If your firm is in the habit of using over-the-counter (OTC) products to hedge its exposure to interest rate changes and foreign currency fluctuations, now might be a good time to consider exchange-traded instruments, such as futures and options.

Although a World Bank report found signs of growing protectionism among G-20 countries, a new HSBC Bank USA survey revealed that business execs are still turning to foreign markets for growth. In fact, the proportion of executives boosting their overseas sales targets jumped from 49 percent to 56 percent between 2008 and 2009.

Treasurers and CFOs searching for opportunities to shave expenses will want to consider the banking fees they pay. By analyzing just what services their firms are using and the fees they're paying, they can cut costs and streamline the services they receive. The amount a company can save by digging into its banking bills will vary with its size and the volume of banking services it uses, according to Stacey Gilmore, treasury management consultant with Chesapeake System Solutions, Inc. However, nearly every company, with a little work, can uncover savings.

Do you know where your cash is? In a recent survey by APQC, nine out of 10 CFOs said that they are scrambling to figure out where the cash is and how to keep a firm grip on it, and a majority are taking steps to generate cash internally. APQC identified moves CFOs should make to manage the issue, but to do any of these, CFOs need one more thing: visibility into the organization's various cash-generating and cash-consuming activities.

During the first quarter of 2009, 367 companies, out of the 7,000-some that report dividend information to Standard & Poor's, decreased their dividend payments. In the more than half a century that S&P has recorded these statistics, this is the first time that dividend cuts have outnumbered increases, according to the firm. At this point, it's too early to tell if this change represents a permanent shift in the way that companies determine dividend payments.

If you're a treasurer with a mid-size company, you may want to take another look at SWIFT for Corporates. In April, the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT), which provides a communications platform as well as products and services to connect banks, companies, and securities firms around the world, launched Alliance Lite. This new Internet-based service lets companies work with SWIFT in a low-cost, easy-access way.

Lost in much of the hoopla regarding pending credit card legislation is the impact a proposed amendment may have on businesses, as well as consumers. The proposed Welch-Shuster Credit Card Interchange Fees Act of 2009 would, among other things, let merchants refuse to accept cards with especially high fees, permit retailers to set minimum purchase levels for customers using charge cards, and allow them to choose the financial routing system that's least costly.

A series of interviews with 43 corporate treasurers in Britain has found that, like their North American counterparts, British treasurers have their work cut out for them as they navigate the current credit crisis. Some of the most pressing problems are skyrocketing borrowing costs and uncertainty as to when a loan will be approved.

Integrated business planning (IBP) can help organizations sell more, better allocate their resources, and speed up their reaction time to changing market conditions. Learn more by reading Ventana Research's "Integrated Business Planning: Addressing Today's Challenges and Opportunity" in the BPM Resource Center.

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