By Rudi Filapek-Vandyck, Editor FNArena

Your team at FNArena has returned from a well-deserved annual break, ready to take on whatever lies ahead for the next twelve months. Today has already seen the resumption of daily The Australian Broker Call which we believe is the ideal starting point on any given day for market observers and investors, no matter what their goals and objectives are. Tomorrow we will send out the first daily email. The Weekly Insights email will resume next week.

As far as the many data, tools and applications on the FNArena website are concerned, we have continued updating throughout the break, but there is a small backlog, including QBE ((QBE)), which we will address ASAP. FNArena remains committed to providing subscribers with the highest quality service possible and this commitment remains unchanged for the new calendar year.

As is usually the case, a new year also brings with it fresh plans and intentions and this year is not different. More updates will be issued in due course. Stay tuned as we are about to launch our first new initiative later today.

Equity markets have started 2012 on an equally volatile, but also positive note. Indices in Australia are slightly higher than pre-Christmas last year. Trading volumes have been exceptionally thin. Friday's sovereign credit downgrades by Standard & Poor's is a timely reminder the underlying themes that dominated 2011 have not miraculously disappeared.

Rest assured, your team at FNArena will put everything in place to offer you the best data service possible, accompanied by ahead-of-the-curve market analysis and valuable insights, in order to help you find the best routes throughout the minefields that lay ahead. Just like we did in 2011 and the years before last year.

Last but not least, thanks for all your support in years past and for the years ahead. Running and developing FNArena is one mighty task for what, at the end of the day, remains a small but highly committed team of experienced finance journalists. Our aim is to surprise you all in a positive sense this year. If you haven't as yet stepped on board, or you are doubting whether to renew or not (as the market hasn't genuinely changed from last year, except maybe in valuation terms) then consider this an open invitation to join us.

We will travel to sunnier beaches this year, regardless of what the market as a whole might do.

That's a promise.

How about you join/stay on board for the ride?

You won't regret it.

For enquiries: we prefer you use Editor Direct on the website or send us an email at info@fnarena.com

Information about subscriptions can be accessed here: http://www.fnarena.com/index2.cfm?type=dsp_signup

(Note a paid subscription to FNArena (6 or 12 months) comes with two e-booklets this year, including the recently issued "The Big De-Rating. A Guide Through The Minefields". We will update the info on our website ASAP. If you are a paid subscriber and haven't as yet received your copy, send us an email or, better, leave a message via Editor Direct.)