The Netherlands: Finding a new job heads up list of Dutch New Year resolutions

Finding a new job is a new entrant in the top five Dutch New Year resolutions, according to research by financial services group ING. Losing weight remains top of the list with 13%, followed by less stress (9%) and doing more sport (7%). Finding a new job is in equal fourth place with taking more exercise – both on 5%.

However, despite the good intentions, just one in four people manage to keep their resolutions for an entire year. In addition, 22% of the 1,300 plus people polled by ING don’t make any New Year resolutions at all.

Almere-Digest

Banking Industry: Dutch ING Miami Marathon To Generate Sizable Economic Impact for community

As the Dutch ING Miami Marathon and Half-Marathon® continues to grow, with race entries approaching 25,000 in 2012, the economic impact that the race has on the South Florida economy continues to surge along with it.

The event, set for Sunday, January 29, is expected to generate more than $45 million for the local economy this year in the form of hotel bookings, restaurant spending, transportation, shopping and entertainment.

That milestone would exceed the $41.4 million that the event generated in 2011 according to a report prepared by the Sport Industry Research Center at Temple University. That total was 24% higher than in 2010, or an additional $8.04 million dollars in economic activity.

Event organizers also estimate that the 2012 economic impact will mean that the event is approaching a cumulative $200 million in economic impact as it celebrates its 10th edition, making it one of the top beneficiaries of the local community over the past decade.

For more: ING Miami Marathon To Generate Sizable Economic Impact

Banking Industry: ING preparing to sell ING Direct USA for euro 7.22b

Bancassurer ING (ING.AS) said it was preparing to sell online banking business ING Direct USA, part of a plan to raise funds to repay Dutch state aid.

ING shares were up 3.0 percent by 1215 GMT (7:15 a.m. ET) on Wednesday after the New York Post reported the Dutch financial services group had started the process to auction its U.S. online banking unit in a sale that could raise as much as euro euro 7.22b ($10b)

For more: ING preparing to sell ING Direct USA | Reuters