2009-07-18(六)莫拉菲襲港改發八號風球

天文台在晚上11時半，改發八號西北烈風或暴風信號，預計颱風莫拉菲將非常接近本港。

天文台預料本港吹西北風，平均風速每小時超過62公里。在午夜12時，颱風莫拉菲集結在香港天文台以東約100公里，預料向西北偏西移動，時速約24公里，移向大鵬半島一帶。

天文台預料，莫拉菲會在午夜至黎明時分非常接近香港。本港會普遍吹烈風並有狂風大雨。按照現時路徑，本港會在黎明前後逐漸轉吹西南風，原先受屏蔽的地方將變得當風，市民應及早作好準備。

在過去一小時，塔門及長洲分別錄得的最高持續風速為每小時60及49公里，最高陣風分別為每小時100及69公里。

資料來源：
http://hk.news.yahoo.com/article/090718/4/d9eb.html

中國IT領袖峰會舉行

　昨天，被譽為“中國資訊產業層次最高的年度盛會”的2009中國（深圳）ＩＴ領袖峰會在五洲賓館隆重舉行，國家發改委副主任張曉強、工業和資訊化部副部長婁勤儉就本次峰會召開發來賀信，市長許宗衡出席開幕式並致辭，市委常委、常務副市長許勤主持開幕式。李彥宏、馬化騰等50多位國內ＩＴ業界精英圍繞“金融海嘯後的中國高科技產業”主題，發表了精彩演講。

　　許宗衡代表深圳市委市政府對峰會首次在深圳召開表示熱烈歡迎和衷心祝賀。他指出，深圳是中國改革開放的窗口和試驗田，是全國最重要的經濟中心城市之一，也是目前全國唯一的國家創新型城市試點城市，是綜合性國家高技術產業基地。經過多年的發展，電子資訊產業已成為深圳的第一大支柱產業。2008年全市ＩＴ產業產值達到7839．2億元，增長13．4％，產值約佔全國電子資訊產業的1／6。深圳已經成為全國重要的電子資訊產品製造基地、出口基地、配套中心和交易中心，深圳擁有一批具有國際競爭力的ＩＴ企業。以華為、中興、騰訊為代表的ＩＴ企業，面對國際金融危機的挑戰，在逆勢中實現了強勁增長，行業地位不斷提升，顯示出了強大的競爭力，為深圳抗擊國際金融危機發揮了中流砥柱的作用。

　　許宗衡表示，未來我們將最大限度地優化ＩＴ產業發展環境，努力吸引人才，集聚產業資源、全力做大做強、做精做好ＩＴ產業，把深圳打造成為世界級ＩＴ產業的中心城市。這次峰會的舉辦將引領和推動全國ＩＴ產業的發展，對有效地應對國際金融危機、促進經濟的平穩較快增長具有重大而積極的意義，希望深圳ＩＴ企業能借此機會，積極加強與國內外ＩＴ頂尖企業的學習與交流，努力吸收各种先進的創新理念和管理經驗，進一步促進深圳的ＩＴ產業發展。同時，企盼國內外ＩＴ企業領袖關注並繼續支援深圳，歡迎來深圳投資興業，深圳市委市政府將竭盡全力創造最好的環境、提供最優質的服務，與大家共謀發展、共創輝煌。

　　作為本次峰會主辦方之一，數字中國聯合會主席吳鷹表示，數字中國聯合會成立7年時間，致力於為資訊化產業力量和各行業搭建彰顯價值、溝通交流的橋梁。經過多年的精心培育和打造，“數字中國高峰論壇”已經成為中國層次最高的傳統資訊產業年度盛會，也是最具價值的企業精英和投資人的集中聚會，更是牽引中國電子資訊產業未來發展和市場走向、探索資訊化方略的重要標桿，今年該峰會首次移師深圳，並首次增加公開論壇。

　　據了解，峰會的三個論壇分別圍繞“3Ｇ時代”、“互聯網與多媒體”和“投資”展開，分別由美通無線董事長王維嘉、亞信集團董事長丁健和美林集團主席劉二飛主持，邀請李東生、王文京、徐少春、鄧中翰、王中軍、王志東等企業家就當前的熱點話題進行討論，共同為金融海嘯下的高科技產業指點迷津。本次峰會公開論壇吸引企業領導、投資機構負責人、銀行家、分析師、媒體記者等500余人參加。晚上舉行的閉門論壇有60多名企業家和投資人進行深入的溝通交流。

　　公開論壇結束後，許宗衡會見與會嘉賓，併為22名企業精英頒發“深圳互聯網產業高級顧問”聘書。據悉，為了促進深圳電子產業特別是互聯網產業的跨越式發展，充分調動和利用社會資源，發揮資訊技術領域著名人士在推動深圳互聯網產業發展的積極作用，市政府經研究，決定聘請22名深圳互聯網產業高級顧問。

資料來源：
http://big5.ce.cn/cysc/tech/07ityj/guonei/200903/29/t20090329_18649381.shtml

工商銀行去年淨賺1112億元 成為全球最盈利銀行

工商銀行股份有限公司昨晚公佈的2008年度經營業績顯示：工行實現稅後利潤1112億元(人民幣，下同)，較上年同期增長35.2%；每股收益為0.33元。

這已經是工行自2003年以來連續第六年實現高增長。2008年，工行鞏固了「全球市值最大銀行」的地位，並成為全球最盈利的銀行。

核心資本充足率10.75%

年報顯示，2008年工行的平均總資產回報率為1.21%，加權平均權益回報率為19.43%，分別較2007年提高19個基點和320個基點；淨利息收益率為2.95%，較2007年末提高15個基點。成本收入比為29.84%，較上年下降5.18個百分點，保持了良好的成本控制水平。資本充足率保持在13.06%，其中核心資本充足率為10.75%。雄厚的資本實力保障了工行的持續發展能力。董事會建議派發末期息每10股1.65元(含稅)，較2007年增加24.06%。

不良貸款再次「雙降」

工行行長楊凱生介紹，截至2008年末，工行的不良貸款餘額比2007年末下降了73億元，不良率下降0.45個百分點至2.29%，連續9年實現了不良貸款絕對額和占比的「雙下降」。撥備覆蓋率達到130.15%，同比提高26.65個百分點，抗風險能力進一步增強。另據工行董事長姜建清介紹，2008年，工行新增人民幣貸款5368億元，同比多增1901億元，增幅為14.3%，貸款增量居同業首位。

高管自降年薪10.3%

年報顯示，2008年工行高管稅前收入從高到低前五位分別是董事長姜建清(161萬元)、行長楊凱生(153.3萬元)、副行長張福榮(138.1萬元)、副行長牛錫明(138.1萬元)、副行長李曉鵬(138.1萬元)。

工行董事長姜建清與行長楊凱生昨天表示，為了與企業共渡當前的經濟難關，他們自願降薪10.3%。

高盛80%限售股延期

昨天，針對此前高盛集團擬出售部分工行股權的傳聞，工行特意邀請高盛集團副董事長對此進行澄清稱，高盛承諾將其持有的80%限售股自動延長到2010年4月28日。高盛同時表示，目前該公司並不急需資金。姜建清表示，對於戰略投資者出於發展的考慮減持工行股票的，工行充分理解。姜建清還宣佈，工行的三家戰略投資者(高盛、美國運通、安聯集團)聯合發表了不減持決定。若鎖定期滿後減持，也不會考慮在二級市場出售。

資料來源：
http://news.cnyes.com/dspnewsS.asp?rno=9&fi=%5CNEWSBASE%5C20090327%5CWEB1876&vi=34273&sdt=20090325&edt=20090327&top=50&date=20090327&time=15:19:42&cls=index15_totalnews

不要爭辯!!!

當我們被別人無理的對待時, 我們最初可能只是想解釋而已, 因為我們大家都知道「多一個朋友不如少一個敵人」, 但問題是, 這些用無理的對待我們, 很明顯這些人根本是無理的人, 所以就算我們向他們解釋, 他們也不會明白, 反而當我們解釋給這些無理的人聽的時候, 會令我們由向他們解釋變成向他們爭辯, 而爭辯慢慢便會變成爭吵, 之後慢慢便會動手, 之後便會變成人命傷亡, 並且在以後相方也會變成敵人, 但最初我們是不想和他們對立的, 因為我們知道「多一個朋友不如少一個敵人」, 但為何最終大家會演變成敵人呢？ 問題就在於「動口」！常常聽到有人說「動口不動手」, 但我覺得這句說話不對, 我覺得就算是「動口」也不可以, 因為大家之所以「動手」, 其實根本是因為最初的「動口」, 而且因為對方是一個無理的人, 所以「動口」只會惹起大家的怒氣而已, 聖經中的說話真是有智慧, 其實在聖經的箴言中, 一早已講了這個問題的解決辦法了。

「愚昧人若靜默不言也可算為智慧；閉口不說也可算為聰明。」(箴17:28)

所以當大家遇到類似情況的時候, 如果不想動怒, 首先當遇到別人無理對待的時候, 便不要「動口」！

不可以惡報惡!!!

「不從惡人的計謀，不站罪人的道路，不坐褻慢人的座位，惟喜愛耶和華的律法，晝夜思想，這人便為有福！」(詩1:1-2)

我們很多時當和弟兄姊妹相處的時候, 都會互相忍讓, 互相饒恕, 但相反地, 我們可能很討厭外邦人, 覺得他們很邪惡, 因為這些外邦人喜歡利用人和欺騙人, 非常詭詐, 所以我們可能很瞧不起外邦人, 很想和他們爭一日之長短, 所以很多時當我們被一些外邦人無端端和無理地對待的時候(例如被他們「威嚇」、「謾罵」、「冤枉」), 我們便會「憤憤不平」和「憤世嫉俗」, 並且很嫉妒他們, 我們想對他們「以惡報惡」、「以其人之道還以其人之身」, 我們便想用和這些惡人一樣的方法來教訓他們, 實行以牙還牙, 老羞成怒, 讓他們知道他們之前對我們的無理對待是錯的, 但這樣我們豈不是以靠惡的方法, 來使他們不再靠惡嗎?

但這樣便會有兩個問題產生, 第一, 這好明顯是無用的, 因為一個靠惡的人是不會因為另一個靠惡的人而令自己不再靠惡的, 並且仲有可能因為這樣而變成更加靠惡的人, 而第二, 我們這樣做本身就是錯, 因為我們是不可能用世界的方法來使別人不再靠惡的, 聖經中, 主耶穌亦有講我們不可以惡報惡, 亦不可以牙還牙, 並且亦不可以辱罵還辱罵。


讓我們緊記聖經的話, 和實際行出聖經的方法去與人相處：

「不以惡報惡，以辱罵還辱罵，倒要祝福；因你們是為此蒙召，好叫你們承受福氣。」(彼前3:9)

「然而主的僕人不可爭競，只要溫溫和和的待眾人，善於教導，存心忍耐，用溫柔勸戒那抵擋的人；或者神給他們悔改的心，可以明白真道，叫他們這已經被魔鬼任意擄去的，可以醒悟，脫離他的網羅。」(提後2:24-26)

粉碎忿怒的靈!

我們一定要敗壞「忿怒的靈」! 大家知道為甚麼嗎? 因為「忿怒的靈」已不斷侵蝕「我們和家人的關係」和「我們和朋友的關係」了, 這是一個很嚴重的問題, 我們一定要正視和盡快處理這個問題, 好明顯, 這問題是刻不容緩的!

相信大家都對「家和萬事興」很認同, 因為我們有很多人都是在一個吵吵鬧鬧的家庭中長大, 父母常常吵架, 並且我們在長大中, 也常常無理地被父母責罵。

但當我們認識神之後, 我便知道神才是我最終的依靠, 並且我們基督徒是不應該忿怒的, 因為我們要成為一個有愛心和有神性格的「善」人, 而不是要成為一個「惡」人。

就算父母用一些很難聽的說話罵我, 這又與我何干呢?

他們用這些說話罵我, 其實想將「忿怒的靈」傳給我, 難道我要被動地接受嗎?

如果我用番一些很難聽的說話罵番他們, 咁豈不是代表我接受這「忿怒的靈」嗎?

相信主耶穌也明白這點, 所以在當時, 就算有很多人罵祂和諂媚祂, 祂也不還口, 亦不還手。

有很多人以為：「動口不動手!」但其實這是錯的! 如果我們罵番他們, 忿怒的靈便會傳給我們, 而事實上, 最終的「動手」是來自最初的「動口」, 所以我們不要動手, 也不要動口!

為甚麼這些忿怒的人常常都以忿怒的方法去處理每一件他所遇到的事情呢? 可能因為他們常常處於不開心當中, 並且不滿意自己現在所擁有的生活和生活方式, 或者和別人缺乏溝通, 又或者對別人不誠懇, 又或者常常向別人隱瞞事實的真相, 又或者他們生活太沉悶了, 想以罵人來打發時間, 或者想用罵人來顯示自己的存在, 又或者想用罵人來使別人覺得他們很重要(因為當別人覺得自己很重要的時候, 自己的生存價值是會提升的), 又或者想用罵人來操控和控制別人, 又或者他們曾經或長時期被別人無理對待和責罵, 並且受到不公平的對待, 所以他們便惱羞成怒, 他們為了要發洩他們心中的忿忿不平和委屈, 他們便以不斷責罵其他人的方法(就算別人根本無得罪他, 或者他們錯誤地解讀別人做事的動機), 將他們內心的忿怒傳給其他人, 因為他們覺得他們唯有用不斷罵人的方法, 才能令他們內心的忿怒得以臨時舒緩下來。

但不論他們忿怒的最根深的原因是甚麼, 他們用忿怒去解決事情一定是錯的! 因為用忿怒的方法, 從未不會解決到問題, 這只會使問題變成更嚴重和更複雜而已!

聖經中也有提到：「當止住怒氣，離棄忿怒；不要心懷不平，以致作惡。」(詩37:8), 如果我們想持守永生, 便一定不可忿怒, 因為忿怒會令我們作惡, 而作惡便會令我們成為惡人, 而聖經中講, 惡人是上不到天堂的, 所以我們一定不可以忿怒, 這是大家在每時每刻也要緊記著的。

這些人只識得「靠惡」去令到別人照著他的意思去做, 並且藉著「靠惡」去消除自己的不安和不滿, 但他們這樣做, 便已經證明他已經是一個惡人, 而惡人是上不到天堂的, 因為在聖經中, 主耶穌說：「光來到世間，世人因自己的行為是惡的，不愛光，倒愛黑暗，定他們的罪就是在此」(約3:19)。

並且通常這些惡人都是自以為義的, 而主耶穌講自以為義的人都是上不到天堂的, 因為在聖經中, 主耶穌說：「康健的人用不著醫生，有病的人纔用得著」(太9:12)。

他們想用罵人來發洩自己的不滿, 但可惜的是, 他們用錯方法了! 他們用撒旦的方法, 又怎會使他們得到真正的滿足呢? 有很多父親便中了撒旦的詭計, 他們竟然用忿怒去罵他們所最愛的妻子和兒女, 這樣便令到妻子和兒女也處於不開心當中, 而父親亦處於不開心當中, 最終, 便導致有很多原本也是深愛對方的夫妻選擇了離婚, 並且連累他們的兒女在單親家庭中長大, 這樣便影響到他們的兒女的成長, 這都是因為他們接受了「忿怒的靈」所致, 所以當有人罵我們, 我們便知道這個人是帶著「忿怒的靈」, 之後我們便要說：「想傳「忿怒的靈」給我, No Way!」

並且忿怒其實是很可怕的, 因為一個忿怒的人, 通常仲會有埋怨、論斷、記仇(這是念恩的相反), 苦毒、嫉妒、陰險、誹謗、抵毀, 並且會用很多很難聽的說話(例如罵人低能仔或者傻仔), 並且會用很多粗口罵人, 如果有人用這些說話罵你, 很明顯, 這一定是「忿怒的靈」, 如果你罵番佢, 這便中了撒旦的詭計, 因為如果我們罵番他們, 這樣「忿怒的靈」便會傳給我們, 所以我們一定不可還口。

這些人只懂注重別人的錯誤和缺點, 之後不停地一直罵一直罵, 並且說很多粗言穢語, 直至對方也和他一樣忿怒為止, 這些人根本就是惡人, 所以惡人自然會努力地使別人也好像他一樣變成惡人, 而這些惡人他們以為沒有做錯, 他們以為他們只是做一些他們喜歡做的事情而已, 他們以為他們沒有甚麼不對, 但他們其實是正在努力地擴展撒旦的國度, 他們自己也不自知, 並且他們以為他正在做一些自己以為「義」的事情, 但事實上, 他們只是「自以為義」而已, 他們自己內心的思想根本常常處於不穩定和情緒化當中, 並且他們可能因為從小便受到不公平和不公義的對待, 並且可能他們從小的家境便很貧窮, 再加上他們根深柢固的「憤世嫉俗」和「憤憤不平」, 所以令到他們當一遇到不稱心的事情的時候, 他們便會「攞別人出氣」, 但當然, 這些惡人其實是很「欺善怕惡」的, 所以他們都不會找一些很惡的人為出氣的對象, 而他們亦不會找一些和他們有利益關係和生意來往的人為出氣對象, 因為他們知道, 如果得罪他們, 他們便可能少了很多金錢上的利益, 而他們通常會找他們的妻子或兒女(如果他已是別人的丈夫和父親的話), 又或者一些脾氣好和很和善的人為出氣的對象, 因為這些惡人知道, 就算得罪了他們, 他們亦不怕會被尋仇, 並且亦不怕會有金錢上的損失, 而事實上, 他們的妻子和兒女, 很多時他是由這些惡人養活的, 並且這些惡人知道, 就算他們是如此的自私和無理, 他的家人也不會離開他, 和繼續和他同住, 因為很多時兒女年紀很少, 不會自食其力, 而妻子又不想自己的兒女在單親家庭下成長, 所以這些惡人的家人會一直強忍下去, 和一直受到他丈夫的出氣對象。

如聖經所講：「惡人的道好像幽暗，自己不知因甚麼跌倒。」(箴4:19)

這些惡人真是愚蠢, 他們自以為義, 但事實上他們所行的其實根本是惡, 而他們自己也不自知, 還理直氣壯地認為他們正在行義, 真是可悲, 難怪有些人說神對人的最大懲罰, 莫過於神使惡人繼續成為惡人, 但當然, 如果他們下地獄, 責任是這些惡人自己承擔的, 因為他們自己選擇成為惡人的, 其實神原本賜給我們每一個人一個良心, 但這些惡人, 竟然埋沒他們自己的良心, 如聖經所講： 「這等人的良心如同被熱鐵烙慣了一般」(提前4:2), 雖然他們最初可能因為受到一些惡人的不正平對待而選擇自己變成惡人, 但聖經講我們一定不可以成為惡人, 因為這只會敗壞自己的人生和百害而無一利, 我們的人生是神所創造的, 所以我們無權糟蹋自己的人生, 相反, 我們要善用自己的人生去祝福和幫助一些正處於困苦當中和受到不公平對待的人!!!

聖經亦有講到我們不要嫉妒惡人和心懷不平：
「不要為作惡的心懷不平，也不要向那行不義的生出嫉妒。」(詩37:1)
「你當默然倚靠耶和華，耐性等候他；不要因那道路通達的和那惡謀成就的心懷不平。」(詩37:7)
「當止住怒氣，離棄忿怒；不要心懷不平，以致作惡。」 (詩37:8)
「不要為作惡的心懷不平，也不要嫉妒惡人。」(箴24:19)
「義人的光明亮；惡人的燈要熄滅。」(箴13:9)
「因為，惡人終不得善報；惡人的燈也必熄滅。」(箴24:20)

一定要緊緊的記著, 忿怒最終只會令我們變成惡人, 而善良最終會使我們變成善人, 並且找到真神和得著永生!

讓我們好像以下的經文般, 效法主耶穌, 就算被罵也不還口, 受害也不說威嚇的話, 只要做好自己便可以了, 就算別人錯誤地解讀我的動機, 並且無理地不停破口大罵, 這又與我何干呢? 讓我們每時每刻也要緊緊地記著：「要以主耶穌和天上的事為念！」

彼前2:23
「他被罵不還口；受害不說威嚇的話，只將自己交託那按公義審判人的主。」

2008-10-17(五)希臘隊4億年薪誘高比

【明報專訊】意大利傳媒近日報道，希臘球隊奧林比亞高斯 向湖人射手高比拜仁開出每年估值超過3.88億港元（5000萬美元）的合約，附送別墅、遊艇、跑車等超豪華設備，誓吸引這名NBA超級球星轉戰歐洲。

送別墅跑車遊艇連女僕

今夏奧林比亞高斯才以除稅後薪酬1.55億元（2000萬美元），跟鷹隊後衛查達斯簽約3年，率先掀起NBA球員投奔歐陸的熱潮。高比拜仁在參加北京奧運時，已有記者問及假如有球隊給予年薪3.88億元，他是否會否考慮轉戰歐洲，當時他暗示這並非天方夜譚﹕「這價錢太瘋狂了吧，根本不用詳細考慮就可決定啊！」

踏入而立之年的高比新球季在湖人的年薪為1.65億元（2126萬美元），但據報奧林比亞高斯提出的3年合約，平均每年價值遠超3.88億元。當中包括免稅的3年薪金合共6.44億元（8300萬美元），第2和第3年還可選擇不履行合約，能隨時返回NBA比賽。

奧林比亞高斯還不惜工本附送一幢面向地中海的別墅連管家和女僕、一輛跑車連司機、一艘遊艇連船員，以及保證包辦高比兒女於希臘的學費和經理人的佣金，甚至答應為高比興建能容納至少1.5萬的NBA標準主場館。

資料來源：
http://hk.sports.yahoo.com/081016/42/334nn.html

2008-09-19(五)今日有明顯的反彈

我仲以為今日會再跌, 怎料今日竟然是大升。相信是因為昨日道指大升, 之後帶動今日港股也大升。

今日恒指收市報19327.73, 大升1695.27, 升了9.61%。

2008-09-18(四)現在好似有少少股災的跡象...

傳說中的股市大崩盤好似要來臨了!!! 大家準備好資金入市了嗎?

最近美國經濟不景, 繼前幾日, 雷曼弟兄要結業後, 很可能很多大行也會相繼結業, 令到很多投資者也人心惶惶, 很多投資者也恐慌性拋售他們的股票, 看來美國的經濟在短期內也會繼續走入坡, 很多大公司也「岌岌可危」, 很多股份也被洗倉, 因為美國經濟不景, 今到全世界的經濟也受到很大的影響, 看來美國的壞消息仲未出齊, 政府會否出手救市呢? 今日的跌市是終極一跌, 還是跌市的開始? 政府會出手救市, 還是會眼白白睇住股市繼續跌, 之後才「亡羊補牢」?

在今日(2008-09-18(四)和昨日(2008-09-17(三)的美國股市又大跌了, 拖累港股亦都下跌, 今朝更加一開市便跌穿17000, 雖然在下午明顯跌幅收窄, 但以現時來看, 美國的經濟需要一至五年的時間才可復甦, 真係唔知道今次的「金融海嘯」會到幾時才會停止.......

對很多人來說, 這絕對是壞消息, 因為很多人已入了很多貨, 眼見自己的資產一日一日的貶值, 很多人也會以極平的價錢去沽出自己所以的資產, 但其實是錯誤的, 因為股市遲早也會升番上去, 這是股市的定律, 而且巴菲特往往也會在這個時候出手, 例如在1987年和2001年, 他亦出手趁低吸納, 巴菲特也認為股災是絕佳的出手良機, 但當然我們要選擇績優股, 因為劣質的股票, 可能永遠也不會回升, 但有實力的公司, 其股價一定會回升, 所以在股災時趁低吸納優質股仍然是值得的!!!

American Express

American Express (NYSE: AXP), sometimes known as "AmEx" or "Amex", is a diversified global financial services company, headquartered in New York City. The company is best known for its credit card, charge card and traveler's cheque businesses.

The company's common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "AXP." It is one of the 30 stocks that comprise the Dow Jones Industrial Average and is ranked as the 74th largest company by Fortune. In 2007, BusinessWeek and Interbrand ranked American Express as the 14th most valuable brand in the world, estimating the brand to be worth US$20.87 billion.[1]

The current CEO is Kenneth Chenault, who took over in 2001.

History

Early history

American Express was founded in 1850, in Buffalo, New York, as a joint stock corporation that was a merger of the express mail companies owned by Henry Wells (Wells & Company), William Fargo (Livingston, Fargo & Company), and John Butterfield (Butterfield, Wasson & Company), as an express business.[2] American Express first established its headquarters in a building at the intersection of Jay Street and Hudson Street in what was later called the TriBeCa section of Manhattan, and enjoyed a virtual monopoly on the movement of express shipments (Goods, Securities, Currency, etc.) throughout New York State. In 1874, American Express moved its headquarters to 65 Broadway in what was becoming the Financial District of Manhattan, a location it was to retain through two buildings.[3]

American Express buildings

In 1854, the American Express Co. purchased a lot on Vesey Street in New York City as the site for its stables. The company's first New York headquarters were in an impressive marble Italianate palazzo at 55-61 Hudson Street between Thomas Street and Jay Street (1857-58, John Warren Ritch), which had a busy freight depot on the ground story with a spur line from the Hudson River Railroad. A stable was constructed nearby at 4-8 Hubert Street, between Hudson Street and Collister Street (1866-67, Ritch & Griffiths), five blocks north of the Hudson Street building.

The company prospered sufficiently that headquarters were moved in 1874 from the wholesale shipping district to the budding Financial District, and into rented offices in two five-story brownstone commercial buildings at 63 and 65 Broadway, between Exchange Alley and Rector Street, and between Broadway and Trinity Place that were owned by the Harmony family.[4]

In 1880, American Express built a new warehouse behind the Broadway Building at 46 Trinity Place, between Exchange Alley and Rector Street. The designer is unknown, but it has a façade of brick arches that are redolent of pre-skyscraper New York. American Express has long been out of this building, but it still bears a terra cotta seal with the American Express Eagle.[5] In 1890-91 the company constructed a new ten-story building by Edward H. Kendall on the site of its former headquarters on Hudson Street.

By 1903, the company had assets of some $28 million, second only to the National City Bank of New York among financial institutions in the city.[citation needed] To reflect this, the company purchased the Broadway buildings and site.[citation needed]

At the end of the Wells-Fargo reign in 1914, an aggressive new president, George Chadbourne Taylor (1868-1923), who had worked his way up through the company over the previous thirty years, decided to build a new headquarters. The old buildings, dubbed by the New York Times as "among the ancient landmarks" of lower Broadway, were inadequate for such a rapidly expanding concern. In March 1914, Renwick, Aspinwall & Tucker filed for the construction of a 32-story concrete-and steel-framed office tower in which all of the company's operations, then in four separate buildings, were to be consolidated. The building proposal of 1914 was abandoned, probably due to the war in Europe, but was resurrected two years later in a reduced form, at an estimated cost of $1 million.[4]
65 BroadwayThe 21-story (plus basement), neo-classical, American Express Co. Building, was constructed in 1916-17 to the design of James L. Aspinwall, of the firm of Renwick, Aspinwall & Tucker, the successor to the architectural practice of the eminent James Renwick, Jr.. The building consolidated the two lots of the former buildings with a single address: 65 Broadway. This building was part of the "Express Row" section of lower Broadway at the time. The concrete-and-steel-framed building has an H-shaped plan with tall slender wings arranged around central light courts, a type of plan employed from the 1880s through the 1910s to provide offices with maximum light and air. Faced in white brick and terra cotta above a granite base, both facades employ the tripartite composition of base-shaft-capital then popular for the articulation of skyscrapers, with a colonnaded base and upper portion. The famous American Express Eagle adorns the building twice: there is an asymmetric eagle on the lower arch, while a symmetric eagle adorns the arch atop the building. The Broadway entrance features a double-story Corinthian colonnade with large arched windows. The building completed the continuous masonry wall of its block-front and assisted in transforming Broadway into the "canyon" of neo-classical masonry office towers familiar to this day[6]

American Express sold this building in 1975, but retained travel services here. The building was also the headquarters over the years of other prominent firms, including investment bankers J.& W. Seligman & Co. (1940-74), the American Bureau of Shipping, a maritime concern (1977-86), and currently J.J. Kenny, and Standard & Poors, who has renamed the building for itself[4][6]

Nationwide expansion

American Express extended its reach nationwide by arranging affiliations with other express companies, (including Wells, Fargo – the replacement for the two former companies that merged to form American Express.) railroads, and steamship companies.[3]

Financial services

In 1882, American Express started its expansion in the area of financial services by launching a money order business[3] to compete with the US Post Office's money orders.

Sometime between 1888 and 1890, J.C. Fargo took a trip to Europe and returned frustrated and infuriated. Despite the fact that he was president of American Express and that he carried with him traditional letters of credit, he found it difficult to obtain cash anywhere except in major cities. Mr. Fargo went to Marcellus Flemming Berry and asked him to create a better solution than the traditional letter of credit. Mr. Berry introduced the American Express Traveler's Cheque which was launched in 1891 in denominations of $10, $20, $50, and $100.[7]

Traveler's cheques established American Express as a truly international company. In 1914, at the outbreak of the First World War, American Express offices in Europe were among the few companies to honor the letters of credit (issued by various banks) held by Americans in Europe, despite other financial institutions having refused to assist these stranded travellers.

[edit] Loss of railroad express business

American Express became one of the monopolies that President Theodore Roosevelt had the Interstate Commerce Commission investigate during his administration. The interest of the ICC was drawn to its strict control of the railroad express business. However, the solution did not come immediately to hand.[3] The solution to this problem came as a coincidence to other problems during World War I.

During the winter of 1917, the US suffered a severe coal shortage and on December 26 President Woodrow Wilson commandeered the railroads on behalf of the US government to move US troops, their supplies, and coal. Treasury Secretary William Gibbs McAdoo was assigned the task of consolidating the railway lines for the war effort. All contracts between express companies and railroads were nullified and McAdoo proposed that all existing express companies be consolidated into a single company to serve the country's needs. This ended American Express's express business, and removed them from the ICC’s radar. The result was a new company called the American Railway Express Agency company formed in July 1918. The new entity took custody of all the pooled equipment and property of existing express companies (the largest share of which, 40%, came from American Express, who had owned the rights to the express business over 71,280 miles of railroad lines, and had 10,000 offices, with over 30,000 employees).

American Express today

Current CEO Kenneth Chenault took over leadership of American Express from Harvey Golub, CEO from 1993 till present. Prior to that, it was headed by James D. Robinson III from 1977 to 1993.

Travel Division

American Express established a Travel Division in 1915 that tied together all of the earlier efforts at making travel easier, and soon established its first travel agencies.

Charge card services history

American Express executives discussed the possibility of launching a travel charge card as early as 1946, but it was not until Diners Club launched their own card in March 1950 that American Express began to consider seriously the possibility. At the end of 1957, American Express CEO Ralph Reed decided to get into the card business, and by the launch date of October 1, 1958 public interest had become so significant that they actually issued 250,000 cards prior to the official launch date. The card was launched with an annual fee of $6, $1 higher than Diners Club, to be seen as a premium product. The first cards were paper, with the account number and cardmember's name typed. It was not until 1959 that American Express began issuing embossed ISO 7810 plastic cards, an industry first.

In 1966, American Express introduced the Gold Card and in 1984 the Platinum Card, clearly defining different market segments within its own business, a practice that has proliferated across a broad array of industries. The Platinum Card was billed as super-exclusive and had a $250 annual fee (it is currently $450). It was offered by invitation only to American Express customers with at least 2 years of tenure, significant spending, and excellent payment history.

In 1987, American Express introduced the Optima card, their first credit card product. Previously, all American Express cards had to be paid in full each month, but Optima allowed customers to carry a balance (the charge cards also now allow extended payment options on qualifying charges based on credit availability). Although Optima is no longer heavily promoted, Optima and Optima Platinum cards are still available on the American Express website. Today American Express offers a wide range of other credit card products including co-branded cards like the JetBlue Card and the Starwood Preferred Guest Card, as well as other credit cards promoting customer rewards like the Blue from American Express Card and the Blue Cash Rebate Card.

In 1994, the Optima True Grace card was introduced. The card was unique in that it offered a grace period on all purchases whether a balance was carried on the card or not (as opposed to traditional revolving credit cards which charge interest on new purchases if so much as $1 was carried over.) The card was discontinued a few years later; however, the currently-available One from American Express card offers a similar feature called "Interest Protection."

In 1999, American Express introduced the Centurion Card which is often referred to as the "black card," catering to an even more affluent and elite customer segment. The card charged a $1,000 annual fee at the time of its introduction (today, it is $2,500 with an additional one-time initiation fee of $5000) and offered (and continues to offer) a variety of exclusive benefits. There have always been rumors of a super-exclusive card that gives American Express' richest and most powerful customers special perks. It was this rumor that caused Amex to profit off the word-of-mouth and sparked the launch of Centurion.[8]

The company made another addition to its products in 1999 by introducing Blue from American Express, which quickly became a popular card among young adults due to an appealing marketing campaign directed towards a youthful demographic. Based on a successful product for the European market, Blue had no annual fee, a rewards program, and a multi-functional onboard chip. A cashback version, "Blue Cash", quickly followed.

American Express also launched an exclusive agreement with Costco in 1999, replacing an earlier agreement with Discover Card. Under the agreement, American Express cards replaced Discover as the only credit/charge card accepted at the warehouse club in the US, and American Express became the first and only credit/charge card accepted at Costco's locations outside the US. To introduce Costco members to American Express, a no-annual-fee co-branded cashback credit card was also introduced. An added benefit of the agreement for the Costco member is the annual Costco membership fee is billed the American Express card.[clarify] The agreement was highly successfu[citation needed]l and was renewed in 2004 for an additional 10 years.

As of 2005, the US Centurion card has a $2500 annual fee, while other American Express cards range between no annual fee (for Blue and many other consumer and business cards) and a $450 annual fee (for the Platinum Card.) Annual fees for the Green card start at $95, while Gold card annual fees start at $125.

In 2005, American Express introduced Clear, advertised as the first credit card with no fees of any kind. It also incorporates the ExpressPay technology premiered with the Blue card. Also in 2005, American Express introduced One, a credit card with a "Savings Accelerator Plan" that contributes 1% of eligible purchases into an FDIC-insured High-Yield Savings Account. Other cards introduced in 2005 included "The Knot" and "The Nest" Credit Cards from American Express, co-branded cards developed with the wedding planning website theknot.com. They have also introduced City Reward Cards that earn INSIDE Rewards points to eat, drink, and play at New York, Chicago and LA hot spots.

Also in 2005, American Express introduced ExpressPay, a MasterCard PayPass clone, based on a wireless RFID payment method, that requires a card to simply be waved in front of a special reader and not swiped. This technology replaced the smart chip on the Blue card. Many US merchant and restaurant partners including 7-Eleven, CVS/pharmacy, McDonald's, Regal Entertainment Group, and Ritz Camera, now offer ExpressPay at most or all of their locations. The technology was tested on the ski bus from Salt Lake City to local resorts.

In 2006, the UK division of American Express licensed the Product Red brand and began to issue a Red Card. With each card member purchase the company contributes to good causes through The Global Fund to help African women and children suffering from HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases.

In 2007, American Express again raised the annual fee for their American Platinum charge cards, moving the Personal cards fee to $450, and the Business division to $395. With the increase, customers now receive four complimentary companion coach tickets per calendar year. Additionally, a long rumored "relationship" fee of $5,000 to establish a Centurion card was added. The annual fee of $2,500 remains the same, however. In late 2007, they announced their new Plum Card as the latest addition to their card line. The card provides a 2% early pay discount or up to two months defer pay on purchases. However, the 2% discount is only available for billing periods where you spend at least $5,000. The first 10,000 cards will be issued to members on December 16.[9]

Features: Some versions of the card include various features such as Damage waiver on cars rented with the card, and accident insurance during travel bought with the card.

The "Boston Fee Party"

From the early 1980s until the early 1990s, American Express was known for cutting its merchant fees (also known as a "discount rate") to merchants and restaurants if they accepted only American Express and no other credit or charge cards. This prompted competitors such as Visa and MasterCard to cry foul for a while as the tactics "locked" restaurants into American Express.

However, in 1991, several restaurants in Boston started accepting and encouraging the use of Visa and MasterCard because of their far lower fees as compared to American Express's fees at the time (which were about 4% for each transaction versus around 1.2% at the time for Visa and MasterCard). A few even stopped accepting American Express credit and charge cards. The revolt, known as the "Boston Fee Party" in reference to the Boston Tea Party, quickly spread nationwide to over 250 restaurants across the US, including restaurants in other cities such as New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles. In response, American Express decided to reduce its discount rate gradually to compete more effectively and add new merchants to its network such as supermarkets and drugstores. Many elements of the exclusive acceptance program were also phased out so American Express could effectively encourage businesses to add American Express cards to their existing list of payment options.

Currently, American Express' average US merchant rate is about 2.5%, while the average Visa/MasterCard credit card US merchant rate is about 2% (Visa/MasterCard signature debit cards are at 1.7%). Some merchant sectors, such as quick-service restaurants including McDonald's, have special reduced rates to accommodate business needs and profit margins.

Not all the changes from 1991 have taken wind: A very small number of restaurants in major cities still exclusively accept American Express because the vast majority of their customers primarily use Amex cards.[citation needed] Likewise, Neiman Marcus accepts only American Express and their store card; however, the current exclusive agreement with American Express is due to expire soon and may not be renewed as an exclusive agreement.[citation needed] Costco also has an exclusivity agreement with American Express; however, Costco's agreement with Amex was the result of a long negotiation process for exclusive acceptance with multiple parties that also included Visa, MasterCard, and Discover.

Financial services history

During the 1980s, American Express embarked on its dream to become a financial services supercompany. In mid-1981 it purchased Shearson Loeb Rhoades Inc the second largest securities firm in the US. In 1984 it purchased the 90-year old Investors Diversified Services, bringing with it a fleet of financial advisors and investment products. Also in 1984, American Express acquired the investment banking and trading firm, Lehman Brothers Kuhn Loeb, and added it to the Shearson family, creating Shearson Lehman/American Express. In 1988, the Firm acquired E.F. Hutton, forming Shearson Lehman Hutton until 1990, when the Firm's name became Shearson Lehman Brothers. When Harvey Golub took the reins in 1993 he negotiated the sale of Shearson's retail brokerage and asset management business to Primerica and in following year, spun-off of the remaining investment banking and institutional businesses as Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.

In April 1992, American Express spun off its subsidiary, First Data Corp., in an IPO. Then, in October 1996, the company distributed the remaining majority of its holdings in First Data Corp., reducing its ownership to less than 5%.

In December 2000, American Express agreed to acquire the credit card portfolio of Bank of Hawaii, then a division of Pacific Century Financial Corp. In January 2006, American Express sold its Bank of Hawaii card portfolio to Bank of America (MBNA). Bank of America will issue Visa and American Express cards under the Bank of Hawaii name.

Until 2004, Visa and MasterCard rules prohibited issuers of their cards from issuing American Express cards in the United States. This meant, as a practical matter, that U.S. banks could not issue American Express cards. These rules were struck down as a result of antitrust litigation brought by the U.S. Department of Justice, and are no longer in effect. In January 2004, American Express reached a deal to have its cards issued by a U.S. bank, MBNA America. Initially decried by MasterCard executives as nothing but an "experiment", these cards were released in October of 2004. Some said that the relationship was going to be threatened by MBNA's merger with Bank of America, a major Visa issuer and original developer of VISA. However, an agreement was reached between American Express and Bank of America on December 21, 2005. Under the terms of the agreement, Bank of America will own the customer loans and American Express will process the transactions. Also, American Express will dismiss Bank of America from its antitrust litigation against Visa, MasterCard and a number of U.S. banks. Finally, both Bank of America and American Express also said an existing card-issuing partnership between MBNA and American Express will continue after the Bank of America-MBNA merger. The first card from the partnership, the no-annual-fee Bank of America Rewards American Express card, was released on June 30, 2006.

Since then, Citibank, GE Money, and USAA have also started issuing American Express cards. Citibank currently issues several American Express cards including an American Airlines AAdvantage co-branded card, while GE is currently issuing a co-branded card for Dillard's. HSBC Bank USA is currently testing both HSBC-branded and Neiman Marcus co-branded American Express rewards credit cards, with a full rollout scheduled for late 2007 or early 2008. Also, UBS launched its Resource Card program for US Wealth Management clients issuing Visa Signature credit cards and American Express charge cards linked to their customers accounts and employing a single rewards program for the two cards.

In 2005, American Express released the American Express Travelers Cheque Card, a stored-value card that serves the same purposes as a traveler's cheque, but can be used in stores like a credit card. The card has since been discontinued as of October 31, 2007, due to "changing market conditions". All cardholders were issued refund checks for the remaining balances.

On 30 September 2005, American Express spun off its American Express Financial Advisors unit as a publicly traded company, Ameriprise Financial, Inc.. Due to this, American Express revenues for 2005 are down around $5 billion, however, like-for-like they are up 10.5% in 2005. Also, on September 30, 2005, RSM McGladrey acquired American Express Tax & Business Services (TBS).

Advertising

In 1975, David Ogilvy of Ogilvy & Mather developed the highly successful "Don't Leave Home Without It" ad campaign for American Express Traveler's Cheques, featuring Oscar-award-winning actor Karl Malden. Karl Malden served as the public face of American Express Travelers Cheques for twenty-five years. His television ads were a combination of suspense, excitement, news, and a compelling call to action. First, you would see a thief stealing money from some poor unsuspecting tourist's wallet or beach bag or hotel room. Then Karl would arrive on the scene looking like the cop he played in the famous television series, Streets of San Francisco. He would say, "This could happen to you!" And then the call to action: "Don't let a thief spoil your vacation. Get American Express Travelers Cheques. Don't leave home without them." After Karl Malden's departure, and the card was promoted over the traveller's cheques, American Express continued to use celebrities. A typical ad for the American Express Card began with a celebrity asking viewers: "Do you know me?" Although he/she gave hints to his/her identity, the star's name was never mentioned except as imprinted on an American Express Card; after which announcer Peter Thomas told viewers how to apply for it. Each ad concluded with the celebrity reminding viewers: "Don't Leave Home Without It." The "Don't Leave Home Without It" slogan was revived in 2005 for the prepaid American Express Travelers Cheque Card.

The long-running PBS children's TV series, "Sesame Street" parodied the "Do you know me?/Don't Leave Home Without It" ad campaigns with three skits involving a Muppet Character holding a Grown-Up Friend's Hand while crossing the street. One skit featured Forgetful Jones (performed by Richard Hunt) with Olivia (Alaina Reed Hall) as his Grown-Up Friend, a second featured Bert and Ernie (Frank Oz and Jim Henson respectively) with Gordon (Roscoe Orman) as their Grown-Up Friend, and the third featured Big Bird (Carroll Spinney) with Bob (Bob McGrath) as his Grown-Up Friend. All three skits ended with their names being embossed at the bottom of a card looking like an American Express Card that had a big human left hand in the middle with the words "Grown-Up Friend's Hand" above it, and a voiceover saying "A Grown-Up Friend's Hand. Don't cross the street without it."

Another parody was seen on an episode of the CBS game show, "Press Your Luck," when the animated "Whammy Character" would give the "Do you know me?" tag line, followed by the display of an AmEx card-parody, which then had "WHAMMY" typed in on the bottom line of the card.

The 1989 movie, Major League also parodied the campaign. In one scene, in which every player is dressed in a tuxedo, the Cleveland Indians tell viewers of the film why every player carries the American Express Card with much of the explanation done one line at a time by players Jake Taylor (Tom Berenger), Eddie Harris (Chelcie Ross), Rick "Wild Thing" Vaughn (Charlie Sheen), Pedro Cerrano (Dennis Haysbert), and Roger Dorn (Corbin Bernsen), and Manager Lou Brown (James Gammon). The scene ends with Willie "Mays" Hayes (a tuxedo-clad Wesley Snipes) sliding into home plate in front of the rest of the team, holding up his card and saying to the viewers: "The American Express Card. Don't steal home without it."

To this day, American Express continues to use celebrities in their ads. Some notable examples include a late 1990s ad campaign with comedian Jerry Seinfeld, including the two 2004 webisodes in a series entitled "The Adventures of Seinfeld and Superman." In late 2004, American Express launched the "My life. My card." brand campaign (also by Ogilvy & Mather) featuring famous American Express cardmembers talking about their life. The ads have featured actors Kate Winslet, Robert De Niro, Ken Watanabe and Tina Fey, Duke University basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski, fashion designer Collette Dinnigan, comedian and talk show hostess Ellen DeGeneres, golfer Tiger Woods, professional snowboarder Shaun White, tennis pros Venus Williams and Andy Roddick, Chelsea Football Club manager José Mourinho, and film directors Martin Scorsese, Wes Anderson, M. Night Shyamalan and most recently singer Beyonce Knowles. In 2007, a two-minute black-and-white ad entitled "Animals" starring Ellen DeGeneres won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Commercial.

Workplace

Offices

In April 1986 American Express moved its headquarters to the 51-story Three World Financial Center in New York City. After the events of September 11, 2001, American Express had to leave its headquarters temporarily as it was located directly opposite to the World Trade Center and was damaged during the fall of the towers. The company began gradually moving back into its rehabilitated building in 2002.

The company also has major offices in Fort Lauderdale, FL; Salt Lake City, UT; Greensboro, NC and Phoenix, AZ. The main data center is located in Phoenix, with a secondary back-up facility in the Boston area.

Amex Canada is based just north of Toronto, in the City of Markham.

American Express has an 8-storey European Service Center, known as Amex House in Brighton, England. It is a large 1970s-built white tower block, surrounded by several other smaller offices around the city. Amex House deals with card servicing, sales, fraud and merchant servicing. The official UK HQ is located in London at Belgrave House on Buckingham Palace Road, SW1; other UK offices are based in Sussex at Burgess Hill.

The Asia-Pacific Headquarters is located in Singapore, at 16 Collyer Quay.

The headquarters of the Latin America & Caribbean division is in Miami.

The headquarters of the Australian division is in Sydney's King Street Wharf area, with the new state-of-the-art building receiving greenhouse status due to the environmentally friendly workspace that it provides.

Diversity

American Express was named one of the 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers living in the U.S. in 2006 and 2007 by U.S. based Working Mothers magazine.

Acquisition of American Express Bank Ltd. by Standard Chartered plc

On 18 September 2007, it was announced that Standard Chartered plc agreed to acquire American Express Bank Ltd, a commercial bank, from American Express Co, for an estimated $1.1 billion, through a friendly divestiture process. The transaction is currently subject to regulatory approvals. Lehman Brothers is advising American Express in this deal.

資料來源：
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Express