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Archive for November 5th, 2006

Stock Valuation - The first step towards intelligent investing

Stock valuation can be considered as a tool for picking out stocks that will bring you good returns. Imagine buying a car without knowing its value, or investing thousands of dollars in property with no potential. Sounds scary? Yet, this is exactly what it amounts to if you put money into deals without assessing their value.

Intelligent investment needs a lot of effort. If you want to invest in stocks, the first thing to look out for is its valuation. Valuation of a stock means the price or ‘actual’ value it holds. If you are doing stock valuation then you need not study the stock chart every time or worry about the trend in the market or the interest rates of the stocks. Never invest in stocks without knowing the value, because that is like going up a blind alley where you have no idea what you will end up with.

Investment in stocks without valuation is like risking your money deliberately. While the fluctuations in the stock market cannot be avoided, with the accurate valuation of a stock, you can minimize the risk factor. It will ensure that you not shoot in the dark, and make sensible investments. Use the valuation of stocks to serve as a guide for buying and selling stocks.

Instead of pouring your hard earned money into stocks without valuation, it is better to be patient and carry out a thorough research to determine the worth of stocks before buying. You do not have to be a math genius, or a stock market guru either. All you need is basic mathematical skill, and the perseverance to look for all the valuation information available.

You cannot make the most of valuation if you do not understand or appreciate its importance in the stock market. Spending a large amount in buying shares based on what others say may well result in losses. Neither should you buy based on media hype, as this may mislead you, and you may end up losing every penny you invested. Owning stocks of a company in the form of shares can be a very good wealth-building tool for you as it grants you claim on everything that the company owns. Hence, assessing the value of the company, the profit it is generating and how beneficial it can prove to you, is a worthwhile enterprise. Valuation can prove to be especially beneficial for middle class investors, as they have limited resources to overcome losses incurred in the stock market.

Therefore, valuation can be considered the key factor in buying stocks. Just as one assesses the value of anything one buys on the basis of a specified standard, stocks too need to be valued to determine whether the investment will bring you returns or not. Be aware, there are companies in the stock market that are making huge profits, but their stocks are of no value. Hence, spending time on carrying out your own research will help you pick up the right stock for your portfolio.

Posted on 5th November 2006
Under: Investing, Trading, Stock Market | No Comments »

Low Risk Investments – Getting one with high capital returns!

Is it possible to get a low risk investment with high capital gains?

The answer is yes, however you need to keep a few points in mind. Below find some tips on finding a low risk investment thats right for you.

The safest low risk investments are bank deposit funds and government bonds.

The growth may not be spectacular but your money is generally safe and secure and you know what you’re going to get without any shocks.

Other so called low risk investments are not. Let’s consider the stock market.

Often sold as low risk investment they are nothing of the sort.

Mutual funds tend not to perform that well, with volatility up to 30% and in some cases more, its hardly low risk and investing in shares without a spread can be even worse

Even the biggest companies can go bust and do!

A low risk investment that tends to perform well over time is real estate.

People can and do make great returns in the right location with low risk.

Another low risk investment that is not so popular but probably has the best growth rates to downside volatility is land.

You may never have considered land as an investment before, however it can and does offer outstanding growth potential with low downside risk and even better is:

It’s cheap (cheaper than real estate for example), it’s easy to understand and it’s easy to buy and sell.

The key with this investment

Is the same as property – location!

You need to buy in booming economies, near growth towns, or coming infrastructure and you can then sell when the land is developed at a profit.

Today, savvy investors are doing this in a safe and stable country just a 3 hour flight from the US and making 50 – 100% annual gains with low risk.

Why are the gains so big and downside so low?

The answer is - ocean front property is up to 70% less than in the US and record numbers of Americans are buying.

Of course, this property needs to be built on land.

Add in the other advantages of its easy to buy, you get the same rates as residents, it’s extremely tax efficient and you have a great low risk investment for building significant capital gains.

You can do your own research for locations, or deal with a local realtor who can help you pick plots of land.

Which ever option you choose land investment can and does make great gains with low risk.

Howard Hughes made billions, Donald Trump is a huge fan and even funny man Bob Hope made a huge fortune, as do many small potato investors.

Land investing is not just for the rich and today it is a low risk investment open to all and offers a great low risk investment with great growth potential.

Posted on 5th November 2006
Under: Investing, Trading | 2 Comments »

Stock Market Basics

Stock markets represent and portray the commercial and economical strength of a country. The economy of a country relies on the stock market to a great extent, since they trade in the stocks of major companies. These markets are the source of capitalism in the United States. They play an important role by raising funds for companies. Being a part of a stock exchange may seem complex to many, but you can be a part of any popular stock exchange, either with the help of a brokerage account that can be opened online, or by interacting directly with the exchange.

A stock market is a place where people who want to earn money through investment, and companies who can provide those investment opportunities, come together. The trading and investing of stocks takes place in this market. Companies need funds and in order to raise funds, they issue stocks in the form of shares in which you invest, to earn money. If the company earns profit, then you as a stockholder of that company will also get a share in that profit.

You can gain a lot on the selling floor of a stock market. It is necessary, however, for you to understand the basics of a stock market, what its roles are, and how it works. For this, a proper study of all the possible market moves is essential. This needs constant appraisal, as the market moves very fast, and there are many ups and downs involved.

Stock markets are fraught with risk. Therefore, be it trading or investing, you need to proceed with caution. It is advisable to analyze a company’s profits and cash flow, the services it offers and the profit distribution pattern it follows, before investing in its stocks. If you are confident that the shares are commercially viable, you can go ahead and make an investment. . Beside the profit incurred through the sale and purchase of stocks, you can also get the benefit of dividends that profitable companies offer. As an investor, you ought to know that blue chip stocks, income stocks, defensive stocks and growth stocks are several groups under which the future shares of companies are divided.

Big companies that pay dividends without fail, and have a record of growth in profit, have their shares referred to as blue chips. You can also invest in income stocks because the companies that issue these stocks pay high dividends, and have a stable earning in the market. Growth stocks grow very fast, but may fetch you nil or minimal dividends. In order to minimize your risk you can invest in defensive stocks as their value remains constant even if the market falls.

Companies can also issue their shares abroad with the help of banks. If you are planning on investing in stocks then try to invest in companies that offer dividends along with discounts. You can do the purchasing through the brokerage, or dividends, or a direct investment plan. Since a lot of people buy shares and stocks there is a cycle of supply and demand. Depending on this cycle, various fluctuations take place in the stock market. So, try to immunize yourself from these fluctuations by investing wisely.

The stock market not only provides you, as a trader or investor, an opportunity to purchase or sell shares or stocks, but also plays an important role in maintaining the cash flow in the economy of a country. If you are interested in making money in stocks, then it is recommended you learn the basics of stock markets before leaping in.

Posted on 5th November 2006
Under: Stock Market | 1 Comment »

The basics of investing in stocks and shares

Stocks can be considered a tool for building wealth, as they are a part of almost every investment portfolio. They represent the ownership of a company and are bought in the form of shares. Shares refer to the stock of a particular company. Your stake in a company depends on how many shares you possess, because these are considered a part of the company’s capital.

The popularity of investing in the stock market is increasing constantly. Today, investment in stocks and shares is not limited to the well to do; even the average middle-class is getting into it in droves. The opening up of markets with advanced trading technologies has made owning shares easy for everyone. However, if you are planning to invest, do not depend on luck to get you returns. Investment in stocks is considered a very risky affair. It requires a high rate of return. You need to use a well thought out strategy and necessary tools to invest in the share market.

The allure of investing in shares and stocks, however, does not mean that every would-be investor has the know-how of this often-slippery market. If you feel that the get-rich-quick theory applies to stocks and shares, then it is a misguided notion, because stocks are not the answer to instant wealth. Just like the real estate market, the share market also involves a lot of risk. Yet, people are often under the misconception that they will get rich instantly if they invest in shares.

You can buy a share in a stock when a company first enlists on the stock market - that is, at flotation or privatization. Alternatively, you can purchase shares once they are in circulation and are traded.

You could go to a stockbroker if you want to buy stocks. Stockbrokers do business with the stock exchange. They hold the shares in an account that is created in the name of the nominee. You can also keep your shares in the form of a paper certificate. Once the buying and selling of shares is over the transaction is made complete through an electronic system. This system is responsible for linking all the banks along with the stockbroker and registrars of the respective companies. You can invest in international stocks as well. When a company performs trading in a stock market of another country, their stocks are known as International stocks. These stocks are traded like the UK stocks or, for that matter those traded in the Nasdaq in the US. All the stock exchanges in the world work in the same manner.

There is no guarantee when it comes to Investment in stocks but if you are ready to take a big risk then you can expect great returns on your investment. Despite the risk factor this form of investment has outperformed other investment options like bonds or saving accounts. So if you have the right strategy and you make the right moves in the stock market then nothing can stop the money from rolling in.

Posted on 5th November 2006
Under: Investing, Trading, Stock Market | No Comments »

Can Technology help FOREX trading success?

Trading on foreign exchange currency can be volatile yet exciting form of investment and it certainly has the potential of bringing vast returns. Just imagine, about 3 trillion worth of currency is traded daily, so think about the kind of value you can get from taking part in this market. Unfortunately, about 95% of beginner traders fail. So, why is it that so? Can technology help improve forex traders’ success just like it did in improving our lives in many ways?

Forex trading takes into consideration of fundamental and technical aspect of the currency. Fundamentals such as interest rates changes and economic news are key indicators of the currency value. Technical analysis includes charts, indicators such as Stochastic, RSI, MACD and many more. Well, if all these terms sound so foreign to you, that pretty much explains why this is to tough!

Technology plays an important role in changing the way we trade. With internet, many are already trading forex (or even stock) from the comfort of their own homes. In April 2006, a brand new investment technology in the United States created a whole new demographic of traders - the average everyday you and me who are not professionals can now tap into the Forex market and earn great returns.

How is that achieved? Basically the tool adopts a simple “hedging” methodology so that your risk is less exposed to market fluctuation. At the same time, it focuses on the concept of “buy low, sell high” and with an automated trading system provided by the broker, the “buy low, sell high” is triggered, locking in profits even when you are not monitoring the market. Besides, you get to earn daily interest from the forex market, isn’t that a great way to grow your wealth?

So how can this tool help new traders? The element of fundamental and technical analysis is no longer required in this advanced way of trading. And success rate is now much higher!

Quote from other articles - “this program is like a sleeping giant that’s about to wake up. This product has tremendous value and levels the playing field for the average person that’s never invested anything before.”

So, if you are new to forex trading and want to get a piece of 3 trillion dollar market, this is a great way to get started.

Posted on 5th November 2006
Under: Forex | 2 Comments »