolution of Mr. Lawsky's probe, as well as his threat to revoke the bank's New York license, is likely to relieve investors, said Alastair Ryan, a London-based banking analyst with UBS. "Putting this issue behind them will be welcomed by shareholders," Mr. Ryan said. "Regulators, however aggressive, hold the whip hand now and removing tail risk for this [$340 million] figure
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