Listing of AFP News Articleshttp://www.afponline.org/ArticleRss.ashxSat, 18 May 2013 04:18:18 -0400Sat, 18 May 2013 04:18:18 -0400European treasurers are poised to save a substantial amount of money on cross-border credit card transactions for their companies now that Visa Europe has announced it is reducing interbank fees for these payments. http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Treasurers_to_Benefit_as_Visa_Europe_Cuts_Cross-Border_Fees.htmlFri, 17 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Treasurers_to_Benefit_as_Visa_Europe_Cuts_Cross-Border_Fees.htmlAdopting electronic payments is essential for corporates, but one study uncovered substantial obstacles that treasurers must surmount to ensure a successful implementation.http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Study__Top_Hurdles_Keeping_Treasury_from_Adopting_E-Payments.htmlWed, 15 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Study__Top_Hurdles_Keeping_Treasury_from_Adopting_E-Payments.htmlWith payments fraud running rampant, a recent AFP webinar held by a treasury executive provided especially timely advice. Effective internal controls include exception processing, activity specific accounts and more.  http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/AFP_Fraudwatch__Essential_Controls_for_Treasury,_Finance.htmlTue, 14 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/AFP_Fraudwatch__Essential_Controls_for_Treasury,_Finance.htmlFollowing the $1.1 billion acquisition of Norit N.V., Cabot's debt balance grew from $600 million to $1.4 billion. Cabot’s treasury team was mandated with reviewing the capital structure and establishing ways to optimize interest expense by rebalancing the company’s fixed versus variable debt.http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Case_Study__Implementing_an_A2/P2_CP_Program.htmlTue, 14 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Case_Study__Implementing_an_A2/P2_CP_Program.htmlPayments vendors will claim they are PCI compliant. But smart treasury and finance professionals shouldn't take their word for it. http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/6_Tips_Treasurers_Can_Use_to_Reduce_Payment_Vendor_Risk.htmlTue, 14 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/6_Tips_Treasurers_Can_Use_to_Reduce_Payment_Vendor_Risk.htmlAlthough the recent AFP Corporate Cash Indicators™ suggests that corporate treasurers have become more willing to spend some of their excess cash, many do not anticipate a large uptick in spending on capital investments for some time. Treasurers at a recent roundtable in New York co-hosted by BlackRock and the AFP Corporate Treasurers Council indicated they are still very hesitant to take on more risk and spend more money.http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Murky_Outlook__Treasurers_Not_Taking_on_Risk.htmlMon, 13 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Murky_Outlook__Treasurers_Not_Taking_on_Risk.htmlThe world—at least here in the USA—has been up, up, and away since the release of the employment report back on May 3. Every day seems to bring new highs to the stock market, and the news in both the housing and employment worlds seems to be getting stronger with each data release.http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/This_Week_in_Corporate_Finance__A_Bright_Future_.htmlMon, 13 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/This_Week_in_Corporate_Finance__A_Bright_Future_.htmlEMV migration is coming to the U.S., and retailers need to be prepared. At the recent NACHA Payments conference in San Diego, AFP spoke with retail treasurers and other industry experts on the challenges they are likely to face when implementing this new card payment standard.http://www.afponline.org/pub/res/news/Retail_Treasurers_Discuss_EMV_Adoption.htmlSat, 11 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/pub/res/news/Retail_Treasurers_Discuss_EMV_Adoption.htmlThis week, the recent decrease in fraud incidents might be an indication that fraud is evolving, and moving to a new payments channel. Also, what do recent cybersecurity initiatives by the government mean for corporates?http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/AFP_Fraudwatch__New_Payment_Channels_Threaten_Corporate_Cash.htmlThu, 02 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/AFP_Fraudwatch__New_Payment_Channels_Threaten_Corporate_Cash.htmlFrance is leading European countries in making renminbi payments to China following a 249 percent growth in payments value since March 2012, according to SWIFT. France is now ranked fourth in the world for RMB payments value, behind the UK, Singapore and Taiwan.http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/SWIFT__France_Becoming_a_Major_Player_in_RMB_Payments.htmlTue, 30 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/SWIFT__France_Becoming_a_Major_Player_in_RMB_Payments.htmlWith the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) due to take full effect in 2014, treasurers for health plans are scrambling to implement electronic payments and remittances so their organizations can deliver mandated electronic funds transfer (EFT) and electronic remittance advice (ERA) to providers.http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/A_Treasurer%E2%80%99s_Advice_on_Implementing_E-Healthcare_Payments.htmlTue, 30 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/A_Treasurer%E2%80%99s_Advice_on_Implementing_E-Healthcare_Payments.htmlU.S. businesses are growing increasingly confident about their intermediate and longer-term prospects, according to the AFP Corporate Cash Indicators™ (AFP CCI™), underwritten by State Street Global Advisors. The forward indicator measuring expectations for the second quarter of 2013 was at -5, following a -4 reading during the previous quarter and only the third negative reading in the history of the survey.http://www.afponline.org/pub/res/news/AFP_CCI%E2%84%A2_for_1Q2013__Treasurers_Growing_More_Confident.htmlMon, 29 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/pub/res/news/AFP_CCI%E2%84%A2_for_1Q2013__Treasurers_Growing_More_Confident.htmlIs there truly a need to accept EMV? Executives from three major retailers recently questioned whether any merchant needs to accept the standard. The reasons they cited included the costs of implementing EMV and even the overall necessity of it.http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Retail_Treasurers_Question_the_Need_for_EMV.htmlMon, 29 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Retail_Treasurers_Question_the_Need_for_EMV.htmlBankers and practitioners agree: Corporate treasurers need to be more vocal about wanting electronic remittance standards.http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Consensus__Corporates_Must_Push_for_E-Remittance_Standards.htmlThu, 25 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Consensus__Corporates_Must_Push_for_E-Remittance_Standards.htmlUTA, a transport services provider operating throughout Europe, began its SEPA direct debit implementation program in 2010 and is ready for the 2014 launch date. Senior Credit Manager Thomas Wolpert explains how.  http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Case_Study__How_One_Corporate_Implemented_SEPA_Direct_Debit.htmlWed, 24 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Case_Study__How_One_Corporate_Implemented_SEPA_Direct_Debit.htmlAt least one expert on payments in the eurozone is concerned that slow progress over implementing the SEPA direct debit may result in some businesses missing the deadline. Neil Burton, director, product strategy at Earthport PLC, sees early adoption rates as an indicator that many of the smaller and medium-sized organizations, and even a few large corporates, are not going to be ready by the February 2014 deadline.http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/SEPA_Direct_Debit_to_Cause_Corporates_to_Miss_Deadline_.htmlTue, 23 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/SEPA_Direct_Debit_to_Cause_Corporates_to_Miss_Deadline_.htmlThe payments industry is at a crossroads, in which industry players are constantly challenged to innovate, all the while trying to decrease expenses and respond to changing regulations, said Janet Estep, president and CEO of NACHA. Estep emphasized that payments professionals—including those in corporate treasury—must focus on the possibilities of tomorrow, rather than just the needs of today.http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Banks_Must_Innovate_or_Else,_Experts_Say.htmlTue, 23 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Banks_Must_Innovate_or_Else,_Experts_Say.htmlSAN DIEGO-Charles Bretz, director, payment risk, Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center (FS-ISAC), provided insights on the most prevalent cyberthreats to corporates and said account takeovers remain one of the most frequent methods that cybercriminals use. http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/AFP_Fraudwatch__Fraud_a_Top_Concern_for_Payments_Pros.htmlTue, 23 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/AFP_Fraudwatch__Fraud_a_Top_Concern_for_Payments_Pros.htmlAFP and Aite Group released a new Payments Decision Guide at NACHA PAYMENTS 2013 Monday, presenting retail treasurers with strategies for managing payment acceptance costs and negotiating with merchant acquirers. The guide also provides details on the impact of industry mandates and legislative and court challenges to interchange fees and pricing.http://www.afponline.org/pub/res/news/AFP,_Aite_Release_Guide_on_Managing_Acquirer_Relationships.htmlMon, 22 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/pub/res/news/AFP,_Aite_Release_Guide_on_Managing_Acquirer_Relationships.htmlAmazon has filed a patent for an “anonymous” mobile payments system, which would allow users to pay retailers without disclosing personal information. If the service comes to fruition, it could put to rest concerns about the security of mobile payments.http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Mobile_Moves___Are_Anonymous_M-Payments_Coming_.htmlFri, 19 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Mobile_Moves___Are_Anonymous_M-Payments_Coming_.htmlSWIFT and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) have introduced the Uniform Rules for Bank Payment Obligation (URBPO), new legal and technology standards intended to improve international trade finance.http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/SWIFT,_ICC_Introduce_Standards_for_Trade_Finance.htmlThu, 18 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/SWIFT,_ICC_Introduce_Standards_for_Trade_Finance.htmlWhen corporates set up a regional treasury center (RTC), they often focus on how their bank can support them, but is also crucial to put the right legal structure in place.http://www.afponline.org/pub/res/news/Regional_Treasury_Centers_Need_the_Right_Legal_Structure.htmlThu, 18 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/pub/res/news/Regional_Treasury_Centers_Need_the_Right_Legal_Structure.html This month, we speak with treasurers and fraud experts and get their reactions to the 2013 Payments Fraud & Control Survey, underwritten by J.P. Morgan. Also this month, a follow-up to the CAPP Exercise, financial professionals get a big win in an appeals court ruling, the UK payments industry appears to be headed for stricter regulation, and more.http://www.afponline.org/pub/res/news/April_2013_Payments_Newsletter.htmlThu, 18 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/pub/res/news/April_2013_Payments_Newsletter.htmlThe Third Circuit Court of Appeals hit a home run empowering financial professionals in a recent ruling, by sending a clear signal that middle and senior level managers can legitimately question whether the invoices and payments, which they are charged to oversee and execute, are fraudulent and run afoul of federal law and corporate policies without fear of retaliation by their employers.http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Finance_Pros_Win_Big_in_Appeals_Court_Ruling.htmlWed, 17 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Finance_Pros_Win_Big_in_Appeals_Court_Ruling.htmlFerdinand Jahnel, Vice President and Treasurer at Henry Schein Inc. and AFP Board Member, discusses the challenges and opportunities he has faced throughout his career. A member of AFP since 2005, Jahnel has been a speaker at various AFP events.  http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/AFP_Board_Member_Profile__Ferdinand_Jahnel.htmlWed, 17 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/AFP_Board_Member_Profile__Ferdinand_Jahnel.htmlUntil recently, Canada levied a withholding tax on commercial paper issues in the United States, making it attractive for Canadian subsidiaries of U.S. parents to issue CP in Canada. But since the tax was lifted 18 months ago, CP issuance by foreign entities has dropped significantly in Canada—a trend that will likely continue.http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Corporate_Issuance_of_CP_Continues_to_Drop_in_Canada.htmlTue, 16 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Corporate_Issuance_of_CP_Continues_to_Drop_in_Canada.htmlCanadian exporters need to focus on emerging markets other than China if they want to spur growth, said a new report from CIBC. The volume of Canadian exports today is at the same level it was a decade ago.http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Report__Canadian_Exporters_Need_to_Expand_their_Horizons.htmlTue, 16 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Report__Canadian_Exporters_Need_to_Expand_their_Horizons.htmlDepending on whom you ask, processing credit card payments in the cloud is either a great leap forward for security and compliance, or a big step backward. Actually, it can be either—depending on the type of cloud you have in mind and the size of your company.http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Does_the_Cloud_Help_Card_Payment_Security_.htmlTue, 16 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Does_the_Cloud_Help_Card_Payment_Security_.htmlOn the whole, fraudsters appear to be going after the companies with the most money and eschewing smaller targets. Even though these organizations have the resources to afford top-notch security, criminals believe they are more susceptible to being defrauded.http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Fraudsters_Find_Myriad_Reasons_to_Target_Large_Corporates.htmlMon, 15 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Fraudsters_Find_Myriad_Reasons_to_Target_Large_Corporates.htmlThis was another week where the equity markets touched new or multi-year highs, the bond market sold off a bit, and the economic outlook is lukewarm at best. Time will tell if we have finally moved to a period of determining how fast the U.S. economy is growing, rather than asking: is the U.S. economy growing?http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/This_Week_in_Corporate_Finance__Lukewarm_Outlook_.htmlMon, 15 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/This_Week_in_Corporate_Finance__Lukewarm_Outlook_.html