Sunday, June 30, 2013

Advantage of Trading Signals for Traders

 Many have discovered the hard way that what they thought at first should be relatively easy, was not so easy. Making money through Forex trading is not for the faint at heart. The really successful traders do research and make their trades based on all of the research. However, most don’t have the time to so the research or even know where to begin.
meta trader trading signals 
That makes it difficult for the new person to get involved and be successful without the time to do all the research for themselves. That is where Trading Signals come in, it is now possible to make trades like the big boys.

What are Trading Signals?

Trading signals were designed to help the inexperienced traders for started in the market by allowing them to replicate the exact trades being made by the successful traders. The trading signals are designed in a way that upon purchase the trading signals are immediately transferred to your trading terminal. These signals were created by the successful traders and posted on the MQL5 Market.

Benefits to traders by using Trading Signals

The most successful traders have plenty to offer the subscribers of the market, however, it would be difficult for them to offer individual mentoring to everyone. That is how Trading Signals was created, instead of one on one training, they can make an exact snapshot (Trading Signal) of their trading terminal available to all subscribers. The following are some of the benefits of Trading Signals for the traders.

metatrader signal server
Approval Process - Prior to being able to provide signals each trader must go through a month long testing process and if they pass they will be approved.

Ease of use - The system was designed to make it easy for all traders that have been approved to offer their Trading Signals to set up each signal.

Establish fees - Once approved each trader decides how much their signals will cost the subscribers that choose to make a purchase.

Purchases - All transactions are handled through the service, therefore the trader does not have to do anything after they post the Trading Signal.

Access to all subscribers - The biggest advantage to all traders is that all subscribers to the service have access to all of their signals. This could create quite nice revenue stream on top of the money made from their own successful trades.

My Final Thoughts

The Forex market is one of the fastest growing markets and the only real way to be successful is to emulate the really successful traders. With Trading Signals, all of the guesswork is removed. This makes the signal providers a very important piece of the puzzle and very valuable. The benefits are very real and should not be overlooked. If you fancy yourself a very successful trader, then you owe it to yourself to check out Trading Signals for metatrader for yourself.

                                               SUBSCRIBE TO SIGNALS NOW



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Friday, June 28, 2013

What is Diversification?

Diversification is the process of reducing risk by investing in a wide variety of assets such as stocks, bonds and real estate. Diversification strives to reduce unsystematic risk events in a portfolio so that the positive performance of some investments will neutralize the negative performance of others. So, the benefits of diversification will hold only if the securities in the portfolio are not perfectly correlated.

If the asset classes do not move up and down in perfect synchrony, a well diversified portfolio will have lesser risk than the weighted average risk of its total assets, and often less risk than the least risky of its constituent. Hence, any risk-averse investor will diversify at least to some extent, with more risk-averse investors diversifying more completely than less risk-averse investors. 

Studies and many mathematical models have shown that maintaining a well-diversified portfolio of 25 to 30 stocks will result in the most cost-effective level of risk reduction. Investing in more securities will still yield further diversification benefits, although at a drastically smaller rate.

In a diversified portfolio, no matter how a particular economy performs, some asset classes will perform and provides benefits, which reduces your chances of losing a lot at a given time. Over a longer period of time, a diversified portfolio will provide better returns with lower risk.


Further diversification benefits can be gained by investing in securities of foreign countries because they tend be less closely correlated with domestic investments. For example, an economic slowdown in the U.S. economy may not affect China's economy in the same way; therefore, having Chinese investments would allow an investor to have a small cushion of protection against losses due to an American economic slowdown.



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Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Conquering Debt Fast - 4 Daily Tips To Help You Pay Off Your Debt

The burden of living with debt can weigh heavy on consumers who feel like they have no options. If you are a person who has problems making ends meet each month due to the bills you have to pay, then there are daily tips you can follow which will help relieve some of that stress. By taking matters into your own hands, you can start to climb out of the financial hole you have dug.

Develop a Monthly Budget
The only efficient way to get your finances under control is to monitor them through a monthly budget. Spend a couple of months logging your spending on important things such as food and gasoline so that you can develop a monthly budget number that you can spend. Then you combine those numbers with your monthly bills and come up with a budget. Once you see your spending patterns on paper, it is easier to control them and get your expenses to go below your income. Mark Weinberger has written several articles on budgeting that can help.

Start a Savings Account
Start a Saving Account
 Image by Cordey

Everyone knows that the best way to get their finances under control is to stop using credit cards, but that is often easier said than done. You can use your monthly budget to determine how much money you can put away in savings each month. Whether it is $5 or $500, something needs to go into your savings account each time you get paid. After a while, you will have the emergency funds you need that will allow you to take care of issues without using credit.

Cut back on Spending
If you are in debt, then a good way to get out is to stop spending money on things you do not need. For example, if you spend $3 every morning on a coffee on the way to work, then that is around $60 per month that you are wasting. Brew your own cup of coffee and save that money. You should also bring your own lunch to work and cut down on those wasted costs as well. Plan your family's entertainment spending to avoid spending more than you have. Try watching a movie at home one weekend instead of paying to go to a theater.

Grow a Garden
Grow a Garden
Image by RaeAllen

One of the most expensive parts of any shopping trip is the fresh fruits and vegetables. You can lower your food bills and save money each month by starting you own garden and growing your own produce. The best way to gain confidence in growing a garden is to start small. Once you get used to caring for a smaller garden, then you can start to expand it out and include more of the fresh fruits and vegetables that you and your family love to eat.

Getting your debt under control takes time, but it is absolutely possible. All you need is a good plan and a way to get yourself into some good daily spending habits and you will have that debt under control and paid off long before you could have ever expected. 

Author Bio: Carly Wright is an activist for fun! From technology and entertainment to travel and leisure she can write about it all. She encourages you to see her tweets @MostlyImWrite




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Tuesday, June 25, 2013

How to Avoid Credit Card Debt

Avoid Credit card debtOften, when people get their first credit card, they will immediately buy something, sometimes something that is more than they can afford.  Many first time credit card holders will tell themselves that they will not fall into the debt trap,  but those who use credit cards with the “buy now, pay later” mentality usually will.  Credit cards can be a great tool if used responsibly, but if misuse of credit cards can lead to trouble.  Here are a few simple ways to avoid credit card debt. 

The biggest factor in staying out of credit card debt is having the mentality to charge only what you can afford.  I personally never carry a credit card balance higher than the amount in my checking account, that way I can pay it off at any time.  This is a good tactic when using credit cards.  Frequently many people ignore the affordability of necessity of an item they are purchasing with a credit card, as the vast majority of consumers in today’s world are impulse buyers and think they’ll pay it off later.

Another great way to avoid credit card issues is by creating a budget.  Having the mindset of staying within a budget when using a credit card will cause fewer headaches because you’ll have a firm understanding of what you can spend and pay off in a given period.

The single best advice I was given about credit cards is to pay most if not all of your balance every month.  This might seem like common sense, but you’d be surprised how many people don’t do this.  When a credit card statement comes in at the end of the month, a great deal of credit card holders will actually just pay the minimum balance and not much more, which is only $15-20 per month for most cards.  With interest on most cards being rather high, it could take months or even years to pay off some balances depending on how much is owed and the APR rate of the card. 

Along with paying the balance, making payments on time is the single best thing you could do to alleviate credit card debt.  If you pay the minimum on a card one month and needed money for an emergency but you know you’ll pay it off the next month that is fine as long as you pay on time.  If you miss a payment or are late you will be penalized in multiple ways.  Numerous credit card companies will raise interest rates if you are late multiple times, and this will also damage your credit score.  I personally have a 0% interest card for a set number of months, but if I were to be late or miss one payment, then my interest rate would go up to 29.99%.  Being able to pay on time will help you, and the more on-time payments you make, the more it’ll positively impact your credit score. 

There are some benefits to responsible credit card use.  Many cards offer benefits to their card holders such as cash back, point rewards, as well as low or even 0% interest rates for a certain period of time.  When used responsibly, credit cards can make you money with cash back rewards.  Depending on how often a card is used, the cash back rewards can be put towards the balance of the card and help pay it off.  Many card companies offer either a reward program where you get a certain percentage back on various types of purchases or a nice lump sum at the end of a statement or yearly cycle. 

Credit cards also offer more than just rewards, as they can help establish and improve credit.  Many credit companies offer student and secure cards.  A secured card is a credit card that the user puts a set amount of money into an account and can use up to that amount as their credit limit for a set length of time.  The consumer will get their money back in full when the card company decides to make the card unsecured, which means there is no collateral as a backup and it becomes a normal credit card.  Student cards are offered to those who are just starting out and establishing credit.  These cards are usually given with low limits and fairly low-interest rates.  Both cards are a great option for those looking to establish and build credit while at the same time learning to manage a credit card responsibly. 

When used responsibly, credit cards can be a valuable asset.  Learning to maintain a budget and how to use a credit card is one of the best personal finance steps a person can take.  Staying out of credit card debt can easily be achieved by knowing what you can afford as well as paying off balances on time every month.



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Friday, June 21, 2013

20 Best Investment Quotes

When it comes to the world of investing , the words which comes to our mind are overwhelming, intimidating and scary. Whether markets are roaring ahead or stumbling off a cliff, good advice is always required to restrain the euphoria or soothe the panic attack. While most of you know a Warren Buffett quote or two, but there are others out there who are worth paying attention too.

We have compiled 20 best quotes on investment from the top minds of the investment field, some of them are inspiring, few are fun but all of them provide us good investment advice, which is priceless.

1.    An investment in knowledge pays the best interest” - Benjamin Franklin
2.    The individual investor should act consistently as an investor and not as a speculator” - Ben Graham
3.    The stock market is filled with individuals who know the price of everything but the value of nothing” - Phillip Fisher
4.    In investing, what is comfortable is rarely profitable” - Robert Arnott
5.    You don't have to be a genius to invest well” - Warren Buffett
6.    Anyone who is not investing now is missing a tremendous opportunity” - Carlos Slim
7.    Buying a Stock is more than just the price” - Warren Buffett
8.    Invest in yourself; your career is the engine of your wealth” - Paul Clitheroe
9.    Know what you own and know why you own it” - Peter Lynch
10. The four most dangerous in investing are:"this time it’s different" - John Templeton
11. If you have trouble imagining a 20% loss in the stock market, you shouldn't be in stocks” - John Bogle
12. He that cannot abide a bad market, deserves not a good one” - John Ray
13. Short term clients look for gurus. Long term clients want sages. There are no gurus” - Harold Evensky
14. Every once in a while, the market does something so stupid it takes your breath away” - Jim Cramer
15. The best stock to buy is the one you already own” - Peter Lynch
16. Sometimes buying early on the way down looks like being wrong, but it isn't” - Seth Klarman
17. Markets can remain irrational longer than you than you can remain solvent” - John Keynes
18. Most investors want to do today what they should have done yesterday” - Larry Summers
19. It’s not how much money you make, but how much money you keep, how hard it works for you, and how many generations you keep it for” - Robert Kiyosaki
20. Be fearful when other are greedy and greedy only when others are fearful” - Warren Buffett




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Thursday, June 20, 2013

The Structure of Hedge Funds

Like private equity funds, hedge funds are typically organized as either limited partnerships or limited liability corporations to protect investors from losses exceeding their initial investment and to avoid double taxation of corporate earnings.

Compensation for hedge fund managers typically is based on two components:
  • A management fee of 1-2% of assets under management
  • An incentive fee of 15-20% of the returns in excess of a pre-determined benchmark. Incentive fees are usually constrained by features such as high-water marks, claw-back provisions and other features.
The Structure of Hedge Funds
The high fees earned by hedge fund managers has been widely criticized, particularly when the returns generated include some exposure to beta. Beta can be obtained very cheaply through passive investments such as index funds. However, to the extent that the hedge fund returns offer diversification the fees may simply represent a sort of insurance premium that investors are willing to pay  in exchange for risk reduction.

The investments made by hedge funds are often illiquid, and as such many funds require a lock-up period before investments can be withdrawn. In addition, most funds allow cash inflows and outflows only at specific times (usually quarterly.)


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Thursday, June 13, 2013

What is EBIDTA Margin?

A great deal is talked about EBITDA margin in the TV, news and in the investors community. Have you ever wondered what does it means and why it is so important for the investors and the Investment analysts. EBITDA stands for Earnings Before Interest Tax Depreciation and Amortization. 

EBITDA Margin measures Company’s operating profitability. It has been given special importance in recent times by the corporates as well the investors. It helps to ensure the company is generating enough cash to stay in the business. It is also a way to measure the cash flow of a company's operations. It is calculated by taking EBITDA and dividing it by the total revenues.

EBITDA Margin

A company with total revenues of $100,000 and EBITDA margin of $10,000 will have an EBITDA Margin of $10,000/$100,000 = 10%. Higher the EBITDA margin, the greater will the profitability of the company.

Featured in the Following Carnivals:

YakezieCarnival – Superhero Movies Are Overrated Edition




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Tuesday, June 11, 2013

What Will the New HMRC Regulation Mean for Malta?

In early 2012, the Bailiwick of Guernsey’s was a Qualified Recognised Overseas Pension Scheme (QROPS) superstar. Among the top three most popular destinations for British expat pensioner’s assets since 2006 when QROPS were introduced, within a few years Guernsey had handily taken and held the top slot. Then, in May 2012, HMRC passed Statutory Instrument 1221 (SI 1221), which ruled that Guernsey could not offer preferential tax rates to non-residents and any QROPS in violation was to be disavowed.

Of Guernsey’s 313 qualified QROPS-providers, SI 1221 left 3 intact. Literally overnight (the night of May 25, 2012) Guernsey’s QROPS economy was razed to nothing. As more pensioners had laid their nest eggs there than anywhere else, the collapse came as an understandable shock, and one felt well beyond Guernsey. If the most popular, established and trusted destination for QROPS investment was so vulnerable, how safe could the rest of the industry be and where could expat pensioner investors feel comfortable caching their money?

In short order it became apparent Malta was the answer to the latter part of that question. Immediately after SI 1221 poleaxed Guernsey’s QROPS-based financial sector, Malta responded by securing low general tax rates and the absence of inheritance, income/pension income, pension lump sum or capital gains taxes, rendering them a viable and attractive QROPS harbor. The tax rate whittling, however, was just part of Malta’s plan to specifically tailor their economy and its foreign relation policy to accommodate foreign investment, QROPS and QNUPS (Qualified Non-UK Pension Schemes) in particular.

What really launched Malta into the stratosphere of QROPS ascendency was their rigorous adherence to HMRC’s new regulation and the seeking out of double taxation agreements (DTAs) with (at the time of this writing) 67 other nations, including those most popular with British retirees. The DTAs allowed pensioners to invest their pensions in such fertile territory while not obliged to physically settle the same. Expats in Spain, France, Belgium, the USA, Canada, the Bahamas, Morocco, Italy, or any of the other 67 states, can live abroad with their QROPS in Malta and subject to Maltese tax rates and benefits. More importantly, they can do so without paying taxes to Malta, wherever they’ve retired and conceivably the UK as well.

Appealing as that dynamic has proved for so many, a nagging anxiety has persisted. The blow that felled Guernsey had struck swiftly and was almost universally unexpected. As such and unsurprisingly, it hasn’t been uncommon for those with or considering investing in a QROPS to ask, “What is there to stop the same from happening in Malta?” Recently, those anxieties have nagged their way closer to the surface with HMRC’s recent release of their 2013 Draft QROPS regulations for public comment, which outlines the most significant legislation to affect QROPS since SI 1221 last year.

Of course, there are no certainties in life except death and… well, in this case I suppose we can’t even be entirely certain of taxes (or at least the continuation of preferential tax rates). However, those concerned with a repeat of Guernsey in Malta need not fear, particularly on account of the recent HMRC draft. Because their economy has been so assiduously designed for QROPS investment; their membership in the EU; their core banks’ history of conservative choices, little risk-taking and a holding of assets that are only 223% of the nation’s GPD (rather than the 600-1200% or more that’s common for many European nations’ banks), Malta itself seems an unlikely candidate for any massive, drastic delisting or destabilization.

Plus, the nature of HMRC’s recent legislation, like Malta’s financial future, should reassure expat pension fund investors rather than unsettle them. The Draft is primarily focused on ensuring timely, accurate and thorough reporting on account information from QROPS managers. These include a requirement for any overseas QROPS/QNUPS manager to report payments to their clients from any funds transferred out of the UK, even if the scheme is no longer technically a QROPS. Included in the legislation are instructions for managers on sending this information electronically, which should simplify the process.

Portions of the statute are dedicated to reinforcing and outlining penalties for non-compliant former and current QROPS administrators. None of those conditions should have any effect on Malta’s legitimate QROPS industry and as such should have no adverse effect on anyone invested in a legitimate Maltese QROPS. That should be good news for a great number of investors and future investors, considering Malta’s popularity.

Author:
Mario Vitanelli is a freelance writer and blogger who specializes in international politics and finance, retirement and investment. His areas of expertise include European, Asian and Latin/South American economic policy and QROPS. When away from his keyboard, he enjoys photography and appreciates the rest of the Vitanelli family’s endless patience with his football dependence.




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Friday, June 7, 2013

Stock Market Investing Myths

Stock Market Investing mythsInvesting in stock market is a great way for anyone to make money without the usual overheads and headaches of owning and running a firm or a company. However, to invest in stock market one needs a certain amount of knowledge, skills and proper information. Without proper information or wrong information and lack of discipline many people especially newbies who enter the market with lack of knowledge lose a lot of money. 

The following are the stock market investing myths that people needs to be cautious of while trading in stock market.

Investing in stock market is like gambling:
This is one of the main reasons why many people stay away from the stock market.  There are a certain similarities between the two. You can make and lose a lot of money in a very short time.  However the similarities are only superficial and there are some fundamental differences between the way gambling and stock market works.  Buying a stock of company gives you the right to claim on the assets of the company and also on the profit it generates for the fraction of your share. Gambling on the other hand is a zero sum game. It just takes the money form a loser and gives it to the winner. In gambling, no value is created but in investing the overall wealth of the economy is increased. If one invests in stock market without following the rules of Stock market, then like it is gambling but if one learns the fundamentals of investing in stock market, knows what he is doing and analyzes before investing then investing is not a gambling.

Stock Market is only for rich people:
The other myth people have is that only rich people and stock brokers can make money in the stock market but stock market is a place where anyone can make money as long as they know how to do it. In this internet world everyone have access to the same information, there are so many websites that provide access to rich data, statistics, research tools and even analysis of stocks. Therefore even ordinary people with limited money can start investing with a small amount and make money from it.

Stocks that go down will come back and Stocks that go up will come down:
There is an old saying in investing “What goes up must come down and what goes down must go up” which is irrefutable truth.  The problem is many people confuse with this conventional wisdom with the assumption that price of the stock is going down it is low and when the price of the stock is going up, it is high. The law of gravity doesn’t apply to stock market.  There is no reason for a stock to come down with an excellent company with great product and services and are run by efficient people. The same applies to companies that are poorly managed with less demand product and services, with declining stock prices may never recover.

There are lot more myths on stock market. Learning the stock market can help everyone invest wisely with informed knowledge and information to make consistent profits.



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Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Best Roth IRA Providers of 2013

A Roth IRA account provides individuals the ability to contribute funds that are not tax deductible. Roth IRA’s are seen as important saving vehicle for your retirement. It is an effective way of saving for your retirement. You can contribute to a Roth IRA from the money earned from a Job.

When selecting a Roth IRA account providers, individuals consider a lot of factors and expenses such as trading fees, transaction costs and commissions per equity trade. Here we have highlighted the best Roth Ira account providers of 2013 for you to choose from considering all the factors.

1)    TDAmeriTrade: An IRA at TD AmeriTrade is easy to establish and makes retirement planning easier to establish.  At TD AmeriTrade, you don’t have to pay any maintenance fees and also comes with best tools and resources in the industry to help you build a right portfolio for your retirement. It is perfect for involved investor and requires $2500 to start and charges $9.95 per stock trade.

2)    Fidelity:  The Roth IRA at Fidelity is easy to setup and has a full array of Investment products such as Mutual funds, stocks, ETFs etc. to contribute to.  Fidelity has excellent customer service which prevents you from straying to other firms. It has no account fees and charges $7.95 per stock trade.  The maximum contribution is $5,500.

3)    Vanguard:  Vanguard has been the most trusted Roth IRA providers for many years. The Minimum contribution is $3,000 for any of the funds you choose.  You can get a lower fees and top notch customer service from Vanguard.

4)    ShareBuilder:  ShareBuilder is considered as one of the best Roth Ira account providers for lot of reasons; automatic investing feature with cheap or zero cost trades, no account opening fees. . It has a low minimum to get started. Minimum contribution is $250 and charges $6.95 per stock trade.

5)    Charles Schwab: It is one of the very best Roth IRA account providers and is trusted in investment circles. It has advanced trading platforms, retirement planning tools and resources to understand IRA’s.  It has zero service fees, the minimum contribution to start an account is $1000 and it charges $8.95 per equity trade.

6)    E*Trade:  E*Trade is a well-known name and it features one of the best Roth IRA providers options available.  The trading screen of E*Trade is very friendly and has a very clear portfolio view with plenty of tools to facilitate portfolio management. It has zero setup fees, zero annual fees and charges none for IRA termination fees.  The minimum contribution to start an account is $500 and it charges $9.99 per equity trade.

7)    Trade King:  Trade King is one of the Roth Ira providers that have taken the market by storm. It is preferred by many Investors over the other Roth Ira Account providers. It doesn’t charges any account opening fees or annual fees but it charges for account inactivity. It also charges $50 for termination or for transferring the IRA. The minimum contribution to start an account is $600 and charges a very low commission fee of $4.95 per stock trade.

8)    Scottrade: Scottrade is a serious contender to be one of the best Roth Ira providers. It doesn’t charge any account maintenance fees or any fees for account termination. The minimum contribution to start an account is $500 and charges $7 per equity trade.




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