Business News Online

Buoyant grain markets have helped grain trader Wessex Grain make record annual profits in the year to 31 July 2011.

The company made an operating profit of £427,127 on turnover of nearly £56m, significantly up on the £41m the previous year.

“Not only were the markets buoyant, with feed wheat prices increasing by £80/t from the market lows, but for significant periods, the market followed clear trends which the company took advantage of,” managing director Simon Wilcox said.

The business opened its expanded Henstridge store in July, providing space for an extra 20,000t of grain and boosting overall capacity to around 70,000t.

Morning Ireland: Return to bond markets mooted: NUIG’s John McHale

European Central Bank president Mario Draghi says there is “no external saviour” for heavily indebted governments in the euro zone debt crisis and gave no sign the bank is ready to step in and support their finances.

Draghi said governments must take the tough steps to balance budgets and reform economies to promote growth. “I will never tire of saying that the first response should be from government,” Draghi said today at a speech in Berlin.

“There is no external saviour for a country that doesn’t want to save itself,” he added.

As a “firewall” to calm markets in the meantime, the EU has its newly strengthened bail-out fund, he said. Some economists have urged the ECB to support governments with bigger purchases of government bonds.

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In spite of all the economic gloom, MBA and Masters in Management recruiters are surprisingly upbeat about their hiring prospects for 2012, according to a survey conducted last month by the Graduate Management Admissions Council.

The report contains two pieces of good news. First the number of companies planning to hire management graduates next year is higher than this year. Second, those recruiters who already hire are planning to hire more.

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IN Business School News

• French companies get to grips with social networks
• Tuck MBAs select top tech toys for the holiday season
• New GMAT test means more work for aspiring MBAs
• University of Wales decision leaves MBAs in the lurch

According to the data, the number of companies planning to recruit MBA graduates in 2012 is 28 per cent higher than in 2011. For master in management degrees the figure is up 42 per cent. Some 22 per cent of companies are expected to hire more MBAs than they did this year and prospects for masters students are higher too.

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I thought ballet had nearly disappeared from existence.  And then Stephen Colbert had a duo from the American Ballet Theater (an excellent troupe, by the way) on his show.  And tonight I saw an ad for a ballet school, way out in the middle of nearly nowhere.  So there is hope.

And there are also tango sessions, and hip hop hullabalos, and jive, and folk dances from around the world. I guess as long as people can move, they will dance.  And that is so good.

And if your dance studio is in need of a dance studio business plan, especially for financing, well we got you covered (even out in the middle of nearly nowhere).  It is surprising how much a good dance studio costs to set up, and why, so don’t assume that your banker just “knows” why you need the financing.

A dance studio business presentation needs to be surprisingly specific.  The term “build out” won’t do.  You need $XXXX to install a dancer’s floor, one with natural bounce, to protect the health of your students.  You need wall to wall mirrors to help students learn better.  Whatever it is that you specifically need for your specific type of dance studio, do set it out.

So, what’s stopping you?  Go create a slew of dance studios!  The world needs you!

The Jacksonville Economic Development Commission on Thursday supported $180,000 in city and state incentives for Interactive Intelligence Group adding 30 jobs in Jacksonville.

The average wage would be $67,640.

The new jobs would be at Interactive Intelligence’s Jacksonville subsidiary Global Software Services on the Southside.

The city would pay up to $36,000 of the incentives and the state would pay the rest.

The Times-Union

Many business owners are asking the question How to refinance a business loan. Refinancing a business loan can be a time consuming process, finding the right lender, a good interest rate and the amount desired. There are many benefits to refinancing a business loan, this opens up working cash for your business to make purchase and meet payment obligations that without refinancing would not be possible.

Refinancing a business loan is a type of loan offered by lenders to businesses to obtain more money and start new terms and conditions to a business loan. It offers business owners the opportunity of consolidate their business debts and obtain the money they need to make purchase and payments needed to run their business efficiently.

• Lower interest rate
• lower monthly payments
• More working cash for the business

• Equipment purchases
• Increase inventory
• Meet payroll obligations
• Meet vendor payment obligations
• Remodels
• Renovations
• Expansions

• Find a lender that offers business loan refinancing.
• Make sure your business meets the terms and conditions of the refinancing loan.
• Negotiate the terms and conditions if possible.
• Apply for the financing.
• Sign the contract and set up a repayment scheduled.

It is important not to settle for the first lender offer for refinancing your business loan, your goal is to obtain a lower interest rate and lower repayment as well as more cash flow for your business.

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