Forty members of the Swedish Shareholders Association visited the USA to attend the Annual Meeting of Berkshire Hathaway (BERK.A – NYSE) and hear the annual address by its founder, "The Oracle of Omaha", Warren Buffett. Colleagues from NAIC/BetterInvesting (USA) arranged for the Swedish visitors to also attend presentations by investor representatives from Citrix Systems (CTXS – NAASDAQ) and Tupperware (TUP – NYSE).

Thanks to WFIC's member organizations, we have been able to compile statistics on the number of individual shareholders in the larger markets. In the USA approximately 21 million American households (20%) own individual shares of stock. In Germany the number of individual shareholders (including employee shares holders) is estimated at 4 thousand (2007 data). In Sweden there are approximately 2.2 million individual shareholders, and according to the statistics from 2005-2006, the average male director shareholder owns 15,392 shares, and the average female shareholder owns 4,129 shares. In Poland in 2009, there were 254 thousand active individual shareholders on the stock market.

BetterInvesting, the US National Association of Investors Corporation/BetterInvesting (NAIC), has experienced continued success with the Online Stock Study events organized by volunteer educators for the association's members.

The monthly webinar features an analysis of the stock of a publicly traded company. The volunteer educators use investment analysis tools such as the Association's Stock Selection Guide and IClub's Tool Kit software. The sessions, which allow questions and rankings from the on-line audience, have consistently drawn 600-900 participants.

Vilnius, January 30. Small investors, united by WFIC member Investors Association (Lithuania), ask the court to return money, paid for unregistered share issue of bankrupt Lithuanian bank Snoras. On January 30, 2012, 410 investors submitted a case to the Vilnius Regional Court, asking back ERU 2.4 million.

"After successful process uniting investors seeking higher price in Lifosa squeeze-out process, we managed to gather an even larger group, which asks for the return of deposited funds for unregistered Snoras shares. We hope that the group action will facilitate a more efficient court process, because instead of 400 claims there is only one — with a record number of applicants in Lithuania," said Investors Association (Lithuania) Board member Tomas Pilipavicius. Investors also ask the court to apply for interim measures and seize the money paid for subscribed, but unregistered shares.

"Under the Lithuanian Banking Act, after the subscription of shares, money is deposited in a special account opened at another credit institution and may be used by the bank only after registering amendments to the Statutes relating to the share capital increase. This means that cash paid by investors does not belong to Snoras assets and must be returned to investors," said the Investors Association member of the Board and the AAA Baltic Service Company attorney Daiva Usinskaite-Filonoviene. According to her, after initiation of the process, Snoras bankruptcy administrator should refrain from taking action on small investors' money.

Snoras shareholders decision to issue new EUR 110 million shares was adopted on 21st December 2011. Most new shares were subscribed by former Snoras majority shareholders Vladimir Antonov (EUR 58.1 million) and Raimondas Baranauskas (EUR 21.6 million) and a fund managed by Jubilee Financial Products (EUR 23.2 million). Small investors subscribed to approximately EUR 7.3 million worth of shares.

On 16th November, 2011, the Lithuanian government seized Snoras shares from private owners, and on 22nd November, the central Bank of Lithuania refused to issue a permit to register Snoras amendments to the Statutes of the capital increase. On 7th December, 2011, Snoras was declared bankrupt by the court. Russian businessman Vladimir Antonov and Lithuanian businessman Raimondas Baranauskas are accused of an asset-stripping operation that is the alleged cause of the collapse of Snoras.

As part of our expanded membership services, WFIC is exploring a variety of alternative shareholders' fairs, the purpose of which are to provide information about high-potential, listed companies across industry sectors and in various countries. In the past, our member organizations from Brazil and France have incorporated their investor fairs as hosts for our annual meetings. NAIC-BetterInvesting from the U.S. is co-producing a virtual Retail Investor Fair on the Internet (see separate article). While from Brazil, TradeNetwork, an organizer of conferences and money shows, has teamed up with the biggest Brazilian media–TV Global in plans for virtual venture fairs. Fairs have proven to be a great opportunity to exchange information, create valuable contacts and learn about investment opportunities throughout the world.

Note: WFIC provides opportunities for company information and investor education, it does not recommend specific investments.

On November 18, 2010, the WFIC Board Meeting was held in Paris. The policy for investor fairs was a focus of our Board meeting. On the following day, all WFIC members were invited to attend the 'Actionaria' Money Fair, where the Fédération Française des Clubs d’/Investissement had a booth. According to our host, 'Actionaria' is educational and is aimed at providing information to private investors. WFIC organized meetings with investor relations managers of major French listed companies such as L'Oreal, Total or EADS (the maker of Airbus). Participation in this event was of great value to all WFIC members.

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From June 11-13, 2009, WFIC members attended the Euroshareholders' meeting in Warsaw, which was hosted by Polish Shareholders Association. The official part of the meeting was held at the Warsaw Stock Exchange. Special presentations were given by Ms. Lidia Adamska, a member of the Warsaw Stock Exchange Management Board and Przemyslaw Kwiecien, a chief economist of X-Trade Brokerage House. The participants learned of the high potential of a Polish stock market and the current economic situation in Poland. The official part of the meeting was followed by a superb cultural tour of Warsaw and Krakow. Elegant lunches and dinners were good opportunities to exchange views and establish new contacts.

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BetterInvesting, the US National Association of Investors Corporation/BetterInvesting (NAIC), has experienced continued success with the Online Stock Study events organized by volunteer educators for the association's members.The monthly webinar features an analysis of the stock of a publicly traded company. The volunteer educators use investment analysis tools such as the Association's Stock Selection Guide and IClub's Tool Kit software. The sessions, which allow questions and rankings from the on-line audience, have consistently drawn 600-900 participants.

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The Joint WFIC and Euroshareholders meetings took place in Brussels on October 21-23, 2009. WFIC hosted a dinner the first evening at which time the retiring Chairman Lars-Eric Forsgårdh, and retiring Sec. General, Claus W. Silfverberg, were honored. This event was followed by two very enriching days of conferences, matters crucial to investors. During the WFIC Board Meeting new officers were elected and a Future Strategy, focused on investor education was approved. The highlight of the joint meetings was a final dinner honoring retiring Euroshareholder Secretary General Jean-Pierre Paelinck.

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As part of our expanded membership services, WFIC is exploring a variety of alternative shareholders' fairs, the purpose of which are to provide information about high-potential, listed companies across industry sectors and in various countries. In the past, our member organizations from Brazil and France have incorporated their investor fairs as hosts for our annual meetings. NAIC-BetterInvesting from the U.S. is co-producing a virtual Retail Investor Fair on the Internet (see separate article). While from Brazil, TradeNetwork, an organizer of conferences and money shows, has teamed up with the biggest Brazilian media–TV Global in plans for virtual venture fairs. Fairs have proven to be a great opportunity to exchange information, create valuable contacts and learn about investment opportunities throughout the world.

Note: WFIC provides opportunities for company information and investor education, it does not recommend specific investments.

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Forty members of the Swedish Shareholders Association visited the USA to attend the Annual Meeting of Berkshire Hathaway (BERK.A – NYSE) and hear the annual address by its founder, "The Oracle of Omaha", Warren Buffett. Colleagues from NAIC/BetterInvesting (USA) arranged for the Swedish visitors to also attend presentations by investor representatives from Citrix Systems (CTXS – NAASDAQ) and Tupperware (TUP – NYSE).

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Thanks to WFIC's member organizations, we have been able to compile statistics on the number of individual shareholders in the larger markets. In the USA approximately 21 million American households (20%) own individual shares of stock. In Germany the number of individual shareholders (including employee shares holders) is estimated at 4 thousand (2007 data). In Sweden there are approximately 2.2 million individual shareholders, and according to the statistics from 2005-2006, the average male director shareholder owns 15,392 shares, and the average female shareholder owns 4,129 shares. In Poland in 2009, there were 254 thousand active individual shareholders on the stock market.

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