Money Talk: Farming Income, Household Spending Declining In Arkansas

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FARMING INCOME, HOUSEHOLD SPENDING DECLINING ARKANSAS, FED SAYS
Farm income, household spending and expenditures on capital equipment continued to decline in the first quarter relative to the same period a year earlier, according to a recent survey by the St. Louis-based Eighth Federal Reserve.

The quarterly Agriculture Finance Monitor for the district that includes seven Midwest and Mid-South states, also stated a majority of bankers across the seven states say the average value of quality farmland and cash rents of quality farmland declined in the first quarter of 2015 compared to a year ago.

The results of the Fed survey are based on the responses from 45 agricultural banks within the boundaries of the Eighth District, which includes all or parts of Arkansas, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee. The data, however, is not adjusted for any seasonal patterns.

To view the report, click here.

SEC PROPOSES RULES TO MODERNIZE INFORMATION REPORTED BY INVESTMENT COMPANIES ADVISERS
The Securities and Exchange Commission has proposed rules, forms and amendments to modernize and enhance the reporting and disclosure of information by investment companies and investment advisers. The new rules would enhance the quality of information available to investors and would allow the commission to more effectively collect and use data provided by investment companies and investment advisers.

“These recommendations will vastly improve the type and format of the information that funds provide to the commission and to investors,” said SEC Chair Mary Jo White. “Investors will have better quality and greater access to information about their fund investments and investment advisers, and the SEC will have more and better information to monitor risks in the asset management industry.”

The investment company proposals would enhance data reporting for mutual funds, ETFs and other registered investment companies. The proposals would require a new monthly portfolio reporting form (Form N-PORT) and a new annual reporting form (Form N-CEN) that would require census-type information. The proposals would also require enhanced and standardized disclosures in financial statements, and would permit mutual funds and other investment companies to provide shareholder reports by making them accessible on a website.

To learn more about the SEC proposal, click here.

J.D. POWER: INSURERS STRUGGLE TO KEEP PACE WITH CUSTOMER DEMAND FOR ONLINE SHOPPING OPTIONS
Insurers are struggling to keep pace with demand as website visits by insurance shoppers and customers servicing their accounts via smartphones and tablets has become more prevalent, according to a recently released J.D. Power report.

The J.D. Power Insurance Website Evaluation Study (IWES) survey measures online consumer experiences among shoppers seeking quotes and existing customers seeking typical policy servicing activities. The study examines the functional aspects of websites rather than such aesthetic aspects as look and feel. Consumers performed a number of tasks online and then rated the ease of performing them on a 5-point scale. Their ratings were used to compute an overall index for shopping and service experience based on a 500-point scale.

The percentage of consumers shopping an insurer via smartphones and tablets has increased; for smartphones (+14%) to 42%, and for tablets (+11%) to 43%. While satisfaction with the online shopping experience has improved significantly (+17 points) to 369 from 2014, satisfaction with the service experience has declined (-5 points) to 420 from 2014.