TRADING INFORMATIONS

Forex: Benefits of Trading the Forex Market

2008-08-31T03:30:00.002-07:00

by: Raul Lopez
Trading the Forex market has become very popular in the last years. Why is it that traders around the world see the Forex market as an investment opportunity? We will try to answer this question in this article. Also we will discuss come differences between the Forex market, the stocks market and the futures market.
Some of the benefits of trading the Forex market are:
Superior liquidity.
Liquidity is what really makes the Forex market different from other markets. The Forex market is by far the most liquid financial market in the world with nearly 2 trillion dollars traded everyday. This ensures price stability and better trade execution. Allowing traders to open and close transactions with ease. Also such a tremendous volume makes it hard to manipulate the market in an extended manner.
24hr Market.
This one is also one of the greatest advantages of trading Forex. It is an around the click market, the market opens on Sunday at 3:00 pm EST when New Zealand begins operations, and closes on Friday at 5:00 pm EST when San Francisco terminates operations. There are transactions in practically every time zone, allowing active traders to choose at what time to trade.
Leverage trading.
Trading the Forex Market offers a greater buying power than many other markets. Some Forex brokers offer leverage up to 400:1, allowing traders to have only 0.25% in margin of the total investment. For instance, a trader using 100:1 means that to have a US$100,000 position, only US$1,000 are needed on margin to be able to open that position.
Low Transaction costs.
Almost all brokers offer commission free trading. The only cost traders incur in any transaction is the spread (difference between the buy and sell price of each currency pair). This spread could be as low as 1 pip (the minimum increment in any currency pair) in some pairs.
Low minimum investment.
The Forex market requires less capital to start trading than any other markets. The initial investment could go as low as $300 USD, depending on leverage offered by the broker. This is a great advantage since Forex traders are able to keep their risk investment to the lowest level.
Specialized trading.
The liquidity of the market allows us to focus on just a few instruments (or currency pairs) as our main investments (85% of all trading transactions are made on the seven major currencies). Allowing us to monitor, and at the end get to know each instrument better.
Trading from anywhere.
If you do a lot of traveling, you can trade from anywhere in the world just having an internet connection.
Some of the most important differences between the Forex market and other markets are explained below.
Forex market vs. Equity markets
Liquidity
FX market: Near two trillion dollars of daily volume.
Equity market: Around 200 billion on a daily basis.
Trading hours
FX market: 24hr market, 5.5 days a week.
Equity market: Monday through Friday from 8:30 EST to 5:00 EST.
Profit potential
FX market: In both, rising and falling markets.
Equity market: Most traders/investor profit only from rising markets.
Transaction costs
FX market: Commission free and tight spreads.
Equity market: High Commissions and transaction fees.
Buying power
FX market: Leverage up to 400:1.
Equity market: Leverage from 2:1 to 4:1.
Specialization
FX market: most volume (85%) is made on major currencies (USD, EUR, JPY, GBP, CHF, CAD and AUD.)
Equity market: More than 40,000 stocks to choose from.
Forex market vs. Futures market
Liquidity
FX Market: Near two trillion dollars of daily volume.
Futures market: Around 400 billion dollars on a daily basis.
Transaction costs
FX market: Commission free and tight spreads.
Futures market: High commissions fees.
Margin
FX market: Fixed rate of margin on every position.
Futures market: Different levels of margin on overnight positions than day time positions.
Trade execution
FX market: Instantaneous execution.
Futures market: Inconsistent execution.
All this makes the Forex market very attractive to investors and traders. But I need to make something clear, although the benefits of trading the Forex market are notorious; it is still difficult to make a successful career trading the Forex market. It requires a lot of education, discipline, commitment and patience, as any other market.

Forex Trading Online - 7 Reasons You Should!

2008-08-31T03:30:00.001-07:00

by: Keith Thompson
Copyright 2005 Keith ThompsonForex trading online is a fast way to use your investment capital to it's fullest. The Forex markets offer distinct advantages to the small and large traders alike, making Forex currency trading in many ways preferable to other markets such as stocks, options or traditional futures. Here are seven reasons why you'll want to look into Forex Trading online.1 - Forex is the largest market.Forex trading volume of more than 1.9 billion, more than 3 times larger than the equities market and more than 5 times bigger than futures, give Forex traders nearly unlimited liquidity and flexibility.2 - Forex never sleeps!You can execute forex trading online 24/7, from 7AM New Zealand time on Monday morning, to 5PM New York time on Friday evening. No waiting for markets to open: they're open all night! This makes Forex trading online a very attractive component that fits easily into your day (or night!)3 - No Bulls or Bears!Because Forex trading online involves the buying of one currency while simultaneously selling another, you have an equal opportunity for profit no matter which direction the currency is headed. Another advantage is that there are only around 14 pairs of currencies to trade, as opposed to many thousands of stocks, options and futures. 4 - Forex Trading online offers great leverage!You can make the most of your investment resources with Forex trading online. Some brokers offer 200:1 margin ratios in your trading accounts. Mini-FX accounts, which can typically be opened with only $200-300, offer 0.5% margin, meaning that $50 in trading capital can control a 10,000 unit currency position. This is why people are flocking to Forex trading online as a way to highly leverage their investments.5 - Forex prices are predictable.Currency prices, though volatile, tend to create and follow trends, allowing the technically trained Forex trader to spot and take advantage of many entry and exit points.6 - Forex trading online is commission free!That's right! No commissions, no exchange fees or any other hidden fees. This is a very transparent market, and you'll find it very easy to research the currencies and the countries involved. Forex brokers make a small percentage of the bid/ask spread, and that's it. No longer any need to compute commissions and fees when executing a trade.7 - Forex trading online is instant!The FX market is astoundingly fast! Your orders are executed, filled and confirmed usually within 1-2 seconds. Since this is all done electronically with no humans involved, there is little to slow it down!Forex trading online can get you where you want to go quicker and more profitably than any other form of trading. Check it out and see what Forex trading online can do for you!

Benefits of Forex Trading

2008-08-31T03:29:00.002-07:00

by: Cynthia Macy
There are many benefits and advantages to trading Forex. Here are just a fewreasons why so many people are choosing this market as a businessopportunity:1. LEVERAGE: In Forex trading, a small margin deposit can control a muchlarger total contract value. Leverage gives the trader the ability to makeextraordinary profits and at the same time keep risk capital to a minimum. SomeForex firms offer 200 to 1 leverage, which means that a $50 dollar margindeposit would enable a trader to buy or sell $10,000 worth of currencies.Similarly, with $500 dollars, one could trade with $100,000 dollars and so on.2. LIQUIDITY: Because the Forex Market is so large, it is also extremely liquid.This means that with a click of a mouse you can instantaneously buy and sell atwill. You are never 'stuck' in a trade. You can even set the online tradingplatform to automatically close your position at your desired profit level (limitorder), and/or close a trade if a trade is going against you (stop order).3. PROFIT IN BOTH 'RISING' AND 'FALLING' MARKETS: On the stockmarkets, you can only make money if shares are rising, but in economicrecession and falling 'bear' markets, there is little chance of making big money.Forex is different. One of the most exciting advantages of FX trading is the abilityto generate profits whether a currency pair is 'up' or 'down'. A trader can profitby taking a 'long' position, (buying the currency pair at one price and selling itlater at a higher price), or a 'short' position, (selling the currency pair and buyingit back at a lower price). For example, if you think the US dollar will increase invalue vs. the Japanese Yen then you will buy Dollars and sell Yen (go long). Ifyou think the Yen will increase in value against the Dollar then you will sellDollars and buy yen (go short). As long as the trader picks the right direction, apotential for profit always exists.4. 24 HRS: From Sunday evening to Friday Afternoon EST the Forex marketnever sleeps. This is very desirable for those who want to trade on a part-timebasis, because you can choose when you want to trade--morning, noon or night.5. FREE 'DEMO' ACCOUNTS, NEWS, CHARTS AND ANALYSIS: Most OnlineForex firms offer free 'Demo' accounts to practice trading, along with breakingForex news and charting services. These are very valuable resources for traderswho would like to hone their trading skills with 'virtual' money before opening alive trading account.6. 'MINI' TRADING: One might think that getting started as a currency traderwould cost a lot of money. The fact is, it doesn't. Online Forex Firms now offer'mini' trading accounts with a minimum account deposit of only $200-$500 withno commission trading. This makes Forex much more accessible to the averageindividual, without large, start-up capital.

Forex Trading

2008-08-31T03:29:00.001-07:00

by: Chris Rohrer
The foreign exchange market, also knows as FOREX, originated in 1973 has become the largest e-currency trade market in the world today. FOREX trading occurs 24 hours a day, 5 days a week. The FOREX market offers a unique trading opportunity to those seeking a substantial profit in a market that trades over 1.2 trillion dollars each day. FOREX market is primarily traded between central banks, commercial banks, non-banking International Corporation, hedge funds, private investors and speculators. Previously small investors were unable to trade in the FOREX market due to the large deposit required. However until recent years, with the continuing growth of the internet and competition, Forex trading has made it so small investors can now open a FOREX trading account with as little as $250. There are a few factors as to why FOREX investing is starting to attract more small investors. For one, FOREX can be traded 24 hours a day 5 days a week. Previously trades were placed by phone, the internet has made it possible for traders to monitor their FOREX trading accounts from home and execute trades in real time with the click of a mouse button. In order to start trading in the FOREX market, one must first open an account with a broker. It is recommended to obtain a list of brokers and do some research before deciding on which broker to deal with. Each broker offers different policies and different spreads on each currency that is traded. Before trading in FOREX, one must first understand the risk and reward behindmargin trading in FOREX. A margined account can be leveraged, which means trading in FOREX can be done with solely cash or a combination of cash and collateral such as a security deposit. The main risk involved in margin trading is that margin trading tends to inflate loss. In addition the rate of loss and leverage makes FOREX a high risk investment. However, regardless of the downside in margin trading, FOREX is still very profitable as huge gains can be made. There are plenty of resources on the internet that will discuss trading strategies, emotions and what it takes to become a successful trader. Most of these web sites are going to tell you that emotions play the largest roll in your success as a trader.

Forex Training: What to Look for in a Forex Training Program

2008-08-31T03:28:00.000-07:00

by: Raul Lopez
Should new Forex traders take Forex trading courses or join a Forex training program? Definitely yes; by now you have probably heard that only 5% of traders achieve consistent profitable results when trading the Forex market. The main reason for this is the lack of education. Don’t get me wrong here, taking a Forex training program or a Forex trading course won’t guarantee profitable results, nothing can, but choosing the right Forex training program or Forex trading course will definitely put the odds in your favor.Before spending any amount of money on any Forex trading course or Forex training program there are some important aspects you need to take in consideration. There are many training programs available, but not every one of them suits the needs of every trader. The first thing you should be looking in a Forex training program is the content of the material. Unfortunately, most courses or training programs focus or spend most of the time on basic concepts. Though these basic concepts are important, spending most of the course on them won’t help the trader to make consistent results.The following subjects are what I consider the most important aspects of trading and every training program or trading course should address:Forex trading basics.Review basic concepts such as: margin, type of orders, a little background, bid/ask, rollover, etc. You need to make sure you understand every single concept to perfection. Main drawbacks of Forex traders. Being aware of the common mistakes made by Forex traders and knowing how to handle them will prevent new traders from making those mistakes. Technical and fundamental analysis. These are the two main approaches adopted by Forex traders. Knowing how to properly apply each concept will definitely put the odds in your favor. The three pillars of Forex trading. I consider that these three subjects have the most impact on every trader trading account. Forex trading system development.Having the right system is a must if you want to have consistent profitable results. Having a system that doesn’t fit you will cause a series of problems that will make your trading account vanish away (second guessing the system, not following your system, etc.)Money management.This is considered by many successful traders to be the most important single aspect of trading. Money management helps to increase your profits geometrically and at the same time limit your losses (i.e. a good risk reward ratio of about 2:1 will make you money in a Forex trading system that is right only 38% of the time.)Trading psychology. Being aware and knowing hot to handle the psychological barriers that affect every trader decision will put the odds in your favor. Other important aspects every training program should include are:Developing habits for success (such as discipline patience, taking responsibility of every action, commitment, etc.,) understanding and taking our trading as a business, risk and trade management.Another important aspect you should take into consideration when choosing a Forex training program is the mechanics of it, getting to know how the training program works. A good course will have the following:A live conference room, where you can apply everything learned under live market conditions.One-on-one feedback, every trader has different needs and requires special attention. For instance a trader wanting to improve the system and requires individual feedback from the instructor about it. Online trading course, a course that could be accessible through internet. A plus is a course where you are able to access the course at the convenient time for you, so you don’t have to change your lifestyle. A forum, where members can talk just about everything related to the Forex market and the Forex training program.Trading the Forex market is no easy task. It requires a lot of hard work. Making the right decision will definitely put the odds in your favor. Take your time when doing your diligence because it is a big and important step in a trader’s trading career.

Comments on Forex Trading Account Sizes, Lots and Margin Calls

2008-08-31T03:27:00.000-07:00

by: Adrian Pablo
Forex trading is one of the best business opportunities you can think of joining these days. No other market in the world allows the “Leverage” that the profitable world of currency-trading does. Leverage is all about margin trading. In the Forex market, it is essentially the ratio of the amount used in a trade to the required security deposit needed, by the particular broker you chose to use, for that trade.Normally, for most brokerages, a margin deposit of just $1,000 allows you to control a $100,000 position in the Forex market. That's 100:1 leverage, or 1%. Or, said in a different way, a “regular full-sized account”, sometimes referred to as a 100k account, allows you to trade with lot sizes equal to $100,000. Each lot is worth $100,000 in currency. So It would only require $1,000 to trade one lot.This great feature in Forex trading is what makes this market the hottest market to trade in right now. The Forex broker has given you a loan of $99,000 dollars secured only by your $1,000! This is a huge loan and, as you may know by now, this is what allows traders to make extraordinary incomes in this market. And, as you also are probably used to hearing , "leverage is a two-edged sword" , it is what can cause you to lose a lot of money if you trade without rules or Stop-loss orders.But just as an example, let's say you were a person that likes to trade with reckless abandon, i.e., with no strategy, no common sense, no money- management principles, etc. That’s never recommended for anyone, but being a Forex trader has such great advantages, that even someone with a trading mind like the one described before, will never lose more than what he has placed into a trade.Unlike Futures (Commodity Trading), the market that most people associate with High leverage, you can never have a debit balance when trading Forex.So, despite the greater leverage associated with FX trading, it is still arguably less risky than futures trading. Futures markets are often prone to sudden and dramatic moves, against which you can’t protect yourself, even by trading with protective stops. Your position may be liquidated at a loss, and you’ll be liable for any resulting deficit in the account. But because of the Forex markets great liquidity and 24-hour, continuous trading, dangerous trading gaps and limit moves are very unprobable. Orders are executed quickly, without slippage or partial fills, which is just great. And as it was not enough, there are no margin calls, for your protection, the forex broker's trading platform will automatically close out some or all of your open positions if your account equity, meaning the total floating value of the account, falls below the level required to hold the positions. Think of this as a final, automatic stop, always working on your behalf to prevent a debit balance.

What’s Fibonacci Forex Trading?

2008-08-31T03:26:00.002-07:00

by: Adrian Pablo
Fibonacci forex trading is the basis of many forex trading systems used by a great number of professional forex brokers around the globe, and many billions of dollars are profitable traded every year based on these trading techniques.Fibonacci was an Italian mathematician and he is best remembered by his world famous Fibonacci sequence, the definition of this sequence is that it’s formed by a series of numbers where each number is the sum of the two preceding numbers; 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13 ...But in the case of currency trading what is more important for the forex trader is the Fibonacci ratios derived from this sequence of numbers, i.e. .236, .50, .382, .618, etc.These ratios are mathematical proportions prevalent in many places and structures in nature, as well as in many man made creations. Forex trading can greatly benefit form this mathematical proportions due to the fact that the oscillations observed in forex charts, where prices are visibly changing in an oscillatory pattern, follow Fibonacci ratios very closely as indicators of resistance and support levels; maybe not to the last cent, but so close as to be really amazing.Fibonacci price points, or levels, for any forex currency pair can be calculated in advance so that the trader will know when to enter or exit the market if the prediction given by the Fibonacci forex day trading system he uses fulfills its predictions.Many people tries to make this analysis overly complicated scaring away many new forex traders that are just beginning to understand how the forex market works and how to make a profit in it. But this is not how it has to be. I can’t say it’s a simple concept but it is quite understandable for any trader once he or she has grasped the basics and has had some practice trading using Fibonacci levels along with other secondary indicators that will help to improve the accuracy of the entry and exit point for every particular trade. Free chapters of a forex day trading system can be downloaded at the author's website in case you are interested in learning more about Fibonacci forex trading.

Forex Trading: The Perfect Forex Trading System

2008-08-31T03:26:00.001-07:00

by: Raul Lopez
Trading the Forex market has became very popular in the last few years. But how difficult is it to achieve success in the Forex trading arena? Or let me rephrase this question, how many traders achieve consistent profitable results trading the Forex market? Unfortunately very few, only 5% of traders achieve this goal. One of the main reasons of this is because Forex traders focus in the wrong information to make their trading decisions and totally forget about the most important factor: Price behavior.Most Forex trading systems are made off technical indicators (a moving average (MA) crossover, overbought/oversold conditions in an oscillator, etc.) But what are technical indicators? They are just a series of data points plotted in a chart; these points are derived from a mathematical formula applied to the price of any given currency pair. In other words, it is a chart of price plotted in a different way that helps us see other aspects of price. There is an important implication on this definition of technical indicators. The fact that the readings obtained from them are based on price action. Take for instance a long MA crossover signal, the price has gone up enough to make the short period MA crossover the long period MA generating a long signal. Most traders see it as “the MA crossover made the price go up,” but it happened the other way around, the MA crossover signal occurred because the price went up. Where I’m trying to get here is that at the end, price behavior dictates how an indicator will act, and this should be taken into consideration on any trading decision made. Trading decisions based on technical indicators without taking price action into consideration will give us less accurate results. For example, again a long signal generated by a MA crossover as the market approaches an important resistance level. If the price suddenly starts to bounce back off that important level there is no point on taking this signal, price action is telling us the market doesn’t want to go up. Most of the time, under this circumstances, the market will continue to fall down, disregarding the MA crossover. Don’t get me wrong here, technical indicators are a very important aspect of trading. They help us see certain conditions that are otherwise difficult to see by watching pure price action. But when it comes to pull the trigger, price action incorporation into our Forex trading system will definitely put the odds in our favor, it will generate higher probability trades. So, how to create a perfect Forex trading system? First of all, you need to make sure your trading system fits your trading personality; otherwise you will find it hard to follow it. Every trader has different needs and goals, thus there is no system that perfectly fits all traders. You need to make your own research on various trading styles and technical indicators until you find a concept that perfectly works for you. Make sure you know the nature of whatever technical indicator used. Secondly, incorporate price action into your system. So you only take long signals if the price behavior tells you the market wants to go up, and short signals if the market gives you indication that it will go down. Third, and most importantly, you need to have the discipline to follow your Forex trading system rigorously. Try it first on a demo account, then move on to a small account and finally when feeling comfortably and being consistent profitable apply your system in a regular account.

The Stock Trading Plan

2008-08-31T03:25:00.002-07:00

by: Mark Crisp
that discipline contributed more to their success than their trading philosophy itself. Remember that the key to any plan is how well it holds over time.2. There is no "sure thing", and there is no trading system that is 100% accurate. Your goal, as a trader, is to usethe tools available and try to develop an edge. Base your trades on sound fundamental and technical reasoning,rather than on hunches and long shots. If you can develop an edge, however small, over time you will be successful.3. A trader must be able to admit they have made a mistake. Do not become emotionally or financially committed to a losing trade. Avoid the pitfall of becoming emotionally involved with any trade.4. An investing edge is only part of the equation. A trader should diversify sufficiently so that the growth in equity can be consistent and the likelihood of a catastrophic loss can be diminished. The lower the percentage of a traders' account dedicated to any one trade the greater the chance of the trader being successful. Even if the trader has a perceived investing edge, it is unwise to run the risk of ruin, and bet it all on one trade. The goal is not only to make money, but also to be able to continue to make money consistently for anextended period of time. A trader must learn the basic concepts and the importance of money management.5. Lack of experience in the market causes many traders to make the mistake of taking small profits and letting losses run.Fundamental trading wisdom dictates the exact opposite. When in a winning trade, be patient and fully capitalize on the success. The trading axiom is, "cut your losses short and let your profits run".6. A trading system does not have to be difficult, time consuming, complicated and stressful in order to be profitable.In trading systems, as in many other things in life, simple can be better7. As a trader, be cautious, and never let greed take control of a winning position.8. Be aware that declining volume usually indicates the market is not accepting higher or lower prices, and this could indicate a market turn.9. Learn from your trading mistakes. Never make a trading mistake without asking yourself why.10. Do not make trading decision based solely on margin requirements, and always trade within your capabilities.Remain true to your trading plan and follow the trading style that works best for you.11. Do not trade markets that you don't understand. Trade with confidence and conviction. Trade only with risk capital and be aware of the risk of losing. Divide your capital into 6 equal parts and never risk more than one-tenth of your capital on any one trade.12. After a long period of success or a period of profitable trades, try to avoid the natural tendency toward increasing your trading activity. Conversely, use self-discipline when a trade goes against your position. Take your loss and wait for another opportunity. Never increase your trading after a loss.13. Avoid getting into the market because you are anxious from waiting and/or out of the market because you have lost your patience. Never over trade and adhere to your risk management rules14. Do not make a trading decision to buy just because the price of the stock is low or sell just because the price is high. Never change your position in the market without a good reason that is based on a fundamental or technical rule indicating a change in trend.15. Trade the most active stocks and refrain from trading the slow moving markets. Trade "at the market" whenever possible and try to avoid a fixed buying and selling price.16. When the market is moving with your position and you are using a stop loss order, then raise your stop loss so as to lock in your profit. Protect yourself against the possibility of turning a profit into a loss.17. The "trend is your friend," and never buy and sell if you are insecure of the trend according to your fundamentals and technical rules. If you are in doubt, then exit the market. Only trade when you feel confident with your trading strategies.18. Trade in five or six different stocks at a time, so as to avoid tying up all of your capital in any single stock.19. A trader should establish a "surplus account" after a series of successful or winning trades. The goal is to retain the "surplus account" for times of emergency or panic 20. It is difficult to try and guess where the top and bottom of the market is, instead let the market prove its top and bottom.

The 10 Golden Rules of Trading

2008-08-31T03:25:00.001-07:00

by: Paul King
1 IntroductionIn this article we cover the few important rules that should never be broken in trading. If you can apply these rules consistently, and with discipline, you will be well on the way to being a profitable trader.The rules we cover are:• Have specific goals and objectives• Be consistent and disciplined• Let profits run• Cut losses short• Never add to a losing trade• Don’t take too much risk• Only trade positive expectancy systems• Minimize all trading business costs• Be well educated• Don’t trade scared moneyEach of the rules will now be discussed.2 The Golden Rules of TradingThe following sections outline a set of rules that can significantly improve your chances of success if they are understood, practiced, and implemented consistently in your trading. These rules have been learned the hard way, by study, research, trial-and-error, and the inevitable mistakes that everyone makes when they start a trading business.We hope that you can learn from the work we have done, and benefit from our experience. The rules will now be discussed.2.1 Have specific goals and objectivesFew things are more important to your trading success than having set (i.e. written) goals and objective for what you are aiming to achieve. It is amazing to me how often we hit our targets, meet our objectives, and reach our goals only when we articulate them and write them down.For any business to be successful it must have measurable objectives that are actually achievable. In trading (obviously) the primary objective is to make money, but it is important to have other objectives that are not purely cash-related. We must always remember that reward and risk go hand-in-hand in trading and that we cannot expect to achieve high returns without planning for high risk (i.e. draw-downs).Your objectives and goals will be very specific to you, but they must have the following characteristics to be useful:• Be measurable (in completion and timeframe)• Be achievable• Be worthwhile• Be positiveAs an example, here are some of our current objectives (this is only a partial list):• Develop 2 new positive-expectancy trading systems each year• Make fewer errors implementing our trading systems each year• Achieve a return to maximum draw-down ratio of 1.5:1• Take 2 weeks vacation each yearNote that only one of them is about making money, and that has a measurable objective that is relative to draw-down, not absolute (i.e. make 100% per year). If you know what you are trying to achieve, and when you are trying to achieve it, the whole business will be focused on meetingyour objectives and help guide you to only pay attention to things you really want to achieve with your limited time and resources. This will also give you a way to measure the success and progress of your trading. Generally traders with well-defined objectives will be much more successful than those that do not have pre-defined goals.2.2 Be consistent and disciplinedIn order to realize the full potential of your trading systems it is critical that you take every trading entry, adjust every stop, and close out every trade as and when your system says you should do. This takes extreme confidence in your trading systems, good robust reliable technology, and the mental discipline to stick to your trading plan whatever happens (assuming it is complete).An underlying assumption about being consistent and disciplined is that you have a pre-defined plan for every situation you may face in your trading, so that you know how you are defining what being consistent is. Your plan needs to include at least the following items:• All your trading rules for entering, adding to, and exiting positions• What you will do if your trading computer, internet connection, broker, power, telephoneetc. fails• What you will do if you are unable to trade• What you will do if you lose X% of your account• What you will do if all the markets are closed and you can’t exit your positionsUnless you write the answers down to all these issues, you cannot be consistent and disciplined in your approach to trading and if you lose money you will not know whether it is because you didn’t follow your plan, because your plan is incomplete, because your systems do not work, or simply because you are going through a losing period.2.3 Let profits runThis simple rule is the key to being a successful trader. It is three simple words that are very hard to actually implement. When we get a profitable trade our natural fear of losing the unrealized cash kicks in and we truly want to close it out now and take the money. Most trading consists of long periods of small winners and losers followed by a few huge winners that make the difference between overall profitability and simply breaking even or losing due to trading costs(commissions, spread, and slippage).It is our ability to let the huge winners become just that - huge - that determines how we will perform overall during the year. The key to letting winners run is to have trailing stops that are outside the daily noise of the market so that they are not tight enough to get stopped out during ‘normal’ trading. This means being prepared to give up a significant portion of a winning trade’s open profit and is the thing that makes this so hard to implement. In fact, we should be adding to a winner and widening stops rather than working out how tight our stops can be to capture maximum profit. The trade has already shown you that it intends to be a winner, and the chances are it is a low-risk idea to add to the position now rather than ‘strangle it’ with stops that are too tight.It is very important that your position management rules allow for large winning trades, and that the rules are pre-defined and understood before you place the trade. This will allow you (if you have confidence in your method and discipline) to stick to your rules when you do get the bigwinner.2.4 Cut losses shortThis is the sister rule to the previous one, and is usually just as difficult to implement (although itis very easy to define). In the same way that profitability comes from a few large winning trades, capital preservation comes from avoiding the few large losers that the market will toss your way each year. Setting a maximum loss point before you enter the trade so you know before-hand approximately how much you are risking on this particular position is relatively straightforward. You simply need to have a exit price that says to you ‘this trade is a loser and I will exit before it gets any bigger’. Due to gaps at the open, or limit moves in futures we can never be 100%certain that we can get out with our maximum loss, but simply having the rules, and always sticking to it will save us from the nasty trades that just keep on going and going against our position until we have lost more than many winning trades can make back.If you have a losing position that is at you maximum loss point, just get out. Do not hope that it will turn around. Given that trades are either winners or losers, and this one is shouting ‘Loser’ at you, the chances that it will turn around and become a large winner is tiny. Why risk any more money on this losing trade, when you could simply close it out (accept the loss) and move on. This will leave you in a much better place financially and mentally, than holding the position and hoping it will go back your way. Even if it did do this, the mental energy and negative feelings from holding the losing position are not worth it. Always stick to your rules and exit a position if it hits your stop point.2.5 Never add to a losing tradeOne of the few trade management rules that we can state we never break is ‘Never add to a losing trade’. Trades are split into winners and losers, and if a trade is a loser, the chances of it turning right around and becoming a winner are too small to risk more money on. If indeed it is a winner disguised as a loser, why not wait until it shows it’s true colors (and becomes a winner)before you add to it.If you do this you will notice that nearly always the trade ends up hitting your stop loss and does not look back. Sometimes the trade turns around before it hits your stop and becomes a winner and you can count yourself very fortunate. Sometimes the trade hits your stop loss and thenturns around and becomes a winner and you can count yourself unlucky. Whatever the result, it is never worth adding to a loser, hoping that it will become a winner. The odds of success are just too low to risk more capital in addition to the initial risk.2.6 Don’t take too much riskOne of the most devastating mistakes any trader can make is risking too much of their capital on a single trade. One thing is certain in trading and that is if you lose all your capital you are out of the game. Why risk so much you could be prevented from continuing? There is a saying inpoker than going all-in (risking all your chips) works every time but once. This is true of trading.If you risk all your account on every trade it only takes one loser to wipe you out (and no trading method is 100% accurate), so you will be out of the game at some point – it is only a question of time.In general, we only risk 1-3% of the available capital allocated to a system on any individual trade. This is calculated using the size and, the difference between our entry price and our maximum stop price, and the amount of capital allocated to the system. With the win probabilityand ratio of size of winning trades to losing trades we are almost certain never to lose all of our trading capital. In fact, the chance of us hitting our maximum drawdown for the year is tiny.All trades should be of a size that almost seems insignificant. If you are worried about the size of a trade then it is too big and you should reduce the size immediately. Remember that longevity is the key to making money by trading – slowly over a long time with minimal risk, is always preferable to rapidly with too much risk.2.7 Only trade positive expectancy systemsIf you have a positive expectancy trading system, the only factors that determine how much money you will make per year are the number of trades the system generates, how much capital you allocate to the system, and how accurately you implement the trading signals. If you do not know whether your trading system is positive expectancy then why are you trading it? Expectancy is calculated using the profit or loss on each trade (net of trading implementationcosts) divided by the initial risk (using your stop loss) and then taking the average of this number of a series of trades. Systems that have positive expectancy will make money on average and those with negative expectancy will lose money.Successful traders only trade systems where the odds of success are in their favor (i.e. the system is positive expectancy) so they know that making money is the result of accurately implementing the system and not just pure luck.2.8 Minimize all trading business costsSome trading systems have only marginal profitability, and trading implementation costs (commission, spread, and slippage) can be the difference between profitability and making a loss. With the easy availability of modern electronic brokers, and fully-automated trade processing andexecution, it is definitely worthwhile looking for a very low cost way to implement your trading system. High commission, wide spreads, and large amount of slippage can be reduced considerably simply by carefully choosing a broker. This can be the difference between a system(especially a high frequency one) being useable or not. Paying too much for trade implementation is an avoidable way to lose money.2.9 Be educatedIn order to compete at the highest level in the trading business and be one of the few truly successful participants you must be well-educated about what you are doing. This does not mean having a degree from a well-respected university – the market doesn’t care where you were educated.Being well-educated means that you have thoroughly researched and tested your trading ideas and know why your trading system worked in the past and is continuing to work now. It means understanding all the technology and applications that your system needs to perform accurately.It means understanding your goal and objectives and how trading will achieve these. It means understanding yourself and how your personality affects your results. It means understanding the markets and instruments you trade.In order to succeed you really need to become an expert in your own trading business to understand how it all fits together, when it is broken, and how it can be improved. As with all worthwhile endeavors, this takes commitment, hard work, dedication, and more hard work.2.10 Don’t trade scared moneyLastly, no one ever made any money trading when they had to do it to pay the mortgage at the end of the month. Having a requirement to make X dollars per month or you will be financially in trouble is the best way I know to completely mess up all trading discipline, rules, objectives, andleads quickly to disaster.Trading is about taking a reasonable risk in order to achieve a good reward. The markets and how and when they give up their profits is not under your control. Do not trade if you need the money to pay bills. Do not trade if your business and personal expenses are not covered byanother income stream or cash reserve. This will only lead to additional unmanageable stress and be very detrimental to your trading performance.3 SummaryIn this article we have covered the rules that we believe should never be broken in trading. If you work on never breaking them, your trading should improve dramatically.We sincerely hope this information has helped you to improve your trading performance.Good luck in yout trading.

Is Trading E-Currency a Legitimate Business?

2008-08-31T03:24:00.001-07:00

by: Matt Sherborne
When I first came across the e-currency trading business on the advice of a friend, I didn't take the opportunity very seriously. It appeared to be just another "hyped up money making scheme." From what my friend was telling me it seemed too good to be true. However, being naturally curious and with a deep desire to profit from the internet, I decided to do some research on my own. The very first thing I did was run a search on e-currency scams. I was led to several online forums and was surprised to see that no one had lost money. I didn't detect any disgruntled e-currency traders, unlike some of the other investing opportunities such as forex, options, or commodity trading. I thought like most over-blown hyped up opportunities, I would eventually come upon some site or forum of unhappy customers. This didn't happen; in fact, the only gripe I saw was about the lack of information regarding the system. Most of the people were talking about the best way to make even more money trading e-currency. I was puzzled, I expected to see something bad, or worse. What I found was a lot of excited people saying how much money they are making. This opportunity seemed like it had the credibility I needed to make the jump. Lucky for me, my friend was already very successful trading e-currency. I was able to ask every question about the business that came to mind. Thanks to his generosity, I was soon on my way to trading e-currency and immediately began to see why he and others were so excited. After several months of trading e-currency, my initial investment had multiplied one hundred fold. This was too incredible to contain. I told everyone I knew how much money I was making. Pretty soon, I was swamped with questions from friends and family wanting private coaching through each step of the learning process. That's when it hit me. The issue with trading e-currency is not if you can make money, but how to effectively learn the exact steps necessary to profit in the shortest amount of time. Not everyone is as fortunate as I am, having a friend already successfully trading e-currency. After countless hours of research and through my own trial and error, I have discovered a formula to effectively and efficiently trade e-currency. With this system, you will master the e-currency trading business. Where will you be this time next year? Will your lifestyle have changed for the better or worse? You can begin today on your financial path to freedom.

How To Win In Futures Trading With This Simple Tactic

2008-08-31T03:23:00.000-07:00

by: David Jenyns
Surprisingly, many profitable speculators have success rates between 30% and 50%. Futures traders are not successful because they predict prices well. They`re winning because their profitable trades far exceed their losses. The truth of the matter is all Futures systems win and lose. Psychologically, this can make following a system difficult. Futures market professionals achieve success in this environment by controlling risk with money management rules. But, controlling risk goes against our natural tendencies. Most Futures traders don`t want to manage risk, they want to be right. Despite the proven fact that money management is so important, when Futures traders first come to me, many of my clients focus their time looking for the perfect entry. It`s their search for the Holy Grail. They want a perfect Futures indicator. Not only is this Futures indicator going to get them in right at the bottom of the trend, but it`s also going to tell them at the exact point at the top of the trend when to get out. Here`s the best part and about this indicator: apparently, it can guarantee success and it`s never, ever wrong.Unfortunately, though I don`t like to disappoint my clients, I need to let them know the hard truth. It does not matter whether you are trading in the Futures or any other market, the simple fact is this; there is no perfect indicator. Instead, there are carefully set money management rules that will place you in control. With this control, you`ll be able to follow the two cardinal rules in your Futures trading – you`ll be able to let your profits run and cut your losses short. Once these money management rules are in place your system can be set on autopilot. You won`t need to worry…"Should I be holding this stock?"OR "Shouldn`t I be holding that type of stock?"This uncertainty is what people are confronted with when they don`t have their rules set for the Futures market. The end result is that small losses end up being big losses. To make matters worse, a few of these big losses strung together can have a detrimental effect on your Futures trading capital. Unfortunately, it`s much more difficult to trade to gain back money you have lost then it is to trade with profits that you already have in hand. If things go to the absolute extreme, you run the risk of wiping out your entire Futures trading float, as many traders do when they first get started. But, with your money management rules in place, you can ride out the ups and downs of every Futures trading system and succeed where many fail.

Yes, You Can Start Trading Forex For Free!

2008-08-31T03:22:00.002-07:00

by: Adrian Pablo
Yes, it’s true, you can trade the forex markets for free and using the same state-of-the-art software packages that professional Forex traders, around the world, are currently using to make real-time, live currency trades.And you can also experience the same dynamic market action and go through the same process of making decisions based on breaking news, reacting to charting patterns, and tracking ones performance the same way professional Forex traders do.And all this can be done even if you don't put any real money into your account, you won’t see any difference in how the market behaves and how you react to the market. In short, at some point, every new forex trader needs to start Demo-trading.Once you start placing demo trades, you will learn a lot about how Forex transactions are placed. I can’t emphasize you enough, that this is a very important step for you in order to be able to learn how to become a trader. A demo account allows one to become familiar with trading procedures, such as placing Market, Limit, Stop, OCO Orders without any risk. All dollar losses or gains on a demo account are imaginary but, as mentioned above, the trading experience you acquire is not. You should notice that making big gains in a demo-account does not guarantee profits in live trading; however, those who are not successful trading on paper rarely are successful when money is on the line. So, yes, just playing around and getting familiar with a demo account can be a great learning experience; however, you will not learn how to become a trader this way. You need to have a trading strategy.Once you sign up for a mini-demo account, you will need to try one of the trial charting packages from the broker you choose. Any demo software you choose will do because they all have the necessary indicator tools you need. Once you have downloaded the software you can then set up your demo account and start drawing trendlines, marking support & resistance levels, monitoring moving averages, etc. This is also a very good way to get used to how orders are placed. Once you have a real trading system, you will already know how to place orders properly.And remember, everyone makes mistakes placing orders. So you need to experiment before in a demo account so you can make your mistakes without losing any real money.

Day Trading – The Ultimate Work-From-Home Job?

2008-08-31T03:22:00.001-07:00

by: Harvey Walsh
Ever dreamt of giving up the daily grind? Want to strike out on your own and work from home, but don’t know what you could possibly do to make a living? Full time Nasdaq trader Harvey Walsh wondered just that, and now he asks “Is day trading the ultimate work from home job”?We’ve probably all had the same thought at some time or another, as we trudge off towards another day at work – the same work we’ve been doing day in day out for years – “surely there has to be a better way?” Slaving away to make somebody else rich just doesn’t seem right somehow, but what alternative? Setting up a new business, or buying an established one, are both expensive and risky prospects. So how can the disenchanted employee ever hope to make the switch from wage-slave to total independence?Those are thoughts I had almost every day, before I quit the safety of full time employment and decided to strike out on my own. I asked myself the same question day in and day out; surely there has to be a better way. What about the internet, I wondered, isn’t that supposed to be bringing new and exciting opportunities to all? I researched a lot of so-called work-from-home opportunities that promised untold riches, apparently mine for the taking just by sitting in front of my PC. Needless to say, in reality those schemes turned out to be about as fulfilling as, well, filling envelopes for a living. No, I knew there had to be another way – something real – something where I could be in control of my own destiny.And then one morning on the train to work, I read about a couple of Wall Street boys who had struck it rich thanks to some huge bonuses, and were now going it alone setting up their own day trading shop. That was when I discovered day trading, and I realised that this was exactly the opportunity I had been searching for. I decided there and then that I was going to make a full time living from the stock markets, whatever it took to succeed.The advantages of day trading as a job are numerous to say the least; there is no boss to answer to, no customers to satisfy, no suppliers to let you down, no waiting for invoices to be paid, I could go on. In fact, I will: trading is a location-independent activity – I can work from anywhere with an internet connection, which effectively means anywhere in the world with a telephone line. I regularly trade from my laptop whilst travelling. I can trade when I feel like it, and take time off when I like, which means I can spend quality time with my family.Now let’s get this straight, trading can be a risky activity, there is no doubt about that. So is driving a car to work, but the risks of getting from A to B on four wheels are well understood and are managed accordingly, to the point where we don’t think twice about getting behind the wheel. And in the same way, provided a trader is disciplined in their approach to the job at hand, and understands the associated risks of the work, so those risks can be managed. On the subject of risk, day trading is almost unique in that it can be learnt and practised with absolutely no financial risk at all, by means of paper-trading – that is - trading using freely available simulation software. Thus in the same way a trainee airline pilot won’t be let loose into the skies without having learnt and rehearsed their skills in a simulator, so a new trader can employ the same technique before they start trading real money. I “sim-traded” before I gave up the day-job; it made it easy to leave the safety-net of a monthly pay check knowing from my simulated trading sessions that I could already make money in the markets.And that brings me to the most satisfying aspect of trading for a living; money. On an average day trading the Nasdaq, it is not unusual to make more money in a couple of hours than I used to make in a whole month working full time as a wage-slave. There are bad days of course, days where things just don’t work out, but they pale into insignificance over the course of a week or a month. It certainly took some intensive studying and a lot of practise before becoming a consistently profitable trader. But the end result of that hard work is an immensely valuable life skill that nobody can take away, and which allows for incredible freedom. Since I first started trading, the learning curve has become even easier for the aspiring day trader, with a multitude of new websites, training courses, and books all covering the subject. I envy anyone starting out in this business today – they certainly have many more learning aids available to them than I had at the same point in my own career.So is day trading the ultimate work-from-home job? No. I firmly believe it’s the ultimate work-from ANYWHERE job!

Forex And Daytrading

2008-08-31T03:21:00.001-07:00

by: Frank Hague
Online trading is great way for serious investors to make money, but inexperienced traders often wind up with big losses. A good set of instructions can minimize the risks and save months of expensive trial-and-error learning. Day Trading Day Trading had its heyday during the bull market of the 1990's. All the amateurs have since dropped out, but day trading is still being practiced by professionals. There are fewer opportunities in the current market, but skilled investors can still find them if they know what to look for. FOREX Trading The Foreign Exchange Market (FOREX), the world's largest financial exchange market, originated in 1973. It has a daily turnover of currency worth more than $1.2 trillion dollars. Unlike many other securities, FOREX does not trade on a fixed exchange rate; instead, currencies are traded primarily between central banks, commercial banks, various non-banking international corporations, hedge funds, personal investors and not to forget, speculators. Previously, smaller investors were excluded from FOREX due to the huge amount of deposit involved. This was changed in 1995, and now smaller investors can trade alongside the multi-nationals. As a result, the number of traders within the FOREX market has grown rapidly, and many FOREX courses are appearing to help individual traders increase their skills. As a matter of fact, it's advisable to take FOREX training even before opening a trading account. It is vital to know the market mechanics of FOREX, leveraging in FOREX, rollovers and the analysis of the FOREX market. Due to this fact, potential FOREX traders would do well to either enroll in a FOREX training courses or even purchase some books regarding FOREX trading. There are pros and cons to enrolling into a FOREX course. For beginners a FOREX course is a rapid method of learning the basics of FOREX trading. Not much time is spent on history of the market or arcane economic theories. Often, on-line or phone support from a skilled FOREX trader is available to answer any questions. Also, the information is condensed and practical, often with graphs and charts. The disadvantage is the price, as courses are more expensive than a paperback from the bookstore. Also, the course may just teach the approach of the trader who wrote it, and individuals have different trading strategies. The student may grow accustomed to the logic and focus of the teacher without coming to realise that nothing is predictable in the FOREX market, and many different strategies will bring profits in varying market circumstances. Also, knowledge of practical applications may not be enough, as the FOREX is highly unpredictable and there are many external factors, such as political issues, affecting the flow of finances in the market. The best advice would be to do some background research on the FOREX market first, and then enroll in a course.

What’s the Difference of Trading Mini Lots Vs. Full-sized Lots in Forex

2008-08-31T03:20:00.002-07:00

by: Adrian Pablo
In Forex trading there is something called, a Mini Account, and it uses a different leverage calculation than a regular (100k) account. This is, instead of trading full-size currency lots (100,000 units), you'll trade in lots that are just 1/10 the size (10,000 currency units), which in turn greatly reduces your risk. Pips in a Mini Account are worth, on average, $1 instead of the $8 to $10 value they have in a regular account. The Mini Forex account offers up to 200:1 leverage, this means that just a $50 margin deposit will allow you to trade lots worth roughly $10,000 , but the smaller lot sizes, with correspondingly smaller pip values, means that you'll be assuming less total risk. For example, while a 20-pip loss on a 100,000 USD/JPY position would be $200, the same loss on a 10,000 USD/JPY position in a Mini account would amount to $20. Here you have an overview of leverage (Margin, Account Size) on each of the two accounts discussed above:100K (Regular Full-sized Account)- Minimum required account deposit = $2,000- Recommended required account deposit = $5,000 to $10,000- Traded in 100,000-unit currency lots - Default Margin: set at 1% ($1,000 per lot)- Leverage = 100:1 or 50:1 (if margin is set at 2%)Mini Account- Minimum required account deposit = $300- Recommended required account deposit = $2,000- Traded in 10,000-unit currency lots- Default Margin: set at 0.5% ($50 per mini-lot)- Leverage = 200:1There is no downside to trading a mini account , you will be still enjoying all the benefits that full-size FX account holders enjoy; including, same state-of-the art trading software, charts, resources, and tools, etc. This mini accounts are ideal for a new Forex trader to develop a disciplined, rational forex trading strategy without excessively focusing on profits and losses.Also there is no maximum trade volume when you use a mini account. Although the standard trade size is 10,000 units, you are not limited to trading one lot. For instance, you can trade 10,000 units, 50,000 units or 200,000 units. This means as you become more seasoned and build up confidence you can slowly increase the size of your positions to maximize profits. In fact the trade size of 10,000 units allows for more flexibility in terms of customizing the size of your trade. The ability to customize the size of the trade allows you to have a better risk management. With less capital at risk in a Mini FX account, it is easier for you to develop a disciplined trading methodology, as well as the confidence needed to be a successful currency trader, without the anxiety and distractions that come with large Profit and Lose swings.

Forex Trading System: Mechanical vs. Discretionary Systems

2008-08-31T03:20:00.001-07:00

by: Raul Lopez
There are basically two types of Forex trading systems, mechanical and discretionary systems. The trading signals that come out of mechanical systems are mainly based off technical analysis applied in a systematic way. On the other hand, discretionary systems use experience, intuition or judgment on entries and exits. But which one produces better results? Or more importantly, which one fits better your trading style? These are the answers we will try to answer on this article.We will first analyze the pros and cons about each system approach.Mechanical systemsAdvantagesThis kind of system can be automated and backtested efficiently. It has very rigid rules. Either, there is a trade or there isn’t. Mechanical traders are less susceptible to emotions than discretionary traders.DisadvantagesMost traders backtest Forex trading systems incorrectly. In order to produce accurate results you need tick data. The Forex market is always changing. The Forex market (and all markets) has a random component. The market conditions may look similar, but they are never the same.A system that worked successfully the past year doesn’t necessary mean it will work this year.Discretionary systemsAdvantagesDiscretionary systems are easily adaptable to new market conditions. Trading decisions are based on experience. Traders learn to see which trading signals have higher probability of success.DisadvantagesThey cannot be backtested or automated, since there is always a thought decision to be made.It takes time to develop the experience required to trade successfully and track trades in a discretionary way. At early stages this can be dangerous.Now, which approach is better for Forex traders? The one that fits better your personality. For instance, if you are a trader that finds it hard to follow your trading signals, then you are better off using a mechanical system, where your judgment won’t play an important role in your system. You only take the trades that your system signals. If the psychological barriers that affect every trader (fear, greed, anger, etc.) puts you in unwanted scenarios, you are also better off trading mechanical systems, because you only need to follow what your system is telling you, go short, go long, close a trade. No other decision has to be made.On the other hand, if you are a disciplined trader, then you are better off using a discretionary system, because discretionary systems adapt to the market conditions and you are able to change your trading conditions as the market changes. For instance, you have a target of 60 pips on a long trade. But the market suddenly starts trending up pretty strongly, then you could move your target to say 100 pips. Does it mean that trading a discretionary system has no rules? This is absolutely incorrect. Trading discretionary systems means that once a trader finds his/her setup, the trader then decides what to do. But every trader still needs certain rules that need to be followed, such as the size of the position, conditions that have to be met before thinking to get in the market, and so on. I am a discretionary trader. The main reason I chose a discretionary system is that my trades are based on price behavior, and as you already know, the price behaves similar to the past, but it is never identical, therefore the outcome of every trade is unknown. However, I do have rigid rules on my system, certain conditions have to be met before I even think in getting in a trade. This keeps me out of trouble, once my setup is present and in accordance with the rules I have set, I closely watch the price behavior and finally decide whether it is a good opportunity or not. Whether you choose to be a discretionary or a mechanical trader there are some important points you should take in consideration:1. You need to make sure the Forex trading system you are using totally fits your personality. Otherwise you will find yourself outguessing your system.2. You also need to have some rules and most importantly have the discipline to follow them.3. Take your time to build the perfect system for you. It’s not easy and requires time and hard work, but at the end, if done correctly, it will give you consistent profitable results. 4. Before going live, try it on a demo account or even on a small account (I will go for the second option, since psychological barriers will be present.)

Financial Trading – so many markets, so little time

2008-08-31T03:19:00.000-07:00

by: Amin Sadak
Would you like to make money from trading but don't know how to trade?Have you heard of others making a killing on the markets and wished yourself in their position?Trading covers a multitude of sins, or at least a multitude of markets. Mention “trading” to a non-trader and they’ll probably think of stock and shares but there are many other markets you can trade in. These include commodities, futures, indices, CFDs and options. They all have their pros and cons and some require specialized knowledge.The most popular markets used by traders are stocks, commodities, futures, indices and forex. Some traders switch between markets, others stick to just one. Let’s highlight some of the similarities and differences between them.SharesIn the USA there are over 40,000 shares so you have a lot of markets to choose from. You can’t deal in all of them so you need to home in on those that offer good trading opportunities using whatever trading methods you decide to use.When buying shares you usually have to put up all the money at the time of sale. That might seem obvious but it’s not so with all markets. Some brokers offer a 50% margin with shares which means you can trade to the value of twice the amount in your account. This seems like a good deal but if your shares start to go down you’ll get a “margin call” and will either have to put more money in your account or sell the shares at a loss.Shares are normally traded in lots of 100. If you want to trade an expensive share – and some shares are very expensive, particularly in the US markets – you need a considerable amount of money in your account.It’s not easy to sell shares short. Selling short is a strange concept to many people who think of buying shares at a low price and selling then at a higher price. But it’s often easier to predict that a share will fall rather than rise so what you’d like to do is to sell it at a high price and then buy it back later at a low price. The net result is the same whatever the order of the deals – buy low, sell high.However, you can’t sell something you don’t own so in order to sell shares short you must “borrow” them from your broker. This is not quite as straightforward as buying and not all shares are available for selling short.Finally, share dealing takes place during market hours so if you don’t live in the country where they are being traded you must adjust your trading hours to suit.Futures, commodities and indicesCommodities are goods such as corn, copper, crude oil, orange juice, oats, gold and wheat.Technically, a futures contract is an agreement to make or accept delivery of a commodity on a certain day at a certain price. In practice this rarely happens unless you’re a manufacturer who actually wants the goods. The vast majority of futures traders are simply speculating on whether the price will go up or down and never take delivery of an item.Futures contacts include commodities and also stock market indices such as the S&P 500, Dow Jones and the Russell. Indices are simply a composite of securities that provide an overall reading of the market or some section of it.The S&P 500 (Standard & Poor’s 500) tracks 500 of the largest companies in the US market. The Dow Jones Industrial Average tracks only 30 of the largest and longest-established companies while the Russell 2000 is an index of smaller stocks.Essentially, commodities and indices are futures and traded in much the same way although traders may use the terms interchangeably.Unlike shares, futures can be sold short just as easily as they can be bought. Each futures contract has its own fluctuating price and many traders deal in just one lot contracts.Brokers usually charge a flat fee commission per contract, often expressed as a “round turn” which is one buy and one sell transaction. This may be a few dollars, often less than the value of a point or two on the contract. If you’re trading a long time frame the commission is negligible but if you’re day trading and scalping for a few points here and there it becomes a considerable part of the cost.Futures brokers usually offer a margin of around 20% of the value of the underlying instrument so you can control $10,000’s worth of a contract for maybe $2,000. However, the same rules apply – if you over-leverage your account you’ll receive a margin call or your positions will be closed at a loss. Margin and leverage are a two-edged sword.Many brokers offer a demo account so you can get used to the trading platform and test your trading strategies before you put real money on the line.Forex Currency TradingCurrency trading, foreign exchange or forex as it’s more commonly known, has fast become one of the most popular markets for private traders in recent years.As its name suggests, it involves buying and selling foreign currency. The most commonly traded currencies are referenced against the US Dollar and are sometimes referred to as a “currency pair” even though you are only trading one instrument. For example, the GBPUSD is the UK Pound/US Dollar pair. A value of 1.7625 would mean that the one Pound is worth 1.7625 Dollars. Other popular pairs include the Euro (EURUSD), the Swiss Franc (USDCHF) and the Japanese Yen (USDJPY) although there are others.So unlike shares and futures, you don’t have a mass of markets to choose from, but there is variety within forex currency trading to give you a range of markets to trade.The value of each pair differs slightly but the minimum movement – called a “pip” – is worth approximately $10. The GBPUSD has been averaging 100-150 pips per day which would be $1000-1500. Many brokers let you trade half or even quarter-size lots which are useful when you’re starting out. Also, many brokers offer a demo account so you can practice before risking real money.The total value of the forex market is worth trillions of dollars per day, far larger than shares or futures. It is also a truly international market with dealing taking place all around the globe 24 hours per day from Monday to Friday. You can, therefore, trade at any time of the day or night at times to suit you. It’s worth noting, however, that the bigger moves generally occur during the US and European trading sessions.You can sell short forex just as easily as you can buy and brokers offer highly-leveraged accounts too – but the same warning regarding margins apply here as well.Brokers tend not to charge a commission for trading forex and you will often see adverts for “commission free” trading. However, they make their money on the spread which is the difference between the buying price and the selling price. The spread is usually between 3 and 5 pips although some brokers may offer a 2 pip spread on some pairs, and some less-popular pairs may have a larger spread.Paying on the spread is particularly useful when trading mini lots. A 3-pip spread on a quarter lot will be about $7.50 whereas on a full-size lot it would be $30. Again, the spread is more important when trading short time frames where you’re only aiming to make a few pips per trade. You need to build the spread into your trading system so you don’t overestimate the amount you might make per trade.One interesting aspect of forex currency trading is that there is no central clearing house where absolute prices are quoted, unlike shares and futures. So it’s quite possible to see different brokers quoting slightly different prices for the same pair. As the market has become more efficient, this difference has reduced, in most cases, to a few pips but it highlights the importance of checking that the data you are using for analysis is the same – or close to – that used by your broker for placing your orders.The market you decide to trade will depend on many things, not least of all, your budget, but also how many markets you want to look at and what hours you want to trade. There are trading vehicles to suit all preferences and pockets.

Emotions: A Trader's Worst Enemy; Get Rid of Fear and Greed - You'll be Glad You Did

2008-08-31T03:18:00.002-07:00

by: Jonathan van Clute
Copyright 2005 Jonathan van CluteYou hear it over and over and over in books, forums, and chatrooms. Fear and greed, fear and greed, fear and greed. Emotions are a trader’s worst enemy. What are we supposed to do about it? We are human after all. Human beings have emotions. We can’t just throw a switch and suddenly behave like “Data” on Star Trek the Next Generation.So what’s the answer for the aspiring trader?It all boils down to 2 main components:1. Having a plan2. Having an appropriate trading styleYou hear the first point often. Obnoxious little phrases like “Plan your trade, Trade your plan” are thrown around like it was really just that simple. But without the second part, the first part is useless. What good is a plan if you don’t know what type of plan is appropriate?For example, you could plan your commute to work expecting to make the 30 mile trip in 20 minutes, but if you’re on foot that plan isn’t going to work very well is it? The plan was simply not appropriate for you in that situation.There are an unlimited number of possible trading methods and styles, from chart reading to fundamental analysis, cycles to Fibonacci retracements, intra-day, Dogs of the DOW, Options, Futures, FOREX, Pork Bellies, Arbitrage – it can make you feel like your head will explode! But what you trade does not matter nearly as much as how, or perhaps why you trade.Why do you trade?Are you the sort who likes to play video games, loves fast action, and has no problem being glued to a screen all day? Then maybe intra-day trading 1 and 5 minute charts of high volatility equity options is for you.Rather check your trades maybe every few days, or maybe once a week? Then perhaps swing trading currency pairs is more your style.Prefer sleeping easy at all times, never worrying in the least about your trades because you knew up front that they would profit? Then my friend, arbitrage trading is calling your name.Every style has its advantages and disadvantages, its risks and rewards, but most important is that the style must match the trader. If you jump into trading believing that just because someone else can do it this way, then so can you – you may be in for a very painful surprise.Never trade someone else’s plan. Never trade someone else’s style. You absolutely must know your own temperament well enough to determine what you will trade, and exactly how you will trade it. Your money management rules, your tolerance for losses, i.e. costs, , your willingness to change the trade if your market opinion is proven wrong – these are the true secrets to trading that separate the novice from the veteran. With these in place, emotions can be reduced if not eliminated.After all, which would put you most at ease? Driving through an unfamiliar city alone with no guidance, driving with a map, or driving with a full color street-level-detail GPS navigation system?I’ll take the GPS, thank you.So before you place your first, or next, trade, consider the following:a. Do you understand what you are trading and why?b. Do you know what you will do given any of the possible outcomes?c. Are you ready and willing to admit you were wrong about the trade, and if so what will you do about it and when?d. Are you comfortable with the thought of losing the money you are putting into the trade, and will your trading account survive to trade another day if you do?These are all part of what you need to have in your plan. I urge you to have considered them thoroughly before risking the slightest amount of money in a real trade.Emotions – “You can’t trade with ‘em, and you must trade without ‘em.”

A Critical Review of Metastock 8.0: Is Upgrading Worth the Money

2008-08-31T03:18:00.001-07:00

by: David Jenyns
If you are like many other traders, you have been eagerly waiting for the release of Metastock 8.0 for one reason, and one reason only, the reportedly redeveloped system tester. Metastock`s one major flaw has always been its lack of back testing capabilities, though previous versions of Metastock are head and shoulders above the competition on other fronts.But whatever criteria you use to trade with, be it moving averages, candle sticks, fibonacci retracements, or any other trading system, you`re going to need to back test it. Everyone needs to thoroughly back test, or simulate, their trading system in ways that can match the conditions you will be trading in. It`s something all serious traders do. Consequently, when Equis International (the makers of Metastock 8.0) announced "an all-new type of exploration that emulates running system tests over an entire database of securities", I could hardly wait to get the Metastock 8.0 release.While waiting to receiving my copy of Metastock 8.0 I began building trading systems. By the time my copy of Metastock 8.0 finally arrived, I had around 20 systems ready for testing, and couldn`t wait to try them out.However, when I loaded up the software, I was in for a surprise. It looked like nothing had changed. I thought maybe Equis International had kept the same interface and added in greater flexibility and some more features, but after searching in every nook and cranny, I found next to nothing that was new. It looked the same and, except for a couple of small changes, it was the same!Then I came to the System tester - now called the "Enhanced System Tester". This was my major reason for upgrading from version 7.22. This is what appeared to be only real difference between Metastock 7.22 and Metastock 8.0.After fiddling around with the Metastock 8.0 Enhanced System Tester for a few hours, and testing my 20 systems, I reached the verdict that I wasted my money on the new version of Metastock 8.0. Despite the supposed improvements to the Enhanced System Tester it, like it`s predecessor, left a lot to be desired.Even though the Metastock 8.0 Enhanced System Tester tests multiple securities in one batch, it treats each security independently of the others. Therefore, when Metastock 8.0 tests the first security, it uses your predefined float and takes the trade over the test period selected. Once that is completed, it repeats the same process for the second security, using the same initial float, with no reference to the first security.In the end, you receive the same result that you would have if you simply tested each security individually and added the results together. Not only is this process dreadfully slow, but the entire reason for testing your system is side-stepped. When your finished all the explorations, the performance of your trading system is still unknown!The moral of the story is that if you already own Metastock 7, don`t worry about upgrading to Metastock 8.0. Simply stick with the version you have and keep your fingers crossed that Equis International gets it right for Metastock 9.0.

What Are The Best Hours For Forex Trading?

2008-08-31T03:17:00.001-07:00

by: Adrian Pablo
Forex is a highly dynamic market with lots of price oscillations in a single minute, this characteristic of the Forex market allows traders to enter the market many times a day and pull some profit from these number of trades. If you want to find an appreciable number of profitable trades you need to enter the forex market at the best period of time, i.e., when the activity, the volume of transactions, is the highest.The main timing characteristics of the Forex market are the following:* Forex is 24 hour market – It starts from Sunday 5pm EST through Friday 4pm EST. Rollover at 5pm EST * Forex Trading begins in New Zealand, followed by Australia, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and America * The US & UK account for more than 50% of the market transactions * Forex Major markets: London, New York, Tokyo * Nearly two-thirds of NY activity occurs in the morning hours while European markets are open.* Forex Trading activity is heaviest when major markets overlap.From this timing facts, it is quite visible that at any given time, somebody somewhere in the world is buying and selling currencies. As one market closes, another market opens. Business hours overlap, and the exchange continues as day becomes night and night becomes day. The great liquidity of Forex, combined with a market that's traded 5.5 days a week around the world, offers you an exceptional independence and choices to trade Forex when you want to and not when the market wants you to do it. Trades always develop with relatively the same frequency, regardless of time. As long as the Forex market is open, there is about the same probability that you will find a trade, whenever your look for it.During each trading day, the total Forex “volume” is determined by the number of markets that are open and the times each of these markets overlap one another. Forex market volume of transactions remains high during the whole day, but peaks highest when the Asian market(including Australia & New Zealand), the European market and the U.S. market are open simultaneously. And these are the trading hours you must target in order to find the highest possible amount of profitable trades.This is the breakdown of OPEN Market Times for your reference:* New York Market trade times: 8am-4pm EST* London Market trade times: 2am-12Noon EST* Great Britain Market trade times: 3am-11am EST* Tokyo Market trade times: 8pm-4am EST* Australia Market trade times: 7pm-3am ESTIf you pay attention to the last schedule you will notice that there are two times when two of the major markets overlap during trading hours; between 2am and 4am EST (Asian/European) and between 8am to 12pm EST(European/N. American).So here you have it, if you want to find a great number of profitable trades, focus on the hours when the markets tend to make their biggest moves, i.e., during these big markets overlaps, which therefore, are usually the Best Times to Trade.

Playing a Game You Can Win

2008-08-31T03:16:00.000-07:00

by: Paul King
Imagine a simple coin-tossing game where you win whatever you stake if heads comes up, lose what you stake if tails comes up, and you are charged 1% of your stake each turn to play. Can you win money at this game? If you are familiarwith the concept of expectancy, then you will probably answer ‘No’ since over many turns the amount won will be equal to the amount lost (assuming the coin is a fair one) and after factoring in the 1% cost of playing you will lose money overall.In fact, there is a way to win this game, and that is to understand that the longer you play, the more you will lose, so the optimum strategy is to bet everything you have on just one toss of the coin; just like Ashley Revell did when he sold everything he owned, took the $135,300 to Las Vegas, and bet it all on ‘Red’ on one spin of the roulette wheel. Mr. Revell was fortunate and he won, but I am not recommending that you bet everything you have on one trade!Obviously risking everything on one trade is not a useful strategy since we want a game we can play for long periods of time to generate a consistent income. So how can we change the game so that we can win? There are three aspects to the game which can be adjusted to increase our chances of winning consistently:• We can tip the chance of a winner in our favor from 50/50• We can increase the size of the payout from 1:1• We can reduce the cost of playing the gameTipping the chances of a winner is not possible in a fair coin toss game, but it is possible in trading. There are two ways to approach this: identify conditions that are more favorable to your winners and include them in your system definition, or identify circumstances where a loser is more likely, and skip those trades. For example, if you notice that most of your winners are entered on days where the overall market has moved in the same direction as your trade, then only enter trades when the overall market is moving in the correct direction. This means that your trade is in the same direction of the overall market, rather than against it.Another example might be that trades that are entered just before major news announcements, like earnings calls, often get stopped out as losers due to increased volatility, so you should skip those trades.There may be many patterns of winners and losers that you can identify for your own systems and careful study of past trades is definitely worthwhile. Note that we do not want to increase our win percentage too significantly (i.e. to greater than 60%) since this would indicate that we have ‘curve-fitted’ our system to historical results that are unlikely to continue into the future.It is also important to note that for some types of trading (i.e. long-term trend following strategies) it may not be possible to have a win percentage that is greater than 50% (and it may be much lower) and that is where the second aspect of improving your system comes into play: the average size of winners versus losers.Increasing the size of the payout so that the winners win more on average than the losers lose depends on the way you handle your stops. Having large winners in relation to losers can make up for a low win percentage, and mean that you will still make money playing the game. One method is to have a trailing stop that moves up as a trade becomes a winner. If you have fixed stops for losing trades that limit losses, but trailing stops for winning ones that allow winners to grow, then you are increasing your chances of your average winner being larger than your average loser. Generally it is better to be strict on losers by having tighter stops that keep losses to a minimum and generous with winners by having stops that allow profits to grow. In any case you want to make losers small and winners large, so never add to a losing trade – that would be doing the opposite of what you want to achieve.Lastly, reducing the costs of trading is probably the simplest change you can make, and can mean the difference between winning and losing overall – especially for systems that have lower expectancy. There are many online brokers now that charge 1c per share for equity trades (and comparably low fees for other instrument types) and there is no reason why you should be paying more than this if you are trading electronically.Every trader should do whatever they can to maximize the expectancy of their trading system or method by considering each of the 3 aspects just described. If we do some, or all, of these things then the amount we win now becomes afactor of how much we stake, and how often we play because we have created a true ‘edge’ where we know that the system we are trading should make money (if traded accurately). Calculating the expectancy of your trading system or methodtells you whether you are playing a game you can win, and is a very important piece of information that every trader should know before they risk real money.If the game is rigged against you because your trading methods lose money regardless of how accurately you implement them, how can you ever be a successful trader?

All About Stock Market

2008-08-31T03:15:00.002-07:00

by: scott morris
A stock market simulation game is a great way to practice your investment skills before actually investing any "real" money in the stock market.Simulation games are usually played on the internet, where people can experience the thrill of investing in the stock market without any risks, costs or any fear of losing money when and if they make a poor investment decision.Many teachers and professors of banking and finance are now using stock market simulation games to teach their students about the rudiments of investing in stocks. Most stock market simulation games come with a fee to get started, but there are some that are free of any charge. One does not need have prior knowledge about the stock market to join.This is how stock market simulation games usually work:First, players must register. After registration, players are given an initial sum of "virtual" money to invest in companies of their choice. Players build a portfolio of stocks by buying and selling shares in companies. Most stock market simulation games use real-time market data.The objective of most stock market simulation games is simple:To increase the value of your portfolio of stocks so that it is greater than that of the other game players.Below are some tips on choosing a stock market simulation game:• Choose a stock market simulation game that is used and recommended by reputable colleges, high schools, middle school, investment clubs, brokers in training, corporate education courses and any other group of individuals studying markets in the U.S. and worldwide.• Choose a stock market simulation game that is comprehensive and easy to implement in any Finance, Economics, or Investments class. A good stock market simulation game should feature trading of stocks, options, futures, mutual funds, bonds from the U.S. and many of the world's major markets.• Choose a stock market simulation game that provides a valuable, reliable, and realistic trading simulation at a reasonable price to members and other individuals who are interested in learning more about investing and trading. The simulation game should also have some capability for testing a variety for investment strategies.• Choose a stock market simulation game that has a toll-free customer service phone number and excellent e-mail support for members. The support function should be able to quickly answer any questions that members/players may have.• Choose a stock market simulation game that is easy to use and easy to teach even to those who have never had any real hands-on investment experience.

Bollinger Bands

2008-08-31T03:15:00.001-07:00

by: Cynthia Macy
Contracting bands warn that the market is about to trend: the bands first converge into a narrow neck, followed by a sharp price movement. The first breakout is often a false move, preceding a strong trend in the opposite direction. A move that starts at one band normally carries through to the other, in a ranging market. A move outside the band indicates that the trend is strong and likely to continue - unless price quickly reverses. A trend that hugs one band signals that the trend is strong and likely to continue. Wait for divergence (when the price is flat or rising or falling, but the MACD is going in the opposite direction...the price will break out in the direction of the MACD) or a Momentum Indicator to signal the end of a trend. I use the BB's for indication of when a breakout or breakdown is imminent. When the outside bands get very narrow, it means the price is consolidating and is getting ready for a breakout, either up or down. At this point, it's dangerous to have a position because you don't know if it's going to break up or down. When the bands get very narrow, it's almost better to close out your old positions, even at a loss, until you see a clear direction. If you don't want to close out an old position at a loss, at least hedge it. See more about hedging later in the Advanced Day Trade Forex course. The BB's can't tell you which direction the breakout will be, the Chaos Oscillator (MACD) and Momentum will do that, and I always trade in the direction the Momentum and Chaos (MACD) are going. Sometimes when using the slower timeframes, I use the outer BB's as targets for my limit sell price. If the bands are really wide after a big move, I use the middle band as my limit target price. Bollinger Bands are designed to capture the majority of price movement. When prices move beyond the upper or lower band, they are considered high (overbought) or low (oversold) on a relative basis. More On Using Bollinger Bands: First, the BB's can be used as I mentioned before, as price targets. If the bands are narrow, the price will be jumping up & down within the two outer bands. As mentioned before, this is not the best time to be putting on a trade,as the trading range is too narrow, unless you can make a decent quick profit in a 1 or 5 minute chart. If the range isn't too narrow, you can ride it up and down and book pips. I only attempt this in a 1 or 5 minute timeframe using the 5/9/18/50 EMA's. Don't do it if you can't make at least 5-10 pips up and down. The danger is in whipsaws. Most of the time, unless the bands are too narrow, you can make trades by literally bouncing off the outer bands. This is called "The Bollinger Bounce".When placing a trade, just set your stop at the outer BB and your price target limit sell order where the other outer band is. If your trade rapidly approaches the limit price and all your indicators say that the price movement is just getting started & not likely to quickly reverse on you, then you should first either remove your limit price & let the price run, or, raise your limit price another 5-10 pips. Then raise your stop to either your entry point or past it, to lock in either breakeven or some profit in case the price suddenly reverses on you. This is definitely what you should do in a price breakout. If the price keeps going up in an extended breakout, you just keep adjusting your stop upwards to lock in more profit (this is called a trailing stop, more later on this subject) and keep raising your limit also.A Super Advanced method of using BB's is to use two sets of BB's, both with the middle band set at 18. Set one BB to a standard deviation of 3 and leave the other standard deviation at 1. This gives you 6 short term support/resistance lines to work with. Your initial stop and target are the outer bands, and your inner bands are used for your trailing stop and short term resistance andsupport. You can also trade off the two inner bands. This method is very similar to using Fibonacci OR Average True Range (ATR), but is much easier to use and understand.

What’s the .382 Fibonacci Ratio in Forex Trading?

2008-08-31T03:14:00.002-07:00

by: Adrian Pablo
It was mentioned in a past article that Fibonacci forex trading is the basis of many forex trading systems used around the world by profitable forex traders. These systems are all based on the famous Fibonacci ratios (.236, .50, .382, .618, etc.) and each of them can specialize in a particular ratio along with other minor indicators in order to make the pinpointing of the entry and exit levels as accurate and profitable as possible.One of the widely used Fibonacci ratios is the 0.382 ratio. As it can be easily seen on any forex chart, currency prices are continually changing and they follow an oscillatory pattern with peaks and valleys. The limit of the peak is usually called a resistance level while the valley is usually called a support. In order to find the 0.382 ratio level what you do is, first; measure the size of the drop or rise over your time of interest. Once you have that value you multiply this by 0.382. Now depending on what you are looking at, a rise or a drop on the price of the particular “currency pair” you are trading, you will add the last value you calculated to the total drop or subtract the value from the total rise.These operations will give you the 0.382 Fibonacci ratio level, either for a rise or a drop on the chart you are analyzing. Once you have the value you can then start planning the strategy you will follow in order to make a high probability profit from this valuable information. For the 0.382 ratio level calculated for a recent rise in the “currency pair” exchange price, your calculated level will be a highly probable support and for the case of a level calculated for a recent drop of the prices your level will be a highly probable resistance.Knowing this ahead of the market and having the proper secondary indicators, will give you a huge advantage over most forex traders, and that’s something any trader would like they could count on. That’s why Fibonacci trading is so widely accepted over the world, and of course, why it’s so profitable and successful.

Forex Trading: Great Opportunity or Scam?

2008-08-31T03:14:00.001-07:00

by: Steve Pickering
A lot of interest has been generated recently in FOREX trading, hailed by some as the great new investment opportunity. There are even companies running TV infomercials, offering sure fire systems that will bring massive profits in an easy fashion.So what is forex? Is it something new? The exchange of currencies is said by some to be the world's second oldest profession and as long as there have been two sovereign states that have issued their own currencies, there has been foreign exchange as a facilitator for trade. Forex, as foreign exchange has been abbreviated to, has been conducted for centuries and has become a global market with a daily turnover according to a recent Bank for International Settlements survey of $1.9 trillion (billion, billion) per day. Essentially it is a global market place with no physical exchange building where all claims on foreign currencies are settled - between governments, corporations, investors and speculators among others. Banks have traditionally been the middlemen who provide the liquidity to this gigantic market, which incidentally is traded on an almost continuous 24-hour basis.Then came the Internet and suddenly it became possible for everyone to get a piece of the speculative action. Brokers sprouted up with their electronic trading platforms and high 'leverage'. Essentially the brokers lend clients funds to speculate with, 100:1 or in some cases up to 400:1 ratio, or leverage. This means that $10,000 can 'control' up to $4,000,000 in the market. This is far higher than is possible in the stock market.Many people have been attracted to the possibilities of earning fast profits from forex. There are often sharp movements that can turn your $10,000 to $20,000 in a matter of minutes. You can also get wiped out, but the lure of a fast buck has turned would-be speculators into out-and-out gamblers.The Internet has also made it possible for the individual to obtain so-called 'charts', that allow them to do 'technical analysis' on their own PCs. The theory is that price movement patterns repeat themselves, so if you have a system of analysis, you can predict a future move in the market.This may well be the case, but it does not address the problems of the psychology of trading - the fear and greed that drives many to irrational behaviour. People are often taken in by the seller of a system, often paying $5,000 for a piece of software that shows a green light to buy and a red light to sell. However, they don't tell you how to manage your money.So speculators lose. It has been estimated that 90% of new investors in forex lose their capital in the first year - an appalling figure. What can one do to avoid being a victim? Well, forex is a business like any other business and planning is required. It is also a profession and as such, adequate training is necessary so that you understand fully what forex trading is all about. Many are prepared to invest thousands in forex trading without really knowing what it is all about. Just think if franchises were offered in a major hamburger chain without the franchisees having a clue how to run a restaurant or even make the burgers. The failure rate would also probably be 90%!As with all investing, it is all a matter of risk and reward. Investing in Government securities is considered low risk, therefore they carry the lowest return. Increase the risk (the probability of loss on the investment), the higher an investor is rewarded in terms of return. An individual trading forex decides his own level of risk, which should dictate the level of reward. However, in the hands of an inexperienced trader, the two factors are impossible to reconcile, meaning in stark terms that traders cannot control the risk or the reward levels.People attracted to forex trading often have an unrealistic expectation of what can be earned. To start with an investment of $5,000 and expect to be making $100,000 a year after the first year is unrealistic. It is not impossible; then again, neither is winning the lottery.If the parameters for trading are laid down and adhered to combined with knowledge of forex trading, success is possible. It does not take much in the way of 'enhanced' returns to be able to double an investment. 26% per annum is required to double your investment within 3 years.Who is going to teach you? There are some very good courses available, but these will only give you the theory, in itself very important. The ideal way is to have a mentor, or guide to show you the way.Getting mentored is a wise move because it makes it possible to draw on the experience of a veteran expert and avoid making the common mistakes that cause the unwary to suffer catastrophic losses. After a while under guidance, a forex trader will gain the experienceThe bottom line is that forex is not in itself a scam. There are for sure scam artists who prey on individuals' greed as there are in any other business. If it is approached in a sensible and realistic manner and the trader is prepared to work hard, forex can provide a good living both financially and materially.

The Forex Markets and Its Trend Patterns

2008-08-31T03:13:00.002-07:00

by: Adrian Pablo
As you start analyzing forex charts you will realize that the market often display's some very familiar patterns of price movement. Once a pattern is established, it becomes the most probable course of future price action until the marketchanges. There are two types of markets which will become very important for you to identify and understand; these are: trending and trend-less markets. Each market type has two specific patterns which you will also notice over time. These market types and patterns are defined as follows:Trending - Steady elongated price movements with less than a 45 degree angel with occasional pauses, profit taking, or resting periods.In a Trending market, you have also other patterns:- Uptrends - A pattern of higher highs and higher lows.- Downtrends - A pattern of lower lows and lower highs.Trend-less - Erratic price movements which are often steep ( greater than 45 -degree angle ) and cannot sustain and therefore must reverse. Although the movements can move many points in a short period of time, they often result in very little net price movement over time.In a Trend-less market, you have these patterns:- Choppy - An erratic pattern of higher highs and lower lows.- Sideways - A narrow pattern of lower highs and higher lows.While up-trend and down-trend days can offer excellent trading results, choppy markets often create stop outs, while sideways markets produce for little in either direction making them hard to trade and to make any profit during these periods. Your trading objective is to get into a trending market and ride the trend until you make your target profit objective.There are many Trend Trading Strategies that you can find in a number of sources listed in my website. You will learn how to identify and draw your own channel trendlines, support and resistance lines, triangle patterns, chart key top and bottom formations, etc.Remember, knowledge in the Forex markets is power, and more than power; money.

Learn Forex Trading - a guide for beginners

2008-08-31T03:13:00.001-07:00

by: Brian Kolewe
One can learn forex trading as easily as one would like to learn other subjects or train in other professions. The criteria for learning forex trading is an analytical / logical bent of mind and some number crunching abilities. Reading specialized books on the subject matter, enrolling for college and other programs, which specifically teach one to do forex dealing, one can understand Forex trading. Still other ways are through the Internet and training under a forex dealer / professional. Essentially the forex market comprises of currencies, which are bought and sold according to certain parameters. There are major currencies in the market, which are trade and are the most liquid. These are US Dollar, Japanese Yen, Euro, British Pound, Swiss Franc, Canadian Dollar and Australian Dollar. Then there are other currencies, which are not so liquid. However currency trade is done in almost all currencies across the world. The forex market is truly a twenty-four market with only a minor break during the weekend. It opens in Sydney, then in Tokyo and then in London and New York in that order according to the way that the Earth rotates and the sun rises. Therefore forex brokers and investors can choose their time of operation.Essentially it's a matter of selling and buying the currencies. The goal is very simple, that of making a profit in the currency transactions that you participate in. The currency market operates like most other markets and therefore for many traders 'migrating ' form other trades such as stock market can be quite simple. Essentially one can learn forex transactions by creating a virtual account. The first lesson is that currency trade is done in pairs only like Euros / US$, Japanese Yen/ Canadian Dollars etc. When you have set up a virtual account with the amount of initial investment, keep the following pointers in mind· According to your investment strategy and time frame, choose the currency pair best suited to your needs. Some currency pairs can be very aggressive and the changes can be quite volatile. While others may not show any movement. Therefore choose the currency pair with care.· Decide the time frame. Do you want to spend a few minutes on the forex trade or you want to go the whole hog and devote the entire week to the forex trade (swing trade)· Have an exit plan ready before you start the currency transactions. Know when to place your 'stops' and do so accordingly.· No risk no gain. Be willing to take risk. You can take calculated risks in order to earn good profits. Know whether you want to be an aggressive trader or are you happy being a safe trader.· Read and analyze the news and the technical data that is generated on the currencies that you deal in to understand the market conditions better.Of course you can grasp the modus operandi of the forex trade. But for doing the real thing, you need to be in the forex transaction market for real.

Trading Psychology: Mistakes in a Trading Environment

2008-08-31T03:12:00.002-07:00

by: Raul Lopez
When it comes to trading, one of the most neglected subjects are those dealing with trading psychology. Most traders spend days, months and even years trying to find the right system. But having a system is just part of the game. Don’t get us wrong, it is very important to have a system that perfectly suits the trader, but it is as important as having a money management plan, or to understand all psychology barriers that may affect the trader decisions and other issues. In order to succeed in this business, there must be equilibrium between all important aspects of trading. In the trading environment, when you lose a trade, what is the first idea that pops up in your mind? It would probably be, “There must be something wrong with my system”, or “I knew it, I shouldn’t have taken this trade” (even when your system signaled it). But sometimes we need to dig a little deeper in order to see the nature of our mistake, and then work on it accordingly. When it comes to trading the Forex market as well as other markets, only 5% of traders achieve the ultimate goal: to be consistent in profits. What is interesting though is that there is just a tiny difference between this 5% of traders and the rest of them. The top 5% grow from mistakes; mistakes are a learning experience, they learn an invaluable lesson on every single mistake made. Deep in their minds, a mistake is one more chance to try it harder and do it better the next time, because they know they might not get a chance the next time. And at the end, this tiny difference becomes THE big difference.Mistakes in the trading environmentMost of us relate a trading mistake to the outcome (in terms of money) of any given trade. The truth is, a mistake has nothing to do with it, mistakes are made when certain guidelines are not followed. When the rules you trade by are violated. Take for instance the following scenarios:First scenario: The system signals a trade.1. Signal taken and trade turns out to be a profitable trade.Outcome of the trade: Positive, made money.Experience gained: Its good to follow the system, if I do this consistently the odds will turn in my favor. Confidence is gained in both the trader and the system.Mistake made: None.2. Signal taken and trade turns out to be a loosing trade. Outcome of the trade: Negative, lost money.Experience gained: It is impossible to win every single trade, a loosing trade is just part of the business; our raw material, we know we can’t get them all right. Even with this lost trade, the trader is proud about himself for following the system. Confidence in the trader is gained.Mistake made: None.3. Signal not taken and trade turns out to be a profitable trade.Outcome of the trade: Neutral.Experience gained: Frustration, the trader always seems to get in trades that turned out to be loosing trades and let the profitable trades go away. Confidence is lost in the trader self.Mistake made: Not taking a trade when the system signaled it.4. Signal not taken and trade turns out to be a loosing trade.Outcome of the trade: Neutral.Experience gained: The trader will start to think “hey, I’m better than my system”. Even if the trader doesn't think on it consciously, the trader will rationalize on every signal given by the system because deep in his or her mind, his or her “feeling” is more intelligent than the system itself. From this point on, the trader will try to outguess the system. This mistake has catastrophic effects on our confidence to the system. The confidence on the trader turns into overconfidence. Mistake made: Not taking a trade when system signaled it Second Scenario: System does not signal a trade.1. No trade is takenOutcome of the trade: NeutralExperience gained: Good discipline, we only need to take trades when the odds are in our favor, just when the system signals it. Confidence gained in both the trader self and the system.Mistake made: None2. A trade is taken, turns out to be a profitable trade.Outcome of the trade: Positive, made money.Experience gained: This mistake has the most catastrophic effects in the trader self, the system and most importantly in the trader’s trading career. You will start to think you need no system, you know better from them all. From this point on, you will start to trade based on what you think. Confidence in the system is totally lost. Confidence in the trader self turns into overconfidence.Mistake made: Take a trade when there was no signal from the system.3. A trade is taken, turned out to be a loosing trade.Outcome of the trade: negative, lost money.Experience gained: The trader will rethink his strategy. The next time, the trader will think it twice before getting in a trade when the system does not signal it. The trader will go “Ok, it is better to get in the market when my system signals it, only those trade have a higher probability of success”. Confidence is gained in the system.Mistake made: Take a trade when there was no signal from the systemAs you can see, there is absolutely no correlation between the outcome of the trade and a mistake. The most catastrophic mistake even has a positive trade outcome, made money, but this could be the beginning of the end of the trader’s career. As we have already stated, mistakes must only be related to the violation of rules a trader trades by. All these mistakes were directly related to the signals given by a system, but the same is applied when getting out of a trade. There are also mistakes related to following a trading plan. For example, risking more money on a given trade than the amount the trader should have risked and many more. Most mistakes can be avoided by first having a trading plan. A trading plan includes the system: the criteria we use to get in and out the market, the money management plan: how much we will risk on any given trade, and many other points. Secondly, and most important, we need to have the discipline to follow strictly our plan. We created our plan when no trade was placed on, thus no psychology barriers were up front. So, the only thing we are certain about is that if we follow our plan, the decision taken is on our best interests, and in the long run, these decisions will help us have better results. We don’t have to worry about isolated events, or trades that could had give us better results at first, but then they could have catastrophic results in our trading career. How to deal with mistakesThere are many possible ways to properly manage mistakes. We will suggest the one that works better for us.Step one: Belief change.Every mistake is a learning experience. They all have something valuable to offer. Try to counteract the natural tendency of feeling frustrated and approach mistakes in a positive manner. Instead of yelling to everyone around and feeling disappointed, say to yourself “ok, I did something wrong, what happened? What is it?Step two: Identify the mistake made.Define the mistake, find out what caused the mistake, and try as hard as you can to effectively see the nature of that mistake. Finding the mistake nature will prevent you from making the same mistake again. More than often you will find the answer where you less expected. Take for instance a trader that doesn’t follow the system. The reason behind this could be that the trader is afraid of loosing. But then, why is he or she afraid? It could be that the trader is using a system that does not fit him or her, and finds difficult to follow every signal. In this case, as you can see, the nature of the mistake is not in the surface. You need to try as hard as you can to find the real reason of the given mistake. Step three: Measure the consequences of the mistake.List the consequences of making that particular mistake, both good and bad. Good consequences are those that make us better traders after dealing with the mistake. Think on all possible reasons you can learn from what happened. For the same example above, what are the consequences of making that mistake? Well, if you don’t follow the system, you will gradually loose confidence in it, and this at the end will put you into trades you don’t really want to be, and out of trades you should be in.Step four: Take action.Taking proper action is the last and most important step. In order to learn, you need to change your behavior. Make sure that whatever you do, you become “this-mistake-proof”. By taking action we turn every single mistake into a small part of success in our trading career. Continuing with the same example, redefining the system would be the trader’s final step. The trader would put a system that perfectly fits him or her, so the trader doesn’t find any trouble following it in future signals.Understanding the fact that the outcome of any trade has nothing to do with a mistake will open your mind to other possibilities, where you will be able to understand the nature of every mistake made. This at the same time will open the doors for your trading career as you work and take proper action on every mistake made. The process of success is slow, and plenty of times it is attributed to repeated mistakes made and the constant struggle to get past these mistakes, working on them accordingly. How we deal with them will shape our future as a trader, and most importantly as a person.

Two Great Forex Indicators: Bollinger Bands and Fibonacci Retracements

2008-08-31T03:12:00.001-07:00

by: Adrian Pablo
Forex trading is a fascinating way of earning a living online, and if you are seriously considering entering this fascinating world of forex trading you must consider, by all means, the learning and understanding of a number of indicators that will give you invaluable help on predicting with a high probability the directions the forex market may take as you carefully analyze the price charts for any currency you are trading at the moment. Two of these important indicators are: “Bollinger Bands” and “Fibonacci Retracements”.The basic interpretation of “Bollinger Bands” is that prices tend to stay within the space formed by the tracings of the upper and lower bands. The distinctive characteristic of “Bollinger Bands” is that the spacing between the bands varies based on the volatility of the prices. During periods of extreme currency price changes (i.e., high volatility), the bands widen to become more forgiving. During periods of low volatility, the bands narrow to contain currency prices. The bands are plotted two standard deviations above and below a simple moving average. They indicate a "sell" when prices are above the moving average (or close to the upper band) and a "buy" when prices are below it (or close to the lower band). The bands are used by some forex traders in conjunction with other analyses, including RSI, MACD, CCI, and Rate of Change.“Fibonacci retracement levels” are a sequence of numbers discovered by the noted mathematician Leonardo da Pisa during the twelfth century. These numbers describe cycles found throughout nature and when applied to technical analysis can be used to find pullbacks in the currency market.“Fibonacci retracement levels” are a quite effective way to see the future (at least in the forex markets), i.e., it involves anticipating changes in trends as prices near the lines created by the Fibonacci studies. After a significant price move (either up or down), prices will often retrace a significant portion (if not all) of the original move. As prices retrace, support and resistance levels often occur at or near the “Fibonacci Retracement levels” (See my articles on “Fibonacci trading” for more detail about this).In the currency markets, the commonly used sequence of ratios is 23.6 %, 38.2%, 50% and 61.8%. Fibonacci retracement levels can easily be displayed by connecting a trend line from a perceived high point to a perceived low point. By taking the difference between the high and low, the user can apply the % ratios to achieve the desired pullbacks.

Best Stock Market Simulation Games

2008-08-31T03:11:00.004-07:00

How to Quit Your Job

2008-08-31T03:11:00.003-07:00

by: Debra Thorsen
Do you to know without ending up on the street? In a nutshell, you need to avoid the self-employment trap, think like a business, and create multiple passive revenue streams.Avoid the Self-Employment TrapIf you quit your job and hang up your own shingle, you might work harder for less money. You may enjoy working from home or choosing your own clients, but you might end up living from client to client without building any real wealth. Many self-employed people I know suffer from feast or famine. They spend lots of time and money marketing their services and get lots of clients. They get really busy doing the work and stop marketing and then their prospective client pool dries up. If you set up your business so that you do everything - marketing, sales, bookkeeping, operations, and fulfillment, then you are limiting your success potential from day one. You will spend lots of time on non-income generating activities and may get frustrated and burned-out in a short time. The real key to successfully creating wealth outside of a job is to avoid the mistake of trading one boss for another boss. You need to stop trading your time for dollars. Stop thinking like a wage slave. Look beyond earned income. Think Like a BusinessThere are many problems with earned income. The biggest one is that you are trading your time for money. If you stop trading your time, the dollars stop coming. This is a huge problem if you decide to have a baby, get sick, want to take an extended vacation, or are ready to retire. The IRS penalizes self-employed people who operate as a sole proprietorship with a hefty self-employment tax. How can you avoid this? Well, I am not an accountant or CPA, so I am not giving legal or accounting advice, but I have learned to think like a business. Before you quit your job, interview local tax advisors to educate yourself on different business entities and tax strategies. Start thinking big. Build a Company with Multiple Passive Income StreamsYou need to build a company that works for you. My best advice on how to quit your job is to build a business that offers multiple streams of passive income in addition to your earned income. There are so many exciting ways to design your income portfolio. It requires imagination, courage and planning. Structure your business so that your daily activities are fun and challenging. Identify the things that you don’t enjoy or are not good at and find other people to do these activities – outside partners, independent contractors, or employees. How to Quit Your Job My advice for how to quit your job is to avoid thinking that you have to do everything yourself to make your new enterprise run. Think big! Set up systems and structures that work for you so you don’t have to work so hard. Incorporate and make the tax system work for you. Design your work around multiple passive income streams to support your active work. And finally, have fun!

How Many Forex Order Types There Are and How to Use Them In Your Favor

2008-08-31T03:11:00.001-07:00

by: Adrian Pablo
Once you have decided to enter the Forex trading world, one of the first things you will have to do is downloading the trading station provided by your chosen forex broker for free. When you open your trading station software, you will find there are two main ways to enter a market or, said in another way, there are two ways to place an initial order to buy or sell any currency pair.“Market order”; this is an order to buy or sell a currency pair at the market price the instant that the order is received and processed (within seconds of hitting the "OK" button on your screen). When a market order is placed, you are simply saying "I'll buy or sell the currency pair at whatever price it is at when my order gets processed."“Entry order”; this is an order to buy or sell a currency pair when it reaches a certain price target. This can be any price in theory. You could set an entry order for the low price of a time period, or the high price of a time period. As an example, one usual recommendation is that you must always set an entry order to be the same price as the ‘open price” of the time period. When you place an “entry order” to buy, for example, you are simply saying "I want to buy this currency pair at a certain price, if it never reaches that price, I don't want to purchase the pair."After your “entry order” is placed, you can set a stop and/or limit order if you desire, and for your own security. Stop and Limit orders are two different ways to exit a trade, automatically (i.e., without closing out your position via the click of your mouse - manually), after the trade is entered.A “stop order” (something I will always recommend you) is used to stop losses. A “limit order” (recommended if you can't monitor your open trade) is used to redeem profits. Where these orders are placed, in relation to your open trade, depends on the direction of the entry order.Remember; a “stop order” is always placed below the current market value of that currency pair when you are in a long (buy) trade. And a “limit order” is always placed above the current market value of that currency pair when you are in a long (buy) trade.

Forex Broker Commissions

2008-08-31T03:10:00.004-07:00

by: Eddie Tobey
Most forex brokers do not charge commissions. GFT Forex Brokers, like other forex brokers, are compensated by revenues from their activities as currency dealers, including proceeds from buying, selling, converting and holding currencies, interest on deposited funds, and rollover fees.Many may wonder how brokers work without commissions. The forex dealer is like a middleman. Let's consider the case of a bread middleman. He buys bread at a “wholesale” price and he sells it at a “retail” price. So if one is a baker, he can ask the middleman how much he would buy his bread for. Let's say the middleman quotes $1, so he's willing to pay $1 per loaf. On the other side of the equation, let's say you just finished his last slice of bread, and you needs a new loaf. So you call up the local middleman, and ask him how much he's willing to sell you (a customer) a loaf of bread for. And he quotes the baker $1.25. That sounds reasonable, so you tell him to drop one off for you.In this example, the bread middleman didn't charge you a commission to either the baker or you, the customer. Instead he bought at one price and sold at another. He will let you buy from him at $1.25, and let you sell to him at $1. So every time the baker has bread to sell, he checks the middleman's sell price. And when you want to buy a loaf of bread, you check the buy price.In trading, this is known as the “bid” and “ask”. The bid is the price you can sell at, and the ask is the price you can buy at.Considering forex broker commissions, the forex dealer will let the trader buy from him at 1.1971 and will let the trader sell to him at 1.1967. The difference 0.0004 is known as the spread. And this spread is where the forex “middleman” makes his money. If the trader were to buy at 1.1971, then the instant the trader buys, he is “down” 0.0004, because if the trader wanted out of the trade, the best price he could sell it for is 1.1967. So as the forex dealer takes varying trades from people, each buying or selling, he can make money from this price gap. Each minimum increment, 0.0001 is referred to as a “pip”. So the spread in this example is 4 pips. In terms of dollars, for a forex contract of $100,000, this transaction would cost you $40 ($100,000 x 0.0004) or 4 pips. So the trader will find that some companies will advertise a spread of 3 pips on some currencies, usually ranging up to five on others. In forex trading, the tighter the spread is, the better.

Sales Forecasting For New Business

2008-08-31T03:10:00.003-07:00

by: Ben Botes
Sales forecasting is the process of organizing and analysing information in a way that makes it possible to estimate what your sales will be. This Micro Module outlines some simple methods of forecasting sales using easy to find data. Books containing simple and sophisticated techniques of forecasting sales can be found in libraries and business oriented book stores. If you sell more than one type of product or service, prepare a separate sales forecast for each service or product group. There are many sources of information to assist with your sales forecast. Some key sources are: Competitors; Neighbouring Businesses; Trade suppliers; Downtown business associations Trade associations; Trade publications; Trade directories; Factors that can affect Sales can be divided into external and internal influences. Examples of these are:External: Seasons; Holidays; Special Events; Competition, direct or indirect Competition, External labour events; Productivity changes Family formations; Births and deaths; Fashions or styles; Population changes; Consumer earnings; Political events Weather Internal: Product changes, style, quality; Service changes, type, quality; Shortages, production capability; Promotional effort changes Sales Motivation plans; Price changes; Shortages, inventory; Shortages/working capital; Distribution methods used Credit policy changes; Labour ProblemsCreating a sales forecast can be divided into four steps.Step 1Develop a customer profile and determine the trends in your industry. Make some basic assumptions about the customers in your target market. Experienced business people will tell you that a good rule of thumb is that 20f your customers account for 80f your sales. If you can identify this 20ou can begin to develop a profile of your principal markets. Sample customer profiles: male, ages 20-34, professional, middle income, fitness conscious.Young families, parents 25 to 39, middle income, home owners. Small to medium sized magazine and book publishers with sales from $500,000 to $2,000,000 Determine trends by talking to trade suppliers about what is selling well and what is not. Check out recent copies of your industry's trade magazines. Search the Business Periodicals Index (found in larger libraries) for articles related to your type of business. Question: What are five customer profiles for your business?Question: What are some customer trends for your customers/clients?Step 2Look at the area where you will be tradingEstablish the approximate size and location of your planned trading area. Use available statistics to determine the general characteristics of this area. Use local sources to determine unique characteristics about your trading area. How far will your average customer travel to buy from your shop? Where do you intend to distribute or promote your product? This is your trading area. Estimating the number of individuals or households can be done with little difficulty using national census data to be found at your library or town hall. Your local statistics office or chamber of commerce can identify what the average household spends on goods and services. Neighbourhood business owners, the local Chamber of Commerce, the Government Agent and the community newspaper are some sources that can give you insight into unique characteristics of your area. Question: What are the statistics on the people in your area?Step 3List and profile competitors selling in your trading area.Refer back to the data you collected in your market research.Get out on the street and study your competitors. Visit their stores or the locations where their product is offered. Analyse the location, customer volumes, traffic patterns, hours of operation, busy periods, prices, quality of their goods and services, product lines carried, promotional techniques, positioning, product catalogues and other handouts. If feasible, talk to customers and sales staff. Step 4Use your research to estimate your sales on a monthly basis for your first year. The basis for your sales forecast could be the average monthly sales of a similar-sized competitor's operations that are operating in a similar market. It is recommended that you make adjustments for this year¹s predicted trend for the industry. Be sure to reduce your figures by a start-up year factor of about 50month for the start-up months. Consider how well your competition satisfies the needs of potential customers in your trading area. Determine how you fit in to this picture and what niche you plan to fill. Will you offer a better location, convenience, a better price, later hours, better quality, and better service? Consider population and economic growth in your trading area. Using your research, make an educated guess at your market share. If possible, express this as the number of customers you can hope to attract. You may want to keep it conservative and reduce your figure by approximately 15àPrepare sales estimates month by month. Be sure to assess how seasonal your business is and consider your start up months.Further tipsSales revenues from the same month in the previous year make a good base for predicting sales for that month in the succeeding year. For example, if the trend forecasters in the economy and the industry predict a general growth of 4or the next year, it will be entirely acceptable for you to show each month¹s projected sales at 4igher than your actual sales the previous year. Credible forecasts can come from those who have the actual customer contact. Get the salespersons most closely associated with a particular product line, service, market or territory to give their best estimates. Experience has proven the grass roots forecasts can be surprisingly accurate. Sales Forecasting and the Business PlanSummarize the data after it has been reviewed and revised. The summary will form a part of your business plan. The sales forecast for the first year should be monthly, while the forecast for the next two years could be expressed as a quarterly figure. Get a second opinion. Have the forecast checked by someone else familiar with your line of business. Show them the factors you have considered and explain why you think the figures are realistic. Your skills at forecasting will improve with experience particularly if you treat it as a "live" forecast. Review your forecast monthly, insert your actual, and revise the forecast if you see any significant discrepancy that cannot be explained in terms of a one-time only situation. In this manner, your forecasting technique will rapidly improve and your forecast will become increasingly accurate.

Pivot Points in Forex: Mapping your Time Frame

2008-08-31T03:10:00.001-07:00

by: Raul Lopez
It is useful to have a map and be able to see where the price is relative to previous market action. This way we can see how is the sentiment of traders and investors at any given moment, it also gives us a general idea of where the market is heading during the day. This information can help us decide which way to trade. Pivot points, a technique developed by floor traders, help us see where the price is relative to previous market action. As a definition, a pivot point is a turning point or condition. The same applies to the Forex market, the pivot point is a level in which the sentiment of the market changes from “bull” to “bear” or vice versa. If the market breaks this level up, then the sentiment is said to be a bull market and it is likely to continue its way up, on the other hand, if the market breaks this level down, then the sentiment is bear, and it is expected to continue its way down. Also at this level, the market is expected to have some kind of support/resistance, and if price can’t break the pivot point, a possible bounce from it is plausible.Pivot points work best on highly liquid markets, like the spot currency market, but they can also be used in other markets as well.Pivot PointsIn a few words, pivot point is a level in which the sentiment of traders and investors changes from bull to bear or vice versa.Why PP work?They work simply because many individual traders and investors use and trust them, as well as bank and institutional traders. It is known to every trader that the pivot point is an important measure of strength and weakness of any market. Calculating pivot pointsThere are several ways to arrive to the Pivot point. The method we found to have the most accurate results is calculated by taking the average of the high, low and close of a previous period (or session).Pivot point (PP) = (High + Low + Close) / 3Take for instance the following EUR/USD information from the previous session:Open: 1.2386High: 1.2474Low: 1.2376Close: 1.2458The PP would be,PP = (1.2474 + 1.2376 + 1.2458) / 3 = 1.2439What does this number tell us? It simply tells us that if the market is trading above 1.2439, Bulls are winning the battle pushing the prices higher. And if the market is trading below this 1.2439 the bears are winning the battle pulling prices lower. On both cases this condition is likely to sustain until the next session.Since the Forex market is a 24hr market (no close or open from day to day) there is a eternal battle on deciding at white time we should take the open, close, high and low from each session. From our point of view, the times that produce more accurate predictions is taking the open at 00:00 GMT and the close at 23:59 GMT. Besides the calculation of the PP, there are other support and resistance levels that are calculated taking the PP as a reference. Support 1 (S1) = (PP * 2) – HResistance 1 (R1) = (PP * 2) - LSupport 2 (S2) = PP – (R1 – S1) Resistance 2 (R2) = PP + (R1 – S1)Where , H is the High of the previous period and L is the low of the previous periodContinuing with the example above, PP = 1.2439S1 = (1.2439 * 2) - 1.2474 = 1.2404R1 = (1.2439 * 2) – 1.2376 = 1.2502R2 = 1.2439 + (1.2636 – 1.2537) = 1.2537S2 = 1.2439 – (1.2636 – 1.2537) = 1.2537These levels are supposed to mark support and resistance levels for the current session. On the example above, the PP was calculated using information of the previous session (previous day.) This way we could see possible intraday resistance and support levels. But it can also be calculated using the previous weekly or monthly data to determine such levels. By doing so we are able to see the sentiment over longer periods of time. Also we can see possible levels that might offer support and resistance throughout the week or month. Calculating the Pivot point in a weekly or monthly basis is mostly used by long term traders, but it can also be used by short time traders, it gives us a good idea about the longer term trend. S1, S2, R1 AND R2...? An Objective AlternativeAs already stated, the pivot point zone is a well-known technique and it works simply because many traders and investors use and trust it. But what about the other support and resistance zones (S1, S2, R1 and R2,) to forecast a support or resistance level with some mathematical formula is somehow subjective. It is hard to rely on them blindly just because the formula popped out that level. For this reason, we have created an alternative way to map our time frame, simpler but more objective and effective. We calculate the pivot point as showed before. But our support and resistance levels are drawn in a different way. We take the previous session high and low, and draw those levels on today’s chart. The same is done with the session before the previous session. So, we will have our PP and four more important levels drawn in our chart. LOPS1, low of the previous session.HOPS1, high of the previous session.LOPS2, low of the session before the previous session.HOPS2, high of the session before the previous session.PP, pivot point.These levels will tell us the strength of the market at any given moment. If the market is trading above the PP, then the market is considered in a possible uptrend. If the market is trading above HOPS1 or HOPS2, then the market is in an uptrend, and we only take long positions. If the market is trading below the PP then the market is considered in a possible downtrend. If the market is trading below LOPS1 or LOPS2, then the market is in a downtrend, and we should only consider short trades.The psychology behind this approach is simple. We know that for some reason the market stopped there from going higher/lower the previous session, or the session before that. We don’t know the reason, and we don’t need to know it. We only know the fact: the market reversed at that level. We also know that traders and investors have memories, they do remember that the price stopped there before, and the odds are that the market reverses from there again (maybe because the same reason, and maybe not) or at least find some support or resistance at these levels.What is important about his approach is that support and resistance levels are measured objectively; they aren’t just a level derived from a mathematical formula, the price reversed there before so these levels have a higher probability of being effective.Our mapping method works on both market conditions, when trending and on sideways conditions. In a trending market, it helps us determine the strength of the trend and trade off important levels. On sideways markets it shows us possible reversal levels.How we use our mapping method?We at StraightForex (www.straightforex.com) use the mapping method in three different ways: as a trend identification (measure of the strength of the trend), a trading system using important levels with price behavior as a trading signal and to set the risk reward ratio (RR) of any given trade based on where the is the market relative to the previous session.

DEALING in NOTEBOOKS Is Like A Dream Come True

2008-08-31T03:09:00.004-07:00

by: Harry S Richards
The huge advantages of starting a business dealing in laptops are not always appreciated but consider the following points . . .Laptops/Notebooks are easy to store. It is possible to operate the business from a single room. In fact we know a guy who stores a number of them under his bed. He says he can store up to twenty laptops with hardly any loss of room space.Laptops/Notebooks are always available from liquidation merchants and other specialist trade sources at prices which allow good reseller profit margins. It is a cash-doubler business for those we know who are quietly operating this business from a home base.For a completely free list of notebook wholesalers and liquidation merchants go to http://www.liquidations-uk.net for Europe. In USA go to http://www.liquidations-uk.net/usa Laptops/Notebooks are easy to pack to sell by Mail Order. Take up to four under your arm to your local Post Office and using standard parcel rates and insurance the cost to fulfil orders will be a pittance compared to the profit potential.However, unless working from a cramped room, be professional and send the order by Courier Service, after all, the profit margin is HUGE enough to allow for a "Free Delivery Service".Recently sourced laptops/notebooks from a repo-liquidation reseller allowed for a mark-up ratio of 150 percent and it doesn't stretch the imagination to calculate how much could be made each week from just a couple of re-sales that allows you to double your investment on each transaction.There are of course warranties to be considered and how to deal with any faulty returns. Those were concerns I had myself in the beginning. However, I found an easy way to resolve those issues to everyone's satisfaction. It was so simple, just make a complete replacement and send the faulty one back to the supplier. Within the past year I have only needed to do that three times which equates to a very small percentage of total sales volume.Here's hoping you'll give it a try and if so I would love to get some feedback from you - please let me know what you think of the business anyway, your thoughts are always welcome.Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or on your site as long as you leave the author's copyright in place and the links in place, do not modify the content and include our resource box as listed below.

Investing Stock Market ABC’s

2008-08-31T03:09:00.003-07:00

by: Jay Moncliff
While most folks today trust mutual funds and their professional managers with their investments, it’s still important to understand the basics of the stock market. Although investing in individual stocks may not be right for everyone, a basic understanding of the stock market is essential to understanding the workings of our economy and business sector.A stock is a portion of ownership in a company. Commonly referred to as a share, it is a small percentage of the total ownership pool for the corporation. Shareholders are stock owners, or people who have an ownership interest in the corporation. Today, shares are usually tracked electronically, but in previous decades shareholders would actually receive a certificate stating their ownership. Why own stocks? First, you are sharing in the company’s profits. When a corporation shows a profit, they will sometimes distribute these profits to each shareholder, based on how much stock they own. This distribution is called a dividend. Company’s can elect to pay out their profits or reinvest them in the company, but as a shareholder, each time a payout is made you will receive your proportionate share.Also, the value of your stock will rise and fall based on the company’s perceived value in the stock market. If you buy a share at $10.00 and it rises to $11.00 a share, you’ve made a dollar for each share you own, and subsequently sell. However, with this opportunity comes risk as well. If the share price falls and you sell, you’ll lose money. The more volatile the stock, the more opportunity for risk or profit. Most shareholders track their stocks using the stock table. These appear confusing and difficult to read, but they are actually easy to understand with a little practice. Ticker symbol is listed first. This is the abbreviated symbol that the stock market uses to identify your company. For example, GE is General Electric, WMT is Walmart. Once you select a company, you’ll need to know it’s shorthand name to track its progress.Second, the company’s name may be listed. Some tables omit the name to save space, others list it to make tracking stocks easier.The third item is the number of sales in the last trading day. This is listed in the 100,000’s, so 256 means 256,000 shares were bought and sold on the last day that the market was open. Next are the high and low price, in that order. The high price is the highest per share price that the stock sold for on the previous trading day. The low price is the lowest price for that day. Since the price of the shares moves all day long, this is a good reference to see how much the stock is changing in a day.Next, the closing price is listed. This is the last price that the stock traded for as the market closed. This will also be the beginning price for the next trading day.After the closing price, the table will list the change, or the amount that the stock changed when you compare yesterday’s closing price with the closing price for the day before. This will be listed as a positive number (the stock went up) or a negative number (the stock sold for less yesterday than the day before).Stock tables are found in many places, but most people check their daily paper or the Wall Street Journal. There are many internet sites that track stocks as well.Of course, you’ll have to select a stock. Choose carefully or consult a professional, and good luck!

Red, Green, Yellow - or - Stop, Go, Go Very Fast: Which Describes Your Online Trading?

2008-08-31T03:09:00.001-07:00

by: Jonathan van Clute
Copyright 2005 Jonathan van CluteEver notice how behavior in one area of life can apply to behavior in other areas of life? For example, I've noticed a number of things while driving that apply to online trading. One of them is regarding how people behave toward traffic signals.In the USA, where I live, all the traffic lights are red, yellow, green - red for stop, yellow for slow down or caution and green for go. The lights always change in order from red to yellow to green and back again to red after a time.How drivers relate to the changing lights is NOT always the same. There are three types of drivers and responses to seeing a green light:Type one drivers believe the light will change to red at any moment. In anticipation of the change, they begin to slow down far in advance. I call them "Red Lighters."Type two drivers know green means it's ok to go. They continue on their present course and speed, making no changes at all as they approach the light. I call them "Green Lighters."Type three drivers know the light could turn yellow at any moment, so they step on the accelerator to catch up to the light as quickly as possible, not wanting to miss it. I call them the "Yellow Lighters."Many people apply these same approaches to most of life's opportunities, including online trading. Maybe you do the same thing.If you see an opportunity approaching, do you slow down, believing that since it won't last you shouldn't be too hasty or you could be stuck in a bad deal? "Red Lighter."Or, do you see the opportunity coming, and just let it come at its own pace, taking your time and accepting whatever happens when it reaches you? "Green Lighter."Or, do you rush to it, knowing that it could be gone at any moment so best to jump on it immediately so you don't miss out? "Yellow Lighter."Each of these approaches has its risks, and its rewards. Red Lighters take no risks, and therefore never "push their luck" by hurrying into anything. On the other hand, what risks are they actually taking by potentially missing out on opportunity?Green Lighters just want to travel safely and smoothly. They don't mind what happens along the way so they just keep going with the flow of traffic. Sounds smart, doesn't it? Yet, what real gain is there in being "just like everyone else"?Yellow Lighters don't want to miss any opportunity so will do whatever is needed to capture the potential reward. But how big is their risk in being first?Each is going the same direction, and could even be in the exact same type of vehicle, but none is actually any more guaranteed to arrive at their destination than the other. The Yellow Lighter will probably get there the fastest, but could also get into an accident along the way from so much speeding. The Green Lighter will arrive safely in a reasonable time, but will likely arrive with the rest of the crowd and never be early. The Red Lighter will probably always be late, and will typically spend so much time on the road that they never get to fully enjoy their destination.Which are you? Which do you want to be? How do you assess risk and reward in your financial decisions, your daily activities, your life? Like it or not, everything we do every day has a risk and an associated reward.Getting in a car each day and driving to work carries with it the very real risk of death from a traffic accident, with the reward on the other side of the commute being a paycheck. Everyone must assess the risks and rewards in their life for themselves on an ongoing basis, something that I myself do constantly every day and that I encourage you to do as well. You just might be surprised at the trades you find yourself making unconsciously.I invite you to notice your trading style and adjust it according to the results you wish to achieve. Being conscious of our behavior patterns and changing them when appropriate can make all the difference in online trading success.

The New World Currency

2008-08-31T03:08:00.003-07:00

by: Matt Sherborne
Do you ever consider the possibility that the money you work so hard for could be gone from your pocketbook in the next few years? Quicker then you might think, currency as we know it, is changing. Necessity for efficiency is transforming the flow of cash into a digital form. The use of e-currency is quickly spreading throughout the world. Everyday, more and more people are making purchases online. These purchases are being facilitated by companies like Paypal, E-Bullion, E-Gold and Net Pay. The digital age is definitely upon us, and with the new forms of commerce, comes new forms of opportunity. With the advent of these E-currency companies, trade between different countries is suddenly becoming easier and more profitable. New products and services are quickly filling the need for the flow of money. The one constant still remaining is the ever present, currency exchange rates. To avoid these fluctuations and exchange fees, companies have facilitated their transactions with the global currency of gold. Some online e-currency companies now tout that their holdings are 100% backed by gold. This no longer is true for any of the national currencies now in existence. The United States for example, has not had 100% of their currency backed by gold, since the end of the gold standard in 1914. The value of the U.S dollar continues to decline, as the value of gold rises steadily. Due to national inflation, the cash you hold in your hand will continue to lose value. Unfortunately, there is not nearly enough gold to cover all of the paper money holdings. That money you hold in your hand is basically a loan from the government. The tenet of many governments, when they fall on hard times, is to print more money. This fact has led to the desire for more worldwide corporations to embrace the idea of a worldwide currency. To accommodate the demand to trade goods and services between Countries, many companies have been created. The increased need for exchanging has created lucrative opportunities within the e-currency exchanging markets. A global currency exchange is evolving that knows no boundaries or national borders. While gold remains the standard for many worldwide transactions, there still exists a need to transfer funds from, existing national currency, into gold and vice versa. There also exists the need for different e-currencies to be exchanged among themselves. This need has created a void that has enabled average people to cash in on. Trading e-currency has filled the demand for these transactions to be completed efficiently, while enabling certain people in the know, a lucrative business opportunity. Those people who understand the system can leverage their funds to facilitate the transactions while pocketing a sizable commission. The future is unknown for paper money as we know it. However, one thing is certain, those who are the market-makers of the new system that evolves will be the biggest winners of the new millennium.

Liquidated and Repo PC Profits

2008-08-31T03:08:00.001-07:00

by: Harry S Richards
My own core business is in reselling computers for regular fast profits. In fact the business reached the seven figure mark a few years ago. Now I resell repossessed and liquidated PCs, Notebooks-Laptops on a daily basis having established an elite core of reliable suppliers, in Europe, UK, Canada and the USA. In fact, you can operate the business in any democratic country in the world.It's a very simple business and there's really nothing to prevent you from starting your own liquidated resale business just as I have done.Your chance to produce an annual income from your own home, or even from a commercial unit, reselling computers and software for profit is a definite possibility. Not only that but I will also tell you in this article where to lay your hands on valuable merchandise at rock-bottom trade prices.Unlike most other businesses which require a great amount of starting capital, there is a proven method you can use to make money almost from day one. No fancy premises are required. Very little capital is needed, as it is possible to start with just a couple of notebooks to resell and then to accumulate seed capital from initial profits made which can be as high as 150 percent on liquidated items.You can operate a computer trading business from premises or from the comfort of your home. This business is unaffected by slumps and recessions which tend to hurt most other businesses. Our own trade-training website at Beauforts.biz has been up and running for over six years and to date it has been responsible for training over ten thousand dealers to date. Not all of them have been successful, that would be an impossible scenario, but a significant number have, and several have become wholesale dealers themselves.Sales of computers and computer software remain buoyant despite recent peaks and troughs and show no sign of reaching a peak. In fact it is growing worldwide at a staggering rate. More and more men and women are needed to help in the promotion and marketing of computers and computer related products.If you haven't done any selling previously don't be concerned about it, there is no shortage of eager, willing buyers. All you need the desire to make regular cash profits. There is definitely no hard-selling involved . . . enthusiasm and a little common sense is really all you need to make good money in the business.Whether you are a beginner or a pro in the computer business, it is essential when writing to the suppliers and other contacts to type your letters on your business letterhead. Many of the listed contacts will ONLY deal with TRADE and some will need PROOF of your credentials as a bona-fide trader.You will come across some wholesale ads which specifically state TRADE ONLY. Therefore, you should WRITE on printed business headed notepaper first. To operate the Business during the Initial stages, you will need nothing other than a couple of duplicate books for sales and purchases, but when progressing into TRADE PURCHASES you should have made sufficient profits to up-grade your business and to afford the costs of ordering printed business letterheadsIf you write to a Trade Supplier, it is highly unlikely that they will respond to your letter if it is written on a plain sheet of paper. Remember, as a Trader you have an image to establish . . . your stationery can build up your image or tear it down. Never write to any source in handwritten form. Never indicate in any letter to any source that you are new to the business . . . this does not infer that you should be dishonest in any way - you simply have no need to tell them anything about your new business other than that you are interested in obtaining trade supplies.As an example just consider the kind of letters some suppliers receive a scribbled handwritten letter which states "I am thinking of starting a computer dealership ..." He'll still be thinking of it in years from now and such letters are considered a complete waste of time by trade suppliers. What you should do, (even if you are "just thinking about it"), is to write stating that you "intend" to start dealing in computers asking to be placed on their e-mailing list for price-lists, etc.You can get a complete directory of Computer Wholesalers and Trade Suppliers as a free download from http://www.liquidations-uk.net so now you can give it some serious consideration because you have the tools to make a start as a computer dealer.Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or on your site as long as you leave the author's copyright and the links in place.

Wholesale Buyers Versus Retail Customers

2008-08-31T03:07:00.004-07:00

by: Michael Michaelsen
Are wholesale buyers and retail customers really different? Frankly, there are two answers to this question: yes and no. Yes, because they are different from the buyers and those selling to buyers' point of view and no, because the principles that apply are the same for both types of buying.There is only one real difference, aside that one buys at wholesale prices and the other at retail prices, and that is that wholesale buyers are looking for a selection of items to fill a space or their customers' needs, while retail buyers are looking for one item to fill a space or need. When there isn't any space that needs filling either now or in the future, the customer won't be interested in what you have for sale, which means zero sales. Both wholesale and retail buyers are looking for things that can be either complementary or in contrast to what the are doing or they already have. It is rather a combination of the two (contrast/complementary or complementary/contrast) than a case of complementary or contrast.Contrast/complementary means it's different to what they are doing or they have, but will fit in with other things, while complementary/contrast means it's like what they are doing or already have and yet it's different. If there is a high contrast and it doesn't fit in or if it's exactly what they have, they most likely won't buy.There are two things you will have to do to determine if buyers are in a contrast/complementary or complementary/contrast buying situations. First of all, listen to what customers say and think about these two things: why they are asking the question that way and where they got the idea that generated the question. This is called "listening between the lines". Often, through their questions, customers will tell you what they are looking for. In case they don't, ask them yourself. It helps you by showing interest in what they are doing and their answers will help you make your presentation. Plus, since you know that they are looking for something to fill a need or hole, it becomes much easier to relate to customers' needs.The second way to detect their situation is to have customers talk about their favorite subject themselves. Encourage wholesale customers to talk about their shop/gallery, what they have been doing lately, etc. As for the retail customers, get them to talk about the other craft works they currently own and enjoy. Often they will talk about the things that they feel very good about. Sometimes they will talk about the things that they don't feel very good about, but they will do it as a way of saying they won't repeat that mistake.Sales will be made when customers understand how the merchandise you are selling fits into what they are doing, planning to do, or would like to do, so apply the contrast/complementary - complementary/contrast theory to what they are contemplating buying.

9 Deadly Mistakes of the Stock Trader

2008-08-31T03:07:00.003-07:00

by: Mark Crisp
The following are a list of nine things you want to avoid at all costs. Anyone of them can literally destroy your financial dreams and goals!1. Trading with money you can't afford to lose.One of the greatest obstacles to successful trading is using money that you really can’t afford to lose. Examples of this would be money that is supposed to be used to pay the mortgage, bills or your child’s college tuition. This is sometimes referred to as “trading with scared money” and there is a very good reason for that. Ultimately what happens is that when someone knows in the back of their mind that they are risking the rent money, they trade out of fear and emotion versus logic and no emotion. If you are in this situation I highly recommend that you stop trading until you earn enough to put into an account that you truly can afford to lose without causing major financial setbacks. You can start with as little as $2000 and trade stocks under $30.2. The need to be "certain".We all have the need to make sure that the trade we want to make is going to be a good one. Therefore we look for signs that will give us a confirmation to enter. This can come in several forms, for example… Tuning into CNBC or the Wall Street Journal to give us news that our stock is on the move or waiting for a couple of extra days to make sure that the stock is really flying and just not on a false breakout. Other traders will get opinions from friends, family or broker. Others will wait for ten technical indicators to line up and give the “green light”.All of these are okay to a point, however the big mistake to avoid is taking so much time that you let the trade take off without you. Interestingly, what ends up happening as a result of waiting too long is that you actually increase your risk. This is because as a stock moves higher and higher there are fewer buyers left in the market and it can come tumbling down until more buyers step in. It is like a game of musical chairs; eventually someone gets caught without a chair.Traders who wait and wait and wait to make extra sure are usually the ones buying the top tick just before the stocks sells off. They then beat themselves up thinking they picked the wrong stock. Odds are it had nothing to do with their selection, just bad timing.The thing to keep in mind is that there can be no absolute certainty in any given trade. All we ever can do is take a very educated risk along with a leap of faith!3. Spending profits before you make them.Nothing is more exciting then getting into a trade that blasts off and puts you into a highly profitable situation. This can cause major problems however, because this type of trade puts you in a highly euphoric state and leads to daydreaming about the huge profits still to come. You say “Wow I’m already up 15% in two days; I’ll be up 50% in a week and probably double my money in no time!” Then the next thing that happens is you are deciding on the great new car you are going to buy or perhaps telling your boss that he can stick it… Well you get the idea!The real problem occurs as you get caught up in the daydream and expectations. This causes you to not be prepared to get out as the market sells off and eats up your profits because you have convinced yourself of the eventual outcome and will deny the reality of the situation.The simple remedy for this is to know where and how you will take profits once you enter the trade. Also, realize that the market will only go up as long as it wants and not how high you think it should go.4. Forming an opinion.I’m here to tell you that the market does not give a damn about you or your opinions. Even if they are based on painstaking research or from a “Wall Street Guru”, it doesn’t matter!5. Three 4-letter words that will kill you! HOPE---WISH---PRAYIf you ever find yourself doing one or more of the above while in a trade then you are in big trouble! As I have already said, the market doesn’t give a damn. All the hoping, wishing and praying in the world is not going to turn a losing trade into a winning one.When you are wrong just use a simple 4-letter word to correct the situation-SELL!6. Not sticking to your planA big source of trouble arises when a trader starts to deviate from their strategy. Maybe for a week they will trade according to one set of rules and the next use something entirely different.This flying by the seat of the pants always ends up backfiring. This is because the trader can never be certain what is working and what is not.You must never deviate from your methodology once you start. As long as it is a good one statistically there is absolutely no reason to change it. The way to make money from it is to trade it over and over again to exploit the edge it gives you.One thing to also be aware of is that a trader is most vulnerable to switching approaches after a few loses. So, pay special attention at these times.7. Not knowing how to get out of a losing trade.It’s amazing how many people I have talked to who don’t have any clear escape plan for getting out of a bad trade. Once again they hope, pray wish and rationalize their position. As I keep saying the market does not care what you think. It does what it does and when you are wrong you are wrong!The easiest way to keep a bad trade from going really bad is to determine before you get in, where you will get out. You can use a dollar amount or at some target point such as the low of the previous 15-minute bar.***Make sure you don’t get the “stunned deer in the headlights syndrome”. This is where you see the stock fall to your stop loss point, but you are unable to take action. Maybe this is due to fear or disbelief that you are wrong, but unless you get out ASAP you could end up I major financial trouble!8. Having an ego.I have seen a number of individuals enter the trading game that were extremely successful in other business ventures. Because of this they had a fairly big ego and thought they couldn’t fail. Their egos became their downfall because they couldn’t except that they were wrong and refused to bail out of bad trades.Once again, whoever or wherever you came from does not concern the markets. All the charm, powers of persuasion, number of diplomas on the wall or business savvy will not budge the market when you are wrong.9. Falling in love with a stock or trade.Let me give you an example of what I mean. Back in the spring of 1999 EFAX was a really hot stock. I waited to buy it on a dip and did so at $19/share. It started to move up strongly and life was great!After a while though, it started to come back to my entry point and then below it. Here’s the problem. For some reason I really liked EFAX and sort of became attached to it. Ultimately I couldn’t let go of it even though I knew I should. I justified and rationalized why my dear friend should bounce back, but it never did. I finally had to break off my love affair when the stock hit $9. (Ouch!)The moral of this story is never fall in love, let alone get married to any stock. It can cost you dearly!

Generate Traffic And Make Money

2008-08-31T03:07:00.001-07:00

by: Lil Waldner
A quite new wave sweeps over the internet. Websites with rotating ads offer their members to surf on their websites. The members can gain free credits in order to generate traffic to their websites. They also can earn money for surfing on these membership websites. Everybody can sign up for free there.What is behind the wave?Few pioneers of these websites that offer to gain advertisement credits as well as cash for surfing have occurred in 2003. It seems that most of this kind of venture has started 2005 and that the boom has begun flourishing during the recent months.These websites offer to earn between about 1% to 20% earnings daily. The members can pay a membership fee and earn such percentages on their fees. A membership cycle can last between seven and 365 days. It depends on the website offer.Most of the banks or bonds offer yearly interests between about 1% to 15% yearly on deposits or bonds. It depends on the currency and country. How can a website offer hundreds or even thousands of percents yearly? They claim to make money with people who pay for advertisements. They tell that they invest in currency trading or commodity trading. Some of the websites run an online shopping mall or an online casino. They deny to pay these percentages to their members from freshly acquired membership fees.Some of the websites seem to sustain and they pay out their members reliably, some are scam and disappear after a while. High yield means also high risks.What is possible?It seems to be possible to make money as long as the party goes on. It seems to be still in an early stage and people can generate an extra income as long as they act in a deliberate way. This means to limit the expenses on membership fees and to diversify these kind of activities on different websites. Never put all your eggs in one basket! It’s recommendable to surf on these websites for a while by running a free account and observing matters before a membership fee is paid. It is not necessary to have an own websites in order to make cash for surfing.There are better means to gain traffic for a website than have it rotated as ads on these websites. The best way to gain traffic for a website is by achieving a high Page Rank by using search engine optimization or by writing and submitting articles.ConclusionIt is possible to make some quick money without real work by surfing on these websites that offer percentages on membership fees. There is no warranty of earnings.Generating valuable and sustainable traffic for a website, however, means acquiring some skills and working in a dedicated way.

Some Fast ways to lose money online quickly

2008-08-31T03:06:00.002-07:00

by: Joel Teo
Most people online are searching for the quick and easy way to make money online. But most people who are looking for quick fixes also find that their money also is lost in an equally quick manner. Get rich quick scams abound on the internet and this article highlights a few of the most common get rich quick scams online. The $5 email work at home scam Ever so often one of my newsletter readers will tell me about the latest work at home scam that they have found. This email or letter just tells you that someone got a whole bunch of $5 notes coming in via the mail and that if you did so you will make money online. The letter usually has 3 names in the list and the subsequent person is supposed to add your name in the list and slowly move up the email. The reason why this is a scam and does not work is that most people will just delete the top name and replace it with theirs so that they get paid first.The Nigerian Scam Most people online now know of the traditional Nigerian Scam where people in Nigeria refuse to find proper jobs and spend their time sending emails to people promising them great riches in exchange for certain fees. Never listen to any of these scams, people who went to Nigeria to get their money back have been said to be killed while over in Nigeria. For more information on this type of money making scam a good resource website would be http://home.rica.net/alphae/419coal/High Yield Investment Programs and other ponzi scams These programs are usually ponzi in nature meaning that the owners will take money from later investors to pay the earlier investors and then run off with the money once they cannot pay out later in the scheme or if they find that the amount of money with them is large enough. A quite survey of the websites in the area are all very well designed as they usually use the same template in all their websites. Treat all claims to legitimate trading with great suspicion as no one really can verify that they are actually making money in commodity or forex trading online.In conclusion, if you want to make money fast online, be prepared to lose it fast as well. When dealing with questionable investment type programs online, put a little money inside to test. You might want to spend some time reading up online before plunging your hard earned money in any money making activity online.

Looking for the best opinion relating to brokers

2008-08-31T03:06:00.001-07:00

by: Tom
When you are on the lookout for superior information relating to brokers, it will be tricky sorting out the best information from ill-equiped brokers submissions and help so it is important to know ways of moderating the information offered to you. VR Business Brokers: Dallas Brokerage DealerTexas Business Brokerage, Mergers & Acquisitions, Business Valuation, and Consulting services for small businesses and mid-market companies.Here's several guidelines that we believe you should use when you're searching for information regarding brokers. Hold in mind any recommendation we may offer is only pertinent to internet based information concerning brokers. We don't really offer any direction or assistance for researching in 'real world' situations. Daniels Trading: Brokerage DealersSelect group of futures and options brokers provides multiple trade execution services, proprietary advice, client support, research, and education.A good hint to track when you're presented with information and suggestions on a brokers website would be to confirm the sites ownership. This could reveal the people behind the website brokers credibility The easiest way to work out who is at the back of the brokers site is to look for the 'about' page. All highly regarded sites providing information about brokers, will almost certainly provide an 'about' webpage which will list the owner's details. The details should let you know some indication concerning the owner's requisite knowledge. You can then make a judgement about the vendor's education and practical knowledge, to offer help regarding brokers.

Staying Out Of Trouble With Ebay’s Listing Policies

2008-08-31T03:05:00.004-07:00

by: Kirsten Hawkins
While you can sell most things on eBay, quite a few things are banned. If you try to sell any of these things then eBay will remove your auction and all bids will be void.Here is eBay’s full list of prohibited or questionable items:Academic SoftwareAirline and Transit Related ItemsAlcohol (also see Wine)Animals and Wildlife ProductsAnti-circumvention PolicyArtifactsAuthenticity DisclaimersAutographed ItemsBatteriesBeta SoftwareBootleg RecordingsBrand Name MisuseCatalog SalesCatalytic Converters and Test PipesCelebrity MaterialCharity or Fundraising ListingsComparison PolicyCompilation and Informational MediaContracts and TicketsCounterfeit Currency and StampsCounterfeit ItemsCredit CardsDownloadable MediaDrugs & Drug ParaphernaliaElectronics EquipmentEmbargoed Goods and Prohibited CountriesEncouraging Infringement PolicyEvent TicketsFaces, Names and SignaturesFirearms, Ammunition, Replicas, and MilitariaFireworksFoodFreon and Other RefrigerantsGift CardsGovernment IDs and LicensesHazardous, Restricted, and Perishable ItemsHuman Parts and RemainsImportation of Goods into the United StatesInternational Trading - BuyersInternational Trading - SellersLockpicking DevicesLottery TicketsMailing Lists and Personal InformationManufacturers' CouponsMature AudiencesMedical DevicesMisleading TitlesMod Chips, Game Enhancers, and Boot DiscsMovie PrintsMulti-level Marketing, Pyramid and Matrix ProgramsOEM SoftwareOffensive MaterialPesticidesPlants and SeedsPolice-Related ItemsPolitical MemorabiliaPostage MetersPre-Sale ListingsPrescription Drugs and DevicesPromotional ItemsReal EstateRecalled ItemsRecordable MediaReplica and Counterfeit ItemsSatellite and Cable TV DescramblersSlot MachinesStocks and Other SecuritiesStolen PropertySurveillance EquipmentTobaccoTravelUnauthorized CopiesUsed ClothingWarrantiesWeapons & KnivesWine (also see Alcohol)Most of this is very obvious – of course you can’t sell illegal things like drugs, pyramid schemes or stolen goods. Almost everything that is on the list is there because there is law against selling it. Some of the reasons, though, are a little strange.The ‘autographed items’ entry, for example, doesn’t mean that you can’t sell anything that’s been autographed – it just means that you can only sell it if it comes with a certificate of authenticity. The ‘artifacts’ entry prohibits you from selling Native American graves; ‘celebrity material’ means you can’t sell unauthorised pictures of celebrities; ‘embargoed goods’ means that you can’t sell anything that comes from Cuba… on and on it goes, and most of it you never need to know. If your chosen kind of item seems to be on the list, though, and you’re concerned that you might not be able to sell it, then check the full list at http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/items-ov.html to see whether the item is banned entirely or there are just a few restrictions.eBay says it will remove any items that it believes violate copyright law, but in reality they don’t have that many people to monitor the site. You will generally only find that your auction gets removed if someone decides to report you – and even then, they might not get around to it.Really, buying and selling on eBay can sometimes feel more complicated than it really is, thanks to all the rules surrounding it – not to mention the jargon. Our next email is a ‘jargon buster’, to help you learn the language of eBay.

The Uses in Forex Trading of Moving Averages and MACD

2008-08-31T03:05:00.003-07:00

by: Adrian Pablo
Moving Averages: If you consider the "trend-is-your-friend" statement of technical analysis as a true sentence, the moving averages will be very helpful. Moving averages tell the average price in a given point of time over a defined period of time. They are called moving because they reflect the latest average, while adhering to the same time measure.A weakness of moving averages is that they lag the market, so they do not necessarily signal a change in trends. To address this issue, using a shorter period, such as 5 or 10 day moving average, would be more reflective of the recent price action than the 40 or 150-day moving averages.Alternatively, moving averages may be used by combining two averages of distinct time- frames. Whether using 5 and 20-day MA, or 40 and 150-day MA, buy signals are usually detected when the shorter-term average crosses above the longer-term average, i.e. price will likely go up. Conversely, sell signals are suggested when the shorter average falls below the longer one, i.e. price will likely go down.There are three kind of mathematically distinct moving averages: Simple MA; Linearly Weighted MA; and Exponentially Smoothed. The latter choice is the preferred one because it assigns greater weight for the most recent data, and considers data in the entire life of the instrument making of it a more accurate indicator.MACD: Moving Average Convergence Divergence: MACD is a more detailed method of using moving averages to find trading signals from price charts. Developed by Gerald Appel, the MACD plots the difference between a 26-day exponential moving average and a 12-day exponential moving average. A 9- day moving average is generally used as a trigger line, meaning when the MACD crosses below this trigger it is a bearish signal and when it crosses above it, it's a bullish signal, with the corresponding implications for the currency’s price in each particular situation. As with other studies, traders will look to MACD studies to provide early signals or divergences between market prices and a technical indicator. If the MACD turns positive and makes higher lows while prices are still tanking, this could be a strong buy signal. Conversely, if the MACD makes lower highs while prices are making new highs, this could be a strong bearish divergence and a sell signal.

InvestorIdeas.com presents “The Insiders Corner", from Michael Brush

2008-08-31T03:05:00.001-07:00

by: dawn van zant
Nov. 30th, 2004 InvestorIdeas.com presents “The Insiders Corner", from Michael Brush. New feature follows Insider Trading of small and micro-cap stocks.POINT ROBERTS, Wash., Delta B.C, Nov 30, 2004 - InvestorIdeas.com, a global investor news and research group of portals is pleased to announce it has added a new weekly feature for investors to track trends in insider trading among small and micro-cap stocks. InvestorIdeas.com proudly introduces “The Insiders Corner,” a weekly feature by well-known financial writer and author Michael Brush. Mr. Brush also writes a weekly market column for CNBC on MSN Money. Mr. Brush has covered business and investing for the New York Times, Money magazine and the Economist Group.“The Insiders Corner” excerpt:"Corporate insiders, as we all know, offer excellent signals about where the stocks of their companies might be headed - through the open market purchase and sale of that stock. After all, they have front row seats. The research services tracking insider activity, however, typically focus on big companies only. This is because these research services want to land big clients who can only buy big stocks. That’s where our weekly “The Insiders Corner” column comes in. It offers analysis of significant insider purchases at small-cap and micro-cap stocks. That means anything under $1 billion in market cap. But generally the companies will be much smaller than that. The insider signals at smaller companies like these can precede phenomenal gains in a stock, exactly because few investors are watching companies in this part of the market. These tiny companies, for example, typically don’t have any Wall Street analyst coverage. So in many cases, the insider signal is one of the only ways that we - as outsiders - can get the message that good things are about to happen."http://www.investorideas.com/insiderscorner/ - Visit each week for new updates Recent Exclusive Feature Articles by Michael Brush for InvestorIdeas.com:Toying With Profits in the Toy Sector http://www.plushcollectible.com/Companies/WildHeart/News/Toy_Sector.asp Put Some Defense in Your Portfolio with Homeland Defense Stocks http://www.homelanddefensestocks.com/Companies/HomelandDefense/HDS/Defense.aspMr. Brush is the author of Lessons From the Front Line, a book offering insights on investing and the markets based on the experiences of professional money managers. InvestorIdeas.com does not make stock recommendations, but offers a unique information portal to investors and industry to research specific industry sectors including homeland security, renewable energy, nanotechnology, RFID, wireless and other industry sectors representing long term growth.InvestorIdeas.com is a top-ranked investor site on major search engines, and offers a series of industry-specific web portals used by industry leaders, institutions, government, media, brokerage firms, Fortune 500 companies, and investors to research public companies and the latest developments in various market segments.For small start up companies, or large industry leaders, we have become a key destination. For small companies, we can help you get found by the industry and investors following your sector. For large companies, we become a valuable research tool about the industry. ECON owns the following industry sector portals: BeverageStocks.com, BorderAndPortSecurity.com, China-AsiaStocks.com, FireSafetyResearch.com, FuelCellCarNews.com, Gold-MiningStocks.com, HomebuilderStocks.com, HomelandDefenseStocks.com, IndiaStockMarket.com, InvestingInWireless.com, LowCarbInvesting.com, NanotechnologyInvestment.com, NaturalGasStocks.com, RFIDInvesting.com, RenewableEnergyStocks.com, OnlineInvestorConference.com, Water-Stocks.com.Hear founder Dawn Van Zant, from HomelandDefenseStocks.com every Friday at :08 and :38 after the hour for “The Business of Homeland Security” only on www.HomelandDefenseRadio.com SOURCE: InvestorIdeas.comDisclaimer: ECON Corporate Services Inc (ECON) is the owner of this domain.ECON is a privately owned corporate communications company specializing in: media relations, investor relations, and research on public companies and industry sectors, for the investment community. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any specific products or securities. All investments involve risk. Past performance does not guarantee future results, therefore investigate before you invest! Although we attempt to research thoroughly, we offer no guarantees as to the accuracy of any information presented. We encourage all investors to use our sites only as a resource to further their own research.

How To Buy a Product or Service With No Money

2008-08-31T03:04:00.004-07:00

by: Edward Green IICRC inst
.By Edward GreenI have been involved in an age old system of swapping goods and services for no money. The system is called "Barter". The dictionary definition of this is "To trade goods or services without the exchange of money".I am an Affiliate Marketing Manager and my business is to develop online sales for companies that are either already trading online but need more sales or want to implement an affiliate program and don't know how to or indeed have the time that is required in looking after a huge online sales force.My story is I wanted to buy a hot tub for the garden and after research found the best one at £2300.00. My wife hit the roof so I went to the firm with my idea. I wrote a simple email offering them the opportunity of me implementing an affiliate program for them for their top of the range hot tub. I didn't really expect a reply but 3 days after the initial email I had the company owner email me to ask for more details.We chatted extensively on the phone and struck a deal. I would install the affiliate program software, place the affiliate program on the affiliate directories that counted and find super affiliates to start generating sales as quickly as possible. We agreed that I would receive my hot tub when the goals and objectives were met. I achieved them within a month which worked out to around 40 hours work, not a bad deal I thought.I have since Bartered for a Plasma TV, an MP3 player, 2 Digital Cameras and am now looking for a car.I have started a online community forum that is specifically for people want to start Bartering or even for people who Barter already view the site here http://www.barterwise.com.The Barter system is a fantastic opportunity for people to gain what they want by offering what is some surplus stock or some time.

Business card printing: At your service!

2008-08-31T03:04:00.003-07:00

by: Marlon D. Ludovice
Trading of business cards in the business industry is a common and normal practice usually among business owners and corporate executives. This process is one of the marketing tools that show the front line image of every business entities. The cards are being used to create the first contact with the existing customers and the target market at the same time.It is very important for a business card to achieve printing results that will produce cards that are creative and practical in terms of getting you the inexpensive full color effect. But usually we find it hard to choose what type of services does our business card needs.Taking consideration of the services offered by different print shops in town, try to prefer the one that have a digital art studio which has extensive graphic design process and printing equipment that are technologically savvy. With this service, it ensures to provide you outputs at the soonest time possible. Thus, from traditional offset printing services to custom printing services, you can rely on the benefits that digital printing technology can provide.Premium materials are also needed to achieve the desire quality output for your cards. Don’t just settle for a cheaper printing cost if the quality of your business card is compromised. Be wise to pick for the right commercial printing company to do the job for you. Of course professional service of a well-trained team is a vital component for the realization of good and effective business cards. Lot of skills and knowledge are required to accomplish such quality and creative works.These are but among the few services a commercial printing company offers. Make sure that when you choose the service of a printing company; remember that you are not only to prefer the quality and affordability of the job but most importantly the excellence and perfection it will give for your business card!

High Powered Ways To Increase Your Traffic

2008-08-31T03:04:00.001-07:00

by: Dan Brown
1. Trade links with other web sites. They should berelated to the subject of your web site. Instead oftrading links, you could also trade banner ads, halfpage ads, classified ads, etc.2. Start an e-zine for your web site. When peopleread each issue they'll be reminded to revisit yourweb site. They'll see your product ad more thanjust once which will increase your orders.3. Form an online community. It could be an onlinemessage board, e-mail discussion list or chat room.When people get involved in your community theywill regularly return to communicate with others.4. Write articles and submit them to e-zines, websites and magazines that accept article submissions.Include your business information and web addressat the end of the article.5. Give away an electronic freebie with your ad onit. Allow your visitors to also give the freebie away.This'll increase your ad exposure and attract peopleto your web site at the same time.6. Combine your products or services into one bigpackage deal with other businesses offerings. Youcould share a web site and advertise the packagedeal; which means double the traffic.7. Submit your freebie to the online directories thatlist your particular item or service for free. If you'reoffering a free e-zine, submit it to all the free e-zinedirectories on the internet.8. Participate on message boards. Post answers toother people's questions, ask questions and postappropriate information. Include your signature fileat the end of all your postings.9. Exchange classified or sponsor ads with otherfree e-zine publishers. If there is a huge subscriberdifference between e-zines, one can run more adsto make up for it.10. Post your ad on free advertising areas on theinternet. You can post it on free classified ad sites,free for all links sites, newsgroups that allow ads,free yellow page directories, etc.

Work from home with e-currency

2008-08-31T03:03:00.003-07:00

by: Chris Rohrer
Are you one of the many people who have spent countless hours searching for unique ways to make money on the internet or trying to make money working at home? Very few people have succeeded at doing so, and most have failed miserably time and time again. So how are some people succeeding then working online or working from home? The answer is simple; they are finding at business that works with what they already know. The majorities of people today trying to get into the home-based business industry are not salesmen and have never tried to work online before. People fiddle around looking in all the wrong places wasting all there money on advertising for there home business that isn’t working and E-books that promise wealth and riches. E-currency exchange program allows users to build a financial portfolio through a system of thousands of people exchanging funds from dollars to electronic currency. There are two sides to the e-currency exchange trading system, the portfolio side and the console side. Users can create a portfolio that will gain 1.5% to 4.0% per day on the amount of money in the portfolio. The money in your portfolio is compounded daily and grows continuously over time. It is not uncommon for people who initially invest $100 to grow their portfolio value to $1000 in 1 month. Once you have been in the e-currency exchange program for a total of 90 days and your portfolio has grown to a value of $5000, you are then able to apply for a console which helps your portfolio grow even at a faster rate. With a console you can now process requests from people that wish to take their money from e-currency and convert it back to the dollar or from the dollar back to e-currency. When you become a console you receive a percentage of the total amount exchanged as profit. Most people then will take that profit and reinvest back into their portfolio helping it grow faster. The only down-side is learning how to navigate through the e-currency exchange program is extremely difficult without assistance. There are plenty of resources available if one just takes the time to look for them.

Pink Sheets Discover Disclosure

2008-08-31T03:03:00.001-07:00

by: Joseph Quinones
Submitted by: Joseph QuinonesGenesis Corporate Advisors Once upon a time in the world of finance there were three kingdoms the most widely recognized was also the most snobbish and wealthiest its subjects were affluent and known worldwide. Its king was NYSE (New York Stock exchange) the king ruled proudly over his subjects.Every brokerage firm had a stock ticker to provide their customer with trade information on NYSE listed stocks.The second kingdom was not so well off, it had less subjects and the inhabitants were much poorer than those ruled by NYSE, the king was named AMEX (American Stock Exchange). They could be classified as low middle class.Now the third kingdom was the largest of all, it’s subjects range from middle class to very poor, this kingdom was ruled by OTC (Over The Counter Market). Some of the subjects of OTC were always looking to migrate to NYSE or Amex to escape the stigma attached to being a resident of OTC.Some of the stock that at one time traded in the Pink Sheets are well known today such as EDS and many new IPO, as well as bank and insurance companies, but you also had stocks trading for a fraction of a penny.If you wanted a price on a OTC stock you would call your broker who looked in the pink sheets to see who the market makers were, he would get on the phone to a market maker and ask the person answering the phone for a quote, the person answering the phone then gets the price from a blackboard in the front of the room and give it to the broker making the inquiry, this would take some time.Market makers had a quote boy in the front of the trading room changing the blackboard every time a trader yelled a different price, this markets were good for 100 shares,In those days it was possible to buy from one market maker at a price and turn around and sell to another market maker at higher price because the one market maker had no idea what the market was unless he made a phone call. So you always found disparities in the price of a stock.Along came a knight in shining armor named NASDAQ the NASD Automatic Quotation System, which allow brokers to see the price by computer, it gave the mean market (average market) not the best price, but it was a giant step forward.These NASDAQ machine did not provide live quotes you had to keep on pressing the enter key in order to see the updated quote.And eventually all the better stocks were gradually included on the NASDAQ systems leaving the more obscure and unprofitable companies to trade on the pink sheet. And again the NASD decided to sink the pink sheets even further into the land of obscurity by creating the OTC Bulletin Board.The OTC Bulletin Board started out not requiring much information from the issuer but gradually started requesting more information and now they must have audited financial and must be reporting.All this left the pink as the only market in total disclosure darkness being the only ones not requiring the issuer to disclose its financial reports.But on February 15, 2005 a little daylight came into the pinks, on this day a new policy was implemented, this policy requires issuers of newly traded securities to disclose adequate current information to the investing public.This is only required of those companies which have securities quoted on an unsolicited basis on the pink sheets, and have never been listed on an exchange or quoted on the OTCBB.If an issuer is quoted on an unsolicited basis, this means that the NASD has not cleared a market maker to enter a quote in the security pursuant to SEC Rule 15c2-11. Instead, a broker is relying on an exemption to the rule in order to display a quotation representing an unsolicited customer order. This exception has been used to trade securities of new issuers without any disclosure to the investing public. To address this situation, in October 2004, Pink Sheets revised their policy for brokers entering unsolicited quotes in a new security that has never been listed on an exchange or quoted on the OTCBB. They now require that prior to publication of an unsolicited quote in the Pink Sheets for such securities the broker must ascertain that the issuer has made adequate current information publicly available on the pink sheets website. The disclosure policy has been a good attempt at creating transparency of the basic information that investors trading in public markets deserve.Pink Sheets is now extending this requirement to companies that were previously quoted on an unsolicited basis. If the companies did not make the required disclosure by February 15, 2005, they removed their displayed quotation from the website.This new policy is a big step forward for the Pink Sheets and they should be applauded for it, but I Personally would like to see all companies being required to make complete disclosure.If a company is unable for whatever reason to disclose their finances and corporate updates to the investing public then they should not be allow to trade on any public market.These companies operating in total darkness are the vehicles being used by stock manipulators to scam the investing public, even though the Pink Sheets have taken this giant step they must remove all non-disclosing companies from the public market place.I am not sure the pink Sheets have the authority to do so but SEC does, and the SEC is the agency responsible for protecting the investing public.Lets congratulate the Pink sheet for this change in policy and hope that they will continue to upgrade their standards, as a direct result of this policy we at Genesis Corporate Advisors are changing our policy of not bringing any company public to the Pink sheets.Effective immediately we will begin considering candidate for the Pink sheets but our preference will continue to be The OTC Bulletin Board because we want as much transparency as possible.In order to have viable healthy market you must have willing investors with access to current and accurate information.

Your Competitors Offer Leasing Finance, you should ask yourself WHY?

2008-08-31T03:02:00.002-07:00

by: Mark Dalton
The simple answer to this question is that they are offering finance to their customers as a sales, marketing & deal closing tool. It cements their relationships with their customers because leasing finance can usually be offered the same day. The customer is then more likely to return in the future because of the financing is arranged with minimum hassles and no time consuming trips to the bank manager. This type of financing arrangement is known as a “Vendor Program”Can I Offer Finance to my Customers?Again, the answer to this question is yes. You can benefit from establishing a relationship / partnership with an appropriate lender and start taking advantage of the sales & marketing opportunities and shortened sales cycle. Your Company, Sales Team and Customers all benefit from a Vendor Program arrangement that can be set up with minimal training and effort on your part.So now, let us take a look at the benefits in a few more detailsSales BenefitsFinance adds value to your product, by including finance as part of your whole package you make it easier for your customer to buy therefore your sales team will find it easier to close more deals. Deal closing opportunities present themselves via price flexibility, you could discount products & claw back via finance or sell at full price but offer low cost finance. If you have customers who arrange their own finance then you already have the demand for the service, which means that some customers who require finance are probably going elsewhere! Fast finance decisions means that customers are less prone to changes of mind or finding a better deal elsewhere. If you allow others to offer finance facilities you will not be in control of the interest rate & sales could be lost / delayed. Finally, additional Leads can be gained by innovative pricing schemes.Customer BenefitsYou offer, a single point of contact for customers requiring finance for equipment. Quick finance decisions means quick delivery of equipment. Leasing allows customers to upgrade and replace equipment easily with just a simple adjustment in rentals. A near guaranteed acceptance of all finance proposals, start up companies are the more difficult proposals but can be done. Finally there are the tax benefits of leasing, payments are 100% tax deductible, cash and existing credit lines are preserved.Company BenefitsIf you offer finance it presents a barrier to competitors, if it's easy for your customer to keep trading in and trading up with you, your competitors do not get a look-in and as used equipment comes back to the vendor, the second-hand market can be controlled. Vendor maintenance can be made a condition of the leasing, increasing the vendor's profits from maintenance activity. Your company can earn commission on finance deals all for filling in a simple finance proposal form. You can choose whether to earn a commission on any deal because you set the interest rate and best of all any commission earned is 100% profit. Just think what could you do with the commission on finance sales, it could allow you to employ extra salesmen with the profits and generate even higher profits!If you are NOT offering vendor finance & your competitors are you should ask yourself why Today?

Trends and Profitable Trading In The Forex Markets

2008-08-31T03:02:00.001-07:00

by: Adrian Pablo
The basis behind using technical analysis is to find trends when looking at the forex charts and be aware of when they first develop so you can ride the trend until it ends. The foreign exchange market is a very strong trending market, lots of ups and downs in short periods of time, and is, therefore, a place where technical analysis can be very effective.But even considering the great amount of indicators available, there are still many traders every week who still end up buying (being "long") while the currency pair is in a basic downtrend, or selling short when a market is in a uptrend. This is, they end doing things backwards.If you want to become a profitable forex trader you will need to use as many technical indicators as you want, or create a personalized trading strategy based off a combination of indicators, to recognize the trend. In other words, professional Forex traders try to identify the major trend, the intermediate trend, and the short-term trend and then construct their trades in that direction, based on how long their rules allow them to hold a position.If the action of the market shows your judgment to be correct, the successful trader 'stays with the market' and endeavors to make the maximum profit on each trade, according to his/her risk-to-reward / equity management rules. If and when the market goes against him/her, the smart trader will take profits and get out. In a narrow market, when prices are not going anywhere to speak of, but move within a narrow range, there is no sense in trying to anticipate when the next BIG movement is going to be - up or down.In short, if you want to be in good profitable terms with the forex markets you must follow this words of wisdom: “Never argue with the market, or ask it for reasons or explanations”.

The Most Popular Subjects People Will Pay For!

2008-08-31T03:01:00.002-07:00

by: Ian Canaway
If you're still having a hard time trying to figure out which niche market to go into, start by simply spending some time asking questions of yourself...What are my favorite hobbies, interests, activities, etc. Or...What are some things I don't know yet but have a burning desire to learn more about? Start a list and add all your favorites to it. Here's a list of some of the most popular subjects people are paying for... • Dating, Seduction, Sex Advice, Relationships • Losing weight, gaining muscle, looking more attractive • Health & fitness, cures/reliefs from specific diseases & ailments • Spying, online privacy and security • Safety, personal security, and protection of self and loved ones (self defense, home security, scam prevention, etc.) • How to use computers and the Internet • Mental influence, persuasion, and dominance • General self-help, self improvement, personal development, and success • Hobbies and special interests: cooking, magic, UFO's, metaphysics, becoming more competitive in sports, activities, etc. • Making money, aside from marketing information: investing, stock market, futures trading, real estate tips, and other related financial information • And of course, having more control and freedom in their lives! People are always looking to improve themselves or some area of their lives. They are always trying to find solutions to problems. There are sites catering to some of the above categories that are already generating thousands of dollars every month. I have personally sold products on some of the above categories and done very well. Yet, we haven't even begun to tap the true profit potential in these areas yet because there's very little competition in most of these areas, especially when compared to the "how-to marketing" area! The potential to make money from the above special-interest categories is huge - and it's wide open! Moreover, as more and more people get accustomed to buying digital products, you can easily imagine making insane amounts of money through these topics well into the future. You could pick any one of the above subjects that you personally have an interest in and run with it.

Identity theft: Safeguarding Can't Hurt

2008-08-31T03:01:00.001-07:00

by: Daryl Campbell
Will we ever get a break? Not right now .In San Diego, police arrested a postal worker for stealing mail and trading it to identity thieves to support his drug habit. Another arrest involved the hacking of wireless carrier T-MobileUSA's network. According to Fox News, the attacker gained access to a database of 16 million customers including the personel information of the Secret Service agent investigating the break in. Then there's Choicepoint. When last we left the information giant, criminals broke into their 19 billion records database. Choicepoint now acknowledges previous attacks that date back to the year 2000. The number of identity theft victims as well as the methods of getting personal information continue to increase sharply. Yet while no 100% guarantees exist online or off, safeguarding can't hurt and one of the best ways for fighting identity theft exist in your own home. Check your trash. Going thru your garbage has turned into an exact science and a major goldmine for the identity thieves. The Department of Justice refers to this as "dumpster diving" Check everything you throw away then check it again. Mark any information including financial statements, driver's license, address and especially your social security # "Sensitive" then shred it. I recommend a crosscut shredder. Throw it away in different garbage cans on different days. Shred junk mail credit card offers and get taken off the major credit agencies' marketing lists. If you're not doing it already, get into the habit of taking your mail particulary any bill payments directly to the Post Office. Identity thieves also target mailboxes. They frequently stake out the area and wait for the optimum time. Getting a locked mailbox doesn't hurt either. Use anti spyware, a firewall and antivirus programs on your computer system. If performing a transaction online make sure the company provides a secure server. They should tell you but if not look for the yellow lock at the bottom of your screen. Guard your plastic. Examine your credit card statements and request a copy of your credit report. Agencies will send you one free copy per year. If you request more than one, you get charged a fee anywhere from 9 to 20 dollars depending on the credit bureau. Handle this with care. Eventhough you're doing the right thing in trying to protect yourself, too many inquiries are frowned upon by these agencies and could impact your credit negatively. Joining a credit monitoring company can remove that obstacle. One caveat.You should exercise vigilance in protecting your credit cards but it's not the total solution that some experts claim. The Federal Trade Commission estimates that 60% of all identity theft cases do NOT involve any existing accounts. Guard your plastic but make guarding your Social security number the top priority. These methods of protection take on a special significancedue to the identity of the criminals. According to the Better Business Bureau's 2005 Fraud Survey Report, family freinds and neighbors account for half of all identity thieves. You don't want to turn someone you know and love over to the authorities so do your best to eliminate the temptation. Again, no 100% guarantees exists. You make transactions at the restaurant, corner store, gas station and a host of other places. We all need to deal in this world so there's always a risk factor. Stay vigilant on the things you control and the chances of identity theft can decrease. Because at all costs you want to avoid what many victims rank as the worst part of identity theft. The nightmare of recovery.

Boost Your Income With Financial Spread Betting

2008-08-31T03:00:00.002-07:00

by: Gary Anderson
About 6 years ago I started to notice that certain friends of mine had quit their jobs but continued to live very luxurious lifestyles - seemingly without doing very much. I thought they must just be using up their savings until I discovered they were all making a fantastic living by spending just a few hours a week doing something I had never heard of before - ï¿½financial spread bettingï¿½More and more people are now becoming familiar with the phrase ï¿½financial spread bettingï¿½. Once, the sole preserve of City Whiz kids or sophisticated gamblers, financial spread betting is now gaining in popularity as a great way to earn a very sizeable tax-free income without the risk of losing the shirt off your back! So why is financial spread betting becoming so popular. Well, with a bit of understanding and practice, ordinary people, with no prior experience, can earn enormous sums whilst controlling their risks and limiting their losses. You do not even need a stockbroker or a city dealing account to do get involved. An on-line account is very simple to open and anyone with web access can do it. Spread betting, aka futures trading, is easy to understand if you stick to a simple index like the FTSE 100 or the DOW JONES.In basic terms, this is how it works:When you buy a ï¿½futureï¿½ you take a position on what you think the index (e.g. the FTSE 100, or the DOW ) will be at some future date - e.g. June 2005. Letï¿½s say the FTSE is currently at 5200 and you think it will rise over the next three months as ï¿½terrorist feverï¿½ abates. You would buy the June FTSE at (say) ï¿½10 per point. For every point it rises, you make ï¿½10. If it goes up 100 points, you make ï¿½1000. Of course, if you get it wrong and the index falls by fifty points (say), you lose ï¿½500.00. You need of course to be very aware of the risks before you get involved. As with any investment or business, you can lose money. If, by nature, you are a timid, cautious person, then it is definitely not for you. But if you have some money to play with, and arenï¿½t risk adverse, then financial spread betting is the one of the best possible ways you can make a great deal of money completely tax freeï¿½ and there are clever ways of limiting your losses so you never lose more than you can afford. Unlike most businesses, it is possible to get involved with an absolute minimal outlay and take a position without buying a single thing. You do have to ï¿½backï¿½ your position with a certain amount of cash, but this is ï¿½insuranceï¿½ money, NOT stake money. The best thing is you can try it for free without any risk at all. You can ï¿½dry tradeï¿½ with ï¿½monopolyï¿½ money until you get a feel for how it works and are confident enough to start using real money.Financial spread betting has become so popular primarily because of the relationship between risk and capital. It is highly leveraged and you can make huge profits with only a limited amount of capital and risk. The fact that there is (unlike with most investments) no stamp duty or tax also helps make it extremely attractive.So if you are of the right temperament, spread betting can be a very lucrative way of making an amazing income in your spare time. But be warned, if used recklessly or without the correct knowledge it can result in large losses.

Which Type of Ebayer Are You?

2008-08-31T03:00:00.001-07:00

by: Eric Spence
I realise that this may come as no great revelation to you, it may not even be news. What it is, in fact, is a word which describes most ebayers. And here it is:Procrastinator!I think that describes most of us to an extent. You see, I um-and-ah... and generally delay on making decisions. Right now, for example, I'm umming-and-ahhing about finalising my grocery list. And I really need to get out and tidy the back yard….But I find myself procrastinating once again. There's always an excuse. Now, I have to admit: this 'procrastination problem' is nowhere near as bad as it used to be, but it's still not right. You see, I've learnt that the less I procrastinate, the more gets done, and the better I do. What does this have to do with eBay? I'm getting there.Let me hazard a guess: if you're reading this, I'm betting you've procrastinated on one, two or more of the ideas... and that's bad. Very bad! Because even if you'd tried something, that 'something' would have given you some feedback - even if it was only 'failure' feedback, which can be very useful in itself.But before you decide to do anything on eBay - even before you decide to procrastinate - you need to make a decision, if that... er... makes sense. A decision on which, I hope you won't procrastinate!And that which you need to decide is simple: what kind of business you're going to go into. Or, more specifically (to start with), what type of model you'll follow.See, there are only really two main models of business that you can go into on eBay. The first is where you're selling the same product(s) over and over... and over. .. again. The second relates to buying one-shot items... rare stuff and the like... one-off items that you buy, the onesy-twosy approach. You then resell each individual item in turn for (hopefully) big profits.You just have to make up your mind which 'model' you're &oing to opt for.There's pros and cons to each. As always.Let's consider, first of all; the onesy-twosy approach. We'll call this 'Model 1'.Model 1: The 'Ones And Twos' ApproachThis is a perfect part-time approach towards eBay success. You can do it when you want. You can create customers that stay with your forever... apd who will LOVE you. You can virtually see the smiles on your customers' faces as the latest offers arrive.And you'll get great returns (often) on each item that you auction off. Ten times your money is far from uncommon. Even 20... or even 100 (or more). These are all perfectly attainable returns for your auctions. Not much money invested = great return gotten out.But there's a downside, too. Your income is more variable and, quite frankly, it's a much more time dependent business model. You'll have to know the market, and as such you'll be the one hunting for 'product' every week. Not that there's anything really wrong with that, especially if you really like what you're trading in.There's a corollary to all this too...And that's this: your earnings will probably be capped. Because of the time-dependency factor. And the fact that YOU will virtually 'be the business' so you'll never build a really big business. Probably not, anyway.So what's the other approach?Model 2: The “Sell The Same Items Over And Over Again”ApproachThis method involves buying a stock of the same item and floggings said item(s) over and over again. Again, there are pros and cons.The pros? Well, you can build bigger. Once you've got the source of supply, there's not much work thereafter. You just list, then relist. And then go and sunbathe, particularly at this time of the year. What's more you can build BIGGER, because the business can be less dependent on you. Sounds great, huh? Actually, it is. So what are the downsides? Firstly, there'll be much more price-based competition. It can be quite cutthroat. If there's a big market for what you're selling - and there probably will be if you're going into that market - then there will probably be people already there who will be competing against you. Unless, of course, you've got a truly unique product that no one else has.Secondly, there'll be lower returns available. Let me explain what I mean. Let's say that you've got a selection of items for resale with 'Model 1'. This means that you might have bought these 'onesy-twosy' items for £40 each. And you might sell them for £120 each, or one for £300, some for £80, and so on. But the point is that you'll be getting an outstanding return on your money.Well, with the 'other' approach...well, it's a lot less likely that you'll get a big return on your stock investment. You might make 20% on your stock. Invest £500, get back £600... BUT you'll sell more product, and more often. And you can build very big (in eBay terms).So Which Approach Is For You?Depends on you, what your free-time situation is like, what you want to achieve from your eBaying, and so on. So you need to know where you're coming from, and where you want to go. If you're short on time, wanting to make money fast, and just want a part-time eBay business, then it's probably best to start with Model 1 (the one-off approach). If you've already gotten some eBay experience under your belt, have more time and are up for the challenge that lies ahead, go for Model 2. Of course, feel free to disagree too!Here's something else to think about...Let's say that you start with Model 1. You go along nicely, making some profits. You're still part-time. You can then use that basis to work from, and launch other eBay businesses as you go along. Make sense? You start part-time, build up your knowledge and capital base, and then work from there.Or how about running two of these side by side? It's totally doable, believe me. But that again will depend on YOU, and it certainly wouldn't be recommended if you were just starting out. And, of course, you'd reed the time to do this. There'd certainly be quite a bit of work involved. It wouldn't be for everyone.But that would be something, wouldn't it? That way, you'd be spreading your risk - diversifying if you like because you'd have two separate streams of income. You'd build up two individual supply sources, customers, e-mail lists and so on, and you'd be lowering your risk should the worst happen in one of your 'mini businesses' .Ideally, you'd also trade under separate ID's for the two trading approaches. It might seem a bit strange to your bidders if you're telling them to 'Check your other items!' when they're looking at your stereo equipment. They check your other items and find a bunch of old dolls that you're auctioning in your 'Model l' business! Not a very good idea. So you'd (ideally) want two separate ID's.But I think I'm getting ahead of myself here. Because, coming back to what I was saying at the start...None Of This Can Happen if you continue to procrastinate! So what are you waiting for?You at least need to think about which approach is right for you, in line with your current circumstances, and how maybe you want to see them change too. Just don't procrastinate too long on the path you want to follow.

Invest Now for Dividends Later

2008-08-31T02:59:00.002-07:00

by: Charles Kassotis
No matter what age you are or even your level of employment or economic position, it may be a good idea to start preparing now, even in a meager way, for eventual financial security. Some people feel they need every dollar they make to get by from one paycheck to the next. While this may be true for some, there are others who squander significant sums on insignificant things. They could be socking that money away into an investment account that, over time, could lead to huge savings and a comfortable retirement. It isn’t hard to get started. All you need is $100 to $500 to open an account, and anywhere from $25 to $50 monthly to continue building your stock or mutual fund portfolio. In fact, a young person aged 20 could deposit $2,000 and then not another dime. In forty years he or she might have tens of thousands of dollars. The stock market has followed fairly predictable patterns since its inception in the 1800s in New York City. Although historic events like the Great Depression and several global wars have impacted its activity, the gains and losses remain fairly consistent, with most investors earning a predictable return on their investment. Of course, no one can predict what the future holds, or whether the pattern will continue. And none of us should invest more money than we can afford to lose—just in case the world economy crashes one of these days. But with steady deposits that continue to compound and earn interest over time, a sensible and prudent investor can substantially increase the amount of money going for retirement or a dream vacation at some future point. If you are thinking about opening an investment account, do a little online browsing for more information. Visit sites like E-trade or Scott’s Trades to see how the process works. Start reading your newspaper’s financial pages for details about the latest stock prices and market trends. Do a little paper trading by following the daily stock news. Instead of actually purchasing stock, however, work it out on a piece of paper by pretending to buy a certain amount of stock for the specified price and then watching to see how it performs over the following week. Chart your gains or losses to figure out whether your stock deal was successful. If you do this for several months, you will soon learn to understand more about the stock market and how to buy and sell like the pros. Even if your budget is tight, try to set aside a little money to open an investment account from any windfalls that come your way from job bonuses, inheritances, or cash gifts. Some people set aside their annual job raise, or part of it, as part of their investment strategy. Then, as your budget becomes looser with paid-off bills or grown-up kids, you may be able to start having a standard monthly amount deducted automatically from your paycheck and deposited into your investment account. This could take the form of a Roth IRA (individual retirement account), a money market fund, a mutual fund portfolio, or individual stock shares. It probably is a good idea to take an investment class at the community college or sign up for a financial planning seminar. Success may be just a few years away if you start now and plan right.

What's the difference between successful businesses and struggling businesses?

2008-08-31T02:59:00.001-07:00

by: Jane Hendry
Copyright 2005 AttractioneeringHave you ever noticed how some businesses seem to do extremely well, and go from strength to strength, whilst the majority just seem to muddle along?Since starting my own business I've met many small business owners and what I've noticed is that the vast majority of them seem to just about get by, but few reach the level of success that they're actually capable of. Some of them end up failing altogether, some lurch from project to project, and some do OK, but never really achieve the success or lifestyle they envisioned when they started their business.On the other hand, I know a handful of extremely successful service business owners, who are making high 6 and 7 figure incomes every year (and rising) - and yet they don't work longer hours, their products and services are not magnitudes better than their competitors and they aren't geniuses!So what is the difference between the successful businesses and the struggling businesses?In a word: MarketingWhilst there can be other factors that affect the ability of a business or practice to be successful, such as the economy, trends, cashflow and product/service quality or innovation, the number one difference between successful high-flying businesses and their struggling counterparts is good marketing.Here is the lament of one survey respondent which is typical of the angst felt by service business owners who know they do a good job, but who don't understand why they don't have a queue of clients at their door:"We know our products and services are good - we get great feedback from those clients we've worked with - but we still have trouble getting potential customers to buy in. Our services offer real benefits to clients but we are not as successful as we should be when we see what other companies offer (not as much) and yet are still very successful."If you offer a quality service or product that produces great results for your customers or clients, and yet you're still struggling to get all the clients that you want or need, or to charge the fees you deserve, you probably have a marketing problem.What do highly successful business owners do that others do not?The first thing that they do is to realise that their primary objective is to build their practice or client base. In the words of Michael Gerber (who wrote The E-myth) they "work ON their businesses, not IN their businesses". What this involves is making the time to work on the business - in particular on marketing and product or service development, rather than spending all of their time handling clients, delivering services and dealing with administration.They also look for areas where they can gain "leverage". Simply put, this means gaining maximum return for every hour they work. Instead of trading hours for pounds or dollars, they find ways to do the work once and get paid for it many times. They find ways to market their services one to many, instead of one to one (thus reducing marketing and sales effort and time). They delegate those activities which take up a lot of time (but which don't add much value in terms of moving the business forward) or which they are not skilled in such as admin, accounting, website maintenance and copywriting.They also develop a success mindset, understand their strengths and weaknesses, take risks, innovate, hang out with other successful people and build a support network around themselves.But above all, they learn how to market their businesses and create a marketing system that keeps a steady stream of prospects knocking at the door, without taking up all of their time!

Goodbye Multi-Level Marketing and Hello E-currency Exhcange

2008-08-31T02:58:00.004-07:00

by: Chris Rohrer
If you are reading this article you are one of many people who have spent many hours trying to find a work at home business that really does work. Searching for unique ways to make money on the internet. Very few people go on to succeed working from home, and most have failed many of times trying different things. So how are some people succeeding? The answer is quite simple; they are finding a business that works with their specific strengths and needs. The majority of people today trying to get into the home-based business industry are not salesmen and genius marketers. People fiddle around looking in all the wrong places wasting loads of money on advertising that isn’t working and E-books that promise wealth.It took me five years to find a business that did not involving selling, building a down-line or that required me to recruit more people. That is when I stumbled across e-currency exchange, the fastest growing online opportunity today.So what is it then? E-currency exchange allows everyday people just like you and I to build a financial portfolio through a complex system of thousands of people exchanging funds from dollars to electronic currency. There are two sides to the trading system, the portfolio side and the console side. Initially you create a portfolio that receives 1.5% to 4.0% gains per day on the amount of money in the portfolio. For example, if you put in $1,000 and received gains at a rate of .35%, your profits for one day would be $3.50. This money is compounded daily and grows continuously over time. It is not uncommon for people who initially invest $100 to grow their portfolio value to $1000 in 1 month. It is easy to see that over the course of time you can make substantial gains. Once you have been in e-currency exchange program for 90 days and your portfolio has grown to a value of $5000, you are able to apply for a console. With a console you can now process requests from people that wish to take their money from e-currency and convert it back to the dollar. As a console holder you receive a percentage of the amount being exchanged as profit. There are literally people lined up in a queue that need these exchanges processed daily. There is such a high demand right now for exchangers that it is a very profitable business for those who are able to console.The only down-side is learning how to navigate through this e-currency network which is extremely difficult without assistance. Most people try it out for a few days, become frustrated and quit because they simply do not know what they are doing. That is why we have developed a guide that will walk you through everything you need to know! We have everything from personal phone support, to forums, to live chat rooms. There is no selling or recruiting and that is what makes this the perfect business!

SAFELY PROTECT YOUR HOME BASED DREAM OF RETIRING WEALTHY!

2008-08-31T02:58:00.003-07:00

by: Dr. Scott Brown, Ph.D.
The SIMPLE retirement account is awesome if you own your own business. Any family business applies such as a home based or “brick and mortar” real estate rental and investment business, car-wash, gas station, restaurant, etcetera, can sponsor the SIMPLE IRA. Like the SEP-IRA, the SIMPLE IRA is company-sponsored. As a small business owner, for 2003 for instance you could have matched each employee's pay up to 3 percent or $8,000, whichever is less. That adds up to a lot of money when it is a profitable business and family members are employees. SIMPLE IRA contributions are fully deductible when you put the money in the account but you will have to pay taxes on any profits you make on the stock when you retire. In addition to a SIMPLE IRA accounts, individuals and home based small businesses have an additional option to sock away money toward future retirement educational needs through educational IRAs. Small businesses, which cannot afford to sponsor a 401(k) or 403(b), can also offer employees basic retirement plans established for the benefit of their employees. Sole proprietors also now also can open individual 401(k) plans. Examine the options and pick the one that maximizes your long-range savings goal. And don't wait. Take advantage of compound earnings and start socking away cash now for tomorrow.

ECOMMERCE SOLUTIONS…THE CALL OF THE TIME

2008-08-31T02:58:00.001-07:00

by: Jinky C. Mesias
There really is no doubting the impact of Information Technology on our lives. And a significant example of this is the application of ecommerce in business. Conducting business transactions has been changed to a great extent. Just what are ecommerce or e-commerce solutions? Ecommerce or e-commerce is the purchasing or selling of goods or services as well as the transfer of funds in any way by means of electronic communications in inter-company and intra-company business dealings. Moreover, ecommerce solution is also a key to conduct business by means of technology through the internet. There are actually four types of ecommerce existing today and these are the following: business to consumer ecommerce, business to business ecommerce, consumer to business ecommerce and the consumer to consumer ecommerce. The business to consumer ecommerce involves businesses selling products and services to various individual customers. This kind of ecommerce is also known as online trading and auctions. On the other hand, the business to business ecommerce involves the transactions commencing between companies in which they sell to other businesses. This type of ecommerce also includes a transfer of well thought-out messages with other business partners over private networks or internet in order to create and transform business processes. Moreover, the business to business ecommerce is deemed toward the improvement as well as the simplification of the various business processes inside a company. This type of ecommerce is also geared toward the maximization of the efficiency when it comes to the many transactions that a company engages into. Likewise, the business to business ecommerce is designed to achieve a quicker and flawless transaction that is controlled. Aside from that, business to business ecommerce is also effective in maintaining limited inventory as well as efficient enough to perform product refill and many more. The consumer to business ecommerce is actually considered an unusual internet trend. Examples for this type of ecommerce are those individuals who for example are looking for hotels but have limited budget. What they do is that they place an ad on the internet saying that they are looking for a hotel at a rate that are just within their budget and then they also place there their contact numbers or email addresses if ever some hotels are interested. This example simply shows the marvelous capability of the internet to bring people together and create a cyber market wherein various people can transact their business. On the other hand, the consumer to consumer ecommerce is considered to be the internet’s equivalent of an advertising market. This is where individual web users are allowed to put their ad for other consumers to react to. The advantage of this type of ecommerce is that people are able to save on advertising and then their ads are much faster and are easily reached by an unlimited number of customers like themselves.

THE Secret Weapon For Gaining Wealth

2008-08-31T02:57:00.003-07:00

by: Juanita Bellavance
Copyright 2005 Juanita BellavanceRecently a friend of mine was talking about all the opportunities that seem to come her way without her even searching for them. For example, someone tells her about a house she can buy as a rental property investment. Next thing you know, someone else tells her about another one. Then, she’s at a spa one day talking to the spa owner and now she’s investing in owning a spa.What is it that causes such things to happen to one person and not another?I asked her what the secret was. Can you believe it? The secret was so simple. It was GIVING. Think about times in your life when you have been in your greatest flow of positive energy. During those times I bet you will remember that you were in a very generous state of mind, giving freely in various aspects.I once read a Proverb that said, “If you want friends, show yourself friendly.” I now know that the reciprocal effect of everything is the same. If you want money, give money, if you want love, give love, and so on.The other day, I gave money to an organization when I really didn’t feel like I could afford it. Because I had not used up my 10% tithe amount for the month, I decided I had better keep my financial integrity in tact and give the money. It’s unbelievable in a way, but the next thing I knew I had a check in the mail from previous work I had done and forgotten that I had not been paid. I got a new client in my life coaching business, who called me from having seen some of my work. And, I was able to get into a training program I wanted as a result of the other person’s generosity!Here is something that may catch your attention. Jennifer is a newly graduated college student who has a heart for health organizations. She joined the Team In Training efforts of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Foundation and is training to run the marathon in San Francisco this year. What will she get in return? Some of what she will get is:Physical fitness.Encouragement and support from family and friends.Admiration from people who can imagine how hard that training is.Fabulous training she can carry with her throughout her life.Warmth from knowing she has honored a person who is living with and battling LeukemiaMore than we can imagine right now.What will you get in return for going to Jennifer’s Team In Training link http://www.active.com/donations/fundraise_public.cfm?key=tntgaJFedero and giving toward the cause? I don’t know. What I do know is you will be richly rewarded in some unexpected way.If you want friends, give friendship; if you want love, give love; if you want money, give money.

Surviving Tough Times Online

2008-08-31T02:57:00.001-07:00

by: Jim Edwards
- by Jim Edwards(c) Jim Edwards - All Rights reservedhttp://www.thenetreporter.com=====================================With economic problems dominating the headlines, allbusinesses, online and off, need to make the most of everysingle customer contact if they hope to stay in business!Consumers want to hang onto every dollar and only spendmoney for things they feel they really "must" have. To put yourself and your business in the best position tosurvive and thrive in the current economy, follow thesesimple rules for making every website visitor count.The first step in making every visitor count involvesknowing exactly what people want from you. The vastmajority of businesses never bother to ask what customersand visitors want, and therefore, they make fewer salesthan they could with a little research. Smart online business owners use surveys regularly to stayin touch with customer needs, tastes, and preferences. Itcosts next to nothing to ask a customer what they want andthen simply give it to them. But, it may cost youeverything if you don't take the time to ask first.Next, businesses hoping to make it in these uncertaineconomic times must form alliances with other businessowners who cater to the same audience. Other businessowners have the traffic you need in order to grow yourbusiness.For this reason, you must constantly look for creative waysto work with them. The easiest way to profit by workingwith other website owners involves endorsing each other'sproducts to your own lists or, at a minimum, trading linksto funnel traffic back and forth. Creating traffic from "scratch" rates the slowest andcostliest way to bring customers to your website.Persuading other people to send targeted traffic your wayputs you on the fast track to profits.The third step for triumphing in uncertain economic timesentails building one-on-one relationships with yourcustomers and prospects, even if you have thousands ofthem. They must feel as if you are speaking only to themin all of your communications. The quickest way to accomplish this involves specializingin one highly specific area of concern for them. In otherwords, no matter what you sell, you'll never succeed as"Wal-Mart." To succeed, your online business mustcompletely meet the needs of your customers in one,specific area.Time to face facts: the Internet won't go away! In fact,despite the well publicized "dot bombs" of a couple ofyears ago, the Internet forms a more integral part of ourlives than ever. Even if you feel like your business, your job, or someother important aspect of your life doesn't depend on theInternet today, what about tomorrow?Finally, everyone must stay current at all times with theever-changing landscape of the Internet. At some point,virtually every one of us will find the Internet anintegral part of our business lives. As effective business people, we must develop the abilityto adapt to change and give customers what they want - notin months or years -but in the space of hours or days.

The Simple Tactic the Internet Gurus use to Turn Time into Money!

2008-08-31T02:56:00.002-07:00

by: Daegan Smith
Have you ever noticed that some people seem to spend years and waste thousands of dollars trying to make there home business “work” while others seem to just hit the ground running? Do you ever wonder why some people seem to have a sort a magical Midas touch when it comes to making money while others don’t?I’ll tell you exactly why. Are you ready? Those that make money know that time is money and those that don’t make money have not realized this. That’s really all there is to it.Let me explain, all business really is is the act of you trading your time for your customers money. If you are effective at doing the tasks that make this transaction happen as efficiently as possibly then you will be perceived as one of those with the mythical Midas touch. If not, then you’re just like most of us. That is, most of us will do the exact opposite.It seems sort of paradoxical. Why would we spend so much time doing things that aren’t going to help us make money?Honestly, it’s human nature that holds us back. We don’t know that we’re not doing the tasks that are going to make us money, because we think we are. In essence, we trick ourselves.Let me explain what the typical online home business entrepreneur does. First, He’ll see an enticing eBook that seems to show some promise then he’ll buy and read it. After that, he’ll try to put some of the theory he’s learned into action.This my friends, is where he messes up.He’ll try to put what he’s learned in the book into action without research and without proper preparation. Then when things don’t turn out correct he’ll get discouraged and quit until he finds a next hot eBook title that arouses his interest. Then he buys that one and the whole process cycles again. A year passes and all this guy knows is that he’s spent thousands of dollars and effectively learned nothing concrete.You see, the typical home business entrepreneur thinks he is doing what’s most effective and will lead to earning the most money by dropping what didn’t work and shifting his resources to the next idea. He thinks eventually he’s going to hit the jackpot and find the diamond in the rough. Ironically, it’s this exact attitude that will ensure that he’ll never find that diamond in rough. You see, in actuality, there is no diamond in the rough.This is an important point so pay attention, EVERY eBook and every article our typical home business entrepreneur has read had been sold to him in the SAME WAY! He didn’t even notice it! He was too busy learning all his cool new business strategies. Let me repeat the last point for you, all the information that he had learned was different, but the median for its distribution was always the same.That’s the secret the guru’s don’t tell you. The sales model is ALWAYS the same.So, here’s the difference between the average home business entrepreneur and the home business entrepreneur with the Midas touch. Those that seem to hit the ground running learn the fundamentals first. They learn basic marketing principle then find something to market and then lastly try all the fancy stuff the guru’s tell them. And well, we already know what average home based business opportunity seeker does.The gurus are masters of basic marketing principles. So, the most effective use of your time and money from the outset if you’re serious about becoming a successful home business entrepreneur is to master the basics of marketing.It’s all marketing! Nothing more and nothing less…

Alternative Business Client Gifts

2008-08-31T02:56:00.001-07:00

by: ARA
(ARA) - It is customary for businesses to give gifts of appreciation to their clients and employees during the holiday season; one that says a lot about a company’s values, makes a real difference in the world and honors clients and employees is a gift to a charity in the customer’s name. Dan Guzman, a broker in the Dow Jones futures pit at the Chicago Board of Trade, had great success with this concept, last year, when he decided it was time to show the public that traders not only have hearts, they understand others don’t have it so good. He suggested that his co-workers offer their support for the work of Heifer International, a nonprofit organization that provides farm animals to poor families in 48 countries around the world. He was overwhelmed at the generosity of the approximately 30 traders in the Dow pit who gave -- they collected $15,000. “I call it the Dow challenge,” says Guzman. “The money you raise isn’t the most important thing. What’s important is the awareness you raise.” Guzman learned of Heifer when reading about poor children spending all their waking hours hunting for food. He imagined his own nine-year-old in that situation and his heart broke. “It felt great presenting the check to Heifer International’s Chicago regional director, Rosemary Larson, on the trading room floor. I knew lives would be forever changed for the better,” says Guzman. Bob Stiller, CEO of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, had a similar experience. “I first became aware of Heifer International and the work they are doing to end world hunger when I received their gift catalog. I thought the symbolic gift of animals was a great idea and over the years personally used them to honor my friends and business colleagues. Last year, my office coffee division used the animal gifts for their best customers. The life-affirming gifts were well received by our customers, who told us this gift reflected our company’s core values,” says Stiller. Heifer International is leading a response to the alternative business-to-business giving trend by creating its first “Most Important Gift Catalog in the World,” for businesses. Heifer makes it easy for businesses to convey their gift by offering special cards and a new book, called “One World, One Family” as fulfillment pieces. The book’s beautiful photos tell a story of lives that are changed through partnerships with Heifer International. To order this catalog, call (800) 696-1918, or go to www.heifer.org/business. To learn more about Heifer, the leader in world hunger solutions, visit www.heifer.org Courtesy of ARA Content

What MACD & RSI Mean in Forex Trading?

2008-08-31T02:55:00.004-07:00

by: Adrian Pablo
As a forex trader your main objective must be to become a profitable trader. In order to achieve this goal, it is vital that you learn how to use the widely known technical indicators. These are very useful parameters that will tell you with a high probability what the forex markets are more likely to do in their apparently disordered behavior as observed on the forex charts.Among these indicators you will find the MACD and RSI; but what’s the meaning of these letters?, you may be asking yourself. Well, here is the answer:Moving Average Convergence Divergence: MACD is a more detailed method of using moving averages to find trading signals from price charts. Developed by Gerald Appel, the MACD plots the difference between a 26-day exponential moving average and a 12-day exponential moving average. A 9-day moving average is generally used as a trigger line, meaning when the MACD crosses below this trigger it is a bearish signal (time to sell) and when it crosses above it, it's a bullish signal (time to buy). As with other studies, traders will look to MACD studies to provide early signals or divergences between market prices and a technical indicator. If the MACD turns positive and makes higher lows while prices are still tanking, this could be a strong_buy signal. Conversely, if the MACD makes lower highs while prices are making new highs, this could be a strong bearish divergence and a sell signal. RSI stands for Relative Strength Index. The RSI measures the markets activity as to whether it is over bought or over sold. It gives a trader an indication as to which way the Market is moving. It is important to note, that this is a leading indicator and thus allows one to see what the market is about to do and then act accordingly. The higher the RSI number, the more over bought it is and conversely the lower the RSI number, the more over sold it is. It is a great leading indicator for the micro and macro reversals in the forex market. By using an RSI on the 1 minute chart set at a period of 18 and overlaid on the bottom of your charts tend to give the best entry signals. This can also be applied to the 5-minute chart as well. The two significant entry numbers are 25 and 75.

Are You One of the New Disposable Workers?

2008-08-31T02:55:00.003-07:00

by: John Van Doren
Part III - American Dream or American Myth?At the beginning of the 1900’s the industrial revolution was the new engine of the american economy and workers were a disposable commodity. The typical worker lined up at the factory door each morning before dawn hoping to hired on the for the day. Only a few skilled workers (tool and die makers and machine set-up specialists) were “full-time”, and there were no regular raises, holidays, vacations, or benefits. Corporations and “trusts” called the shots and workers took what they could get.Part of our barbaric “Robber Baron” past you say? Think again. Fast forward 100 years and the working world is beginning to look very much the same. Approximately 25% of our workforce is comprised of temporary workers and that number is projected to grow to 40% by the year 2010! The largest employer in the U.S. is Manpower Inc., a huge “temp” agency trading the latest commodity...your labor. The difference between now and 100 years ago is that its not just the labor of muscle and sweat, it is the labor of skill and specialized knowledge, and includes attorneys, accountants, college professors, scientists, software engineers, and business executives. This growing army of “contingent workers” typically works for 8 to 40% less than their “full-time” counterparts, without benefits, and on an as-needed “just-in-time” basis. Is this new employment model an evil plot by corporate america to suppress the american worker? Not really. Corporations just do what they are structured to do. They minimize costs (including labor) and maximize profits for their shareholders within the boundaries of the market place and the market for labor is now global. During the last 20 years or so the american corporation has quietly evolved and restructured. In large part they have just adapted to a new global and digital economy. It would not be a stretch to say that we are in the middle of a “new economy” revolution every bit as disruptive as the industrial revolution a hundred years ago and that labor (skilled and professional), especially american labor, is at the short end of the stick. The old corporate model was rigid and highly structured. It was one of high vertical and horizontal integration, somewhat slow to make and implement decisions, highly controlled, and formally structured. It was also highly unionized with a relatively permanent workforce that enjoyed high wages, pensions, and health insurance (i.e. General Motors and U.S. Steel). This model dominated after WWII when the U.S. dominated the world economy and U.S. corporations faced very little global competition. However, global competition, free trade, and a digital age required a new model capable of rapid change and maximum flexibility. As corporate america evolved into this new model, american workers experienced “re-engineering”, downsizing, “rightsizing” (after mergers), off-shoring, outsourcing, the death of pensions and the birth of 401K’s, shared healthcare costs, and the rapid rise in population of the just-in-time or “contingent” worker. At the extreme the “new” corporation is “virtual”, with a few key employees and executives at the core and a network partner companies and contingent employees always in flux to meet the demands of a rapidly changing global market. This new trend of contingent labor has also spread to the public sector and shows no sign of slowing down or stabilizing. Many highly skilled and educated workers have been turned into reluctant “free agents” whose value has been bid down by a global labor market. These workers may think they are entrepreneurs, but they are really just employees without health benefits, no different than the factory worker of a 100 years ago lining up at dawn and hoping to be hired on for the day.

E-currency Exchange Trading

2008-08-31T02:55:00.001-07:00

by: Tim Rohrer
I have searched high and low and tried MLM's such as Market America, Quixstar, Trek Alliance and Amway. The business idea works, however people need to sell products and build their downline to be successful. I hated the idea of trying to convince people that Market America, Quixstar and all the other MLM's worked. In fact, that was the hardest thing to do was to convince somebody that these MLM's worked! I have finally found a system that involves no selling, no downline and and garunteed profits with a little learning involved. I thought this couldn't be true, I actually don't have to sell something and didn't have to build a downline!Let me explain how it works. There are hundreds of companies on the internet that deal with electronnic funds, such as Netpay, PayPal and INTgold. Currency exchanging is relatively unknown but incredibly lucrative business opportunity. While Currencies are traded all over the world (like with Forex), there are both US-based and offshore trading houses that need your flow of dollars to facilitate their business operations.This is where you,"The Merchant" comes in. By making funds temporarily avaliable to the Global Exchange Network creates float. The company we work with is able to borrow against this dollar amount and the commissions come back to us. The funds you lend to the network are typically returned in a 24 to 36 hour time frame. For example, by pushing $100 in INTGold to another person in exchange you recieve a fee of $3.50. This process takes about 30 seconds. When the funds come back into your account you make another $1. $4.50 isn't bad for something that takes 15 seconds to do. There are other ways to cycle this money back through the system and reinvest profits to your bottom line. On top of building float, your investment is compounded daily and you easily make gains of .35% off of your investment per day. How much is that? Well if you invested $100 that would be 35 cents per day profits. Now imagine when your investment grows to $1000 and $5000.... even $10,000 your daily profits are easily $35 per day. Remember the best part about this is that is compounded daily!How much can you start with? You can start with as little as $25.00 I recommend a few hundred dollars until you get to know the system and become more comfortable with the exchange network. I learned the e-currency exchange network through a group of friends online. It is extremely difficult trying to learn how to do this sitting in chat rooms and reading posts. I finally gave in and purchased a guide that literally enabled me to double my investment in under a month. I am very pleased with my results and I can now kiss those MLM's that require downline building and selling goodbye forever!

What Part Do Commodities Play in the Market and in our Shopping?

2008-08-31T02:54:00.002-07:00

by: David Arnold Livingston
Commodities are any goods or wares that are up for sale or trade. These things include such things as food, furniture, cars, or anything that is generally manufactured, sold or traded. Commodities are a part of life! We use them all the time! The coffee on your cupboard, the cereals, the soap, the shampoo, the toothpaste – all of these constitute everyday commodities.The word commodity comes from the French word commodité. This means ‘benefit’ or ‘profit.’ This too comes from the earlier Latin word commoditas which refers to good quality or propriety. The word commodité is related in meaning to the French word biens. Biens means goods. Many people use goods and commodities interchangeably. DefinitionAs a business word, commodities are products that can in fact be worth more to their owner if sold instead of used. For example, you might have a large stock of canned goods that you won’t be able to consume before it expires. It would be better to sell them off instead, since you would benefit more from the sale than from just eating all of them.In the business world, the most common examples of commodities are oil, chemicals, raw materials, canned goods and other consumer goods that are often bought or sold.Originally commodities were things that had value. Commodities had to be uniform in their quality and mass produced by different entities to be considered as such. There is an unwritten contract among these producers that their products must be of such standard that they can be at least interchangeably used to some degree. This allows the consumers to, for example, to switch brands of flour when baking without having to agonize too much over the brand of the flour product.Let us take, for example, producers of powdered milk. Although they belong to different brands with different organizations and process management, they will still be expected to produce a powdered milk brand that is similar, in category. There will be differences in quality, taste and some other attributes. However, when you think of powdered milk, these products will have to fit the bill.Strictly speaking, commodities will often refer to wholesale or brandless goods. This means that the commodities will come from direct suppliers of these goods and do not go through the process of marketing, and branding. A good example of this is oil. The supplier in this case does not matter. Oil is assumed to be oil, and that the use of such should not depend on the supplier. That is why, in commodities trading, once you’ve seen one barrel of oil, you’ve seen them all.BrandingProducers may want to have their products distinguishable from other products. To do this, they employ branding. Branding is the activities engaged to make a product, from a certain producer, stand out from other products of the same kind. Taking the milk example from earlier, we could give one of the producers the name, Moo Milk. It could be told apart from others because of its label, marketing, and container. It might differ a bit from other products in quality. This will most definitely increase the price of the goods. The upside to this is that the particular product with the best brand name and brand recognition is sure to get a better portion of the market.

Customer Relationship Management

2008-08-31T02:54:00.001-07:00

by: Richard D S Hill
Changing consumer attitudes are driving Customer Relationship Management. Fuelled by Internet induced expectations and an even increasing mood of self reliance among customers, companies have to compete in an environment where communication, buying processes, data management, delivery and service are all-important in the battle for longterm, profitable relationships.Customers now require:- Control over the buying process (information, comparison,selection, easy to find, use and respond to)- The best possible price (including delivery, and withoutcompromise to brand or product quality)- The quickest, slickest delivery system (preferably free)- All payment options (secure)- Communications designed to suit the particular need(computerised; complex; caring)The above apply whatever the form of trading:- Direct- Traditional- Retail- E-commerce- Wholesale- CombinationThese attitudes combined with the development of new technology and the growing convergence of a number of 'new - new' and 'emerging - new' communications and distribution technologies such as:- 'Fixed link' telephony and telemarketing- Internet and VOIP- Mobile telephony, SMS etc.- Digital TV, Cable, Satelliteis leading to an increasing focus on Customer Relationship Management by all types of organisations, as they realise that technological change allows them to re-organise the way that they manage customer relationships and make them more profitable.Organisations are searching for something far more holistic, consistent and yet dynamic.To achieve that and a sustainable competitive advantage in Customer Relationship Management means working with the management team, staff and suppliers of the company, where reasonable and cost effective using technology (e.g. intranet, extranet) to help to deliver the actions necessary to maximise performance.One must:- Define profitable market sectors and customers- Understand customers needs and expectations- Identify profitable product and service propositions- Create effective, efficient, adaptable, cost effectiveinfrastructuresCustomer Relationship Management is: the customer focussed management of the whole relationship with each customer, in order to measure, create and increase income and reduce costs for each customer and customer segment and thus to generate greater positive lifetime value across the portfolio.Customer Relationship Management requires the organisation to know the answers to questions such as:- Which of my customers are profitable or unprofitable?- Do I know their lifetime value?- Which of my products and services are they buying and notbuying?- Have I measured customers' purchase behaviour patterns, theirloyalty/retention/repeat purchase and multiple productpurchases?- What channel preferences do customers have?- Who are my most profitable customers and what is theirranking/grouping by risk, by product service grouping, byprofit, and by revenue?- What strategies can I use to improve a customer'sprofitability profile?It also requires the organisation to deliver customer value. Customers must feel thatthe organisation:- ‘Understands what I want’- ‘Communicates with me’- ‘Provides me with added value’- ‘Gives me reasons not to switch’- ‘Treats me as an individual’To achieve these answers Customer Relationship Management requires focus on both sides of the equation:- Customer Communications Management- Process Quality Managementand on three key delivery mechanisms, those of:- Proposition- Processes- PeopleTo be fully effective at Customer Relationship Management an organisation has to position the business unit or enterprise (proposition, processes and people) so that the customer is as the centre of their business. True Customer Relationship Management means that the business has streamlined customer management through the integration of all customer 'touch points', such as marketing, customer service and payment in such a way that true customer satisfaction and loyalty appear to occur effortlessly.Customer Relationship Management is not a 'fad' it is a business philosophy that helps to increase revenue, reduce costs and to build and retain a loyal customer base.