Investment Articles

The basic reason for looking at a price chart is to determine the trend. At a quick glance, we can see whether the market is moving up or down. However, few realize that the real trend is determined by the pattern of rising and declining moves. It is the determination of the ‘real’ trend that provides the information needed in identifying persistant moves.

Why is it important to identify ‘persistant’ moves or trends? Because it is these types of moves that provide the best opportunities for profit. If the trader/investor focused on just the ‘meatier’ parts of market moves, trades would only be taken in the direction of these ‘real’ trends, and the potential for profit would be much higher than opposing the trend.

The basic identifying pattern for trends require the identifying of Swings.

When price bars are formed with higher highs, at some point the last higher high bar will be followed by a bar that does not make a higher high, but makes a lower low. When this happens, the last higher high is referred to as a ’swing top’.

When price bars are formed with lower lows, at some point the last lower low bar will be followed by a bar that does not make a lower low, but makes a higher high. When this happens, the last lower low is referred to as a ’swing bottom’.

The basic pattern for a BULL trend is that each price bar is making a higher low. We are not concerned about the highs. If a series of higher lows ends and lower lows begins (Swing Top confirmed), as long as the lower lows do not make a low below the last Swing Bottom low, the trend is still considered to be a BULL trend. With BULL trends, the pattern is one of each Swing Bottom forming its low higher than the last Swing Bottom low. At times, it is possible for a Swing Bottom low to move below the low of the most recent Swing Bottom low, but not below the low of the last two Swing Bottom lows. When a lower low is below the last two swing-bottom lows, this usually signals that the BULL trend has likely ended.

The basic pattern for a BEAR trend is that each price bar is making a lower high AND lower low. Note that there are two indications here rather than just one, as is the case with BULL trends that only looks at the higher lows. When prices make a higher high and higher low in a BEAR trend (Swing Bottom confirmed), it will remain a BEAR trend as long as the high is not higher than the high of the last Swing Top high. BEAR trends have the pattern of lower Swing Tops and lower Swing Bottoms. It is possible for a high to go higher than the last Swing Top high and still be a BEAR trend. However, if the high goes above the high of the last two swing-top highs, then the BEAR trend has likely ended.

Now I stress that these are BASIC trend patterns. Understanding the basics is important as they provide the foundation for more advanced chart studies.

Understanding that the markets tend to move in the direction of the trend much longer than when moving opposite the trend, the trader/investor is in a better position when focusing trades to be executed in the direction of the trend. In addition, but understanding the ’swing’ patterns that these trends exhibit, the trader/investor will further benefit by entering the trend at the end of these opposing moves.

For example, if the trend is BULLISH, the pattern is one of higher Swing Bottoms. These bottoms mark the end of moves in opposition to the trend. We call these moves ‘corrections’. By entering BULL trends at the end of corrections, that is, at Swing Bottoms, this lowers the risk exposure and increases the potential for profit. Once the Swing Bottom has confirmed, the trader/investor can use the low of the Swing Bottom to place a protective stop-loss (usually one or more ticks below the low).

Basic trend identification, however, is not a stand-alone trading system. In fact, there is no single indication that should be used alone for the purposes of trading. Rather, trend identification is just part of the solution to profitable trading. Other indications should be used along with trend identification to make a success at trading.

For example, knowing when a Swing Bottom is likely the end of a correction rather than some minor blip on the chart that will see its low taken out a few days later, resulting in a loss. Also, some Swing Bottoms and Swing Tops are more significant in pattern and duration than others. When determining whether a Swing Bottom has moved lower than a previous Swing Bottom, it is important to determine whether the previous Swing Bottom is even signficant enough to warrant consideration. Maybe it was a single bar correction of very small magnitude. When noting whether a Swing Bottom has moved below a previous Swing Bottom, it helps if you use common sense as to whether the two are in a similar league. Moving lower than a recent insignificant Swing Bottom low may not mean anything in the way of the BULL trend possibly ending.

Within the FDates Market Timing Membership, we not only take note of the formation of these Swings, but we note whether they occur during a time precalculated as a Turn Date (FDates). This becomes more important when the Turn Date is based on the weekly time frame price chart. For when a Swing Top or Bottom occurs on a weekly chart or is expected to occur based on the Turn Date, the trend is often changing on the lower daily price chart. Using Turn Dates along with these trend patterns and Swings allows for ‘confirming’ the Swings.

Another important indication to use along with trend patterns, swings and turn dates is to pre-calculate support and resistance levels. For example, when the pattern is of a BULL trend and prices are ‘correcting’ and then forms a bottom swing low, if that low is at some pre-calculated support price level, that would give a strong signal to enter the BULL trend with a buy, and to put the stop-loss below the Swing Bottom low and support level.

So always start by determining what the trend is, and then plan to enter that trend at the end of the trend corrections. Using other indications, such as turn dates, support and resistance levels, or some other method of analysis.

Rick J. Ratchford has been trading since 1989 and since 1996 is an Analyst for ProfitMax Trading Inc., a membership for traders specializing in the advance forecasting of market tops and bottoms for Precision Timing the Futures, Commodity and Forex markets.

http://www.amazingaccuracy.com. “Know Today the Market Turns of Tomorrow!”

What is residual income? Residual income is a type of income regularly received after a one time investment of money, time, and effort. When an author writes a book, he will spend time working on it. When the book has been written, he will publish it online or offline. During this time, he needs to spend some amount of money in order to publish and advertise it. He might create a website for that purpose, or look for another one where he can post and advertise such a product. At first, it’s all money out. There is no actual income at this point in time. But over a period of time, people start browsing and clicking the websites in which he advertised his book. When visitors get interested in his book and buy it, he will start making money especially when he becomes popular in his niche. Because of this, he receives a regular income even if he does not any more spend his time making another book. This type of income is called residual income.

Common to everybody, we have to work hard to earn some money. We all know that what we earned is commensurate with our work. It’s an income, isn’t it? This type of income is called linear income. Many are already satisfied with this income model because it’s quick and guaranteed. Aside from that, we can control and anticipate the amount of income we can earn for a period of time and that gives us a basis for budgeting. However, it is limited because it is also based on our energy and time. Every day, we are awake for 16 hours. Assuming, we earn $25 per hour. We work 16 hours a day so it gives us a daily income of $400. After a month, we have $12,000. Of course we need to eat and take a shower every day. We change clothes and go to work while being stuck in the middle of the traffic jam. On top of that, this work includes Saturdays and Sundays. Even if we enjoy this busy lifestyle, where can you get any more time to earn more?

Residual income is a better alternative for people who want more. With less effort, you could earn $5k, $10k, or $20k a month depending on how you set it up. Therefore, residual income is a business. But unlike most traditional businesses, residual income business can be set up without having to set aside your linear income. Since residual income business is still a business, you may need to spend a little effort from time to time. But that does not require you to give up your regular work if you still wish to work continuously. In fact, you don’t have to.

What are the types of residual income business? Residual income business is more common with artists such as singers, music composers and movie actors and actresses. They are paid for the work they have accomplished. After a certain period of time when their films or recordings are distributed in the market, they will receive a royalty fee. Every time a single copy of their work is sold, they earn a residual income. The entertainment industry is just one type of residual income business.

If entertainment is a residual income business, creativity is another type. This type of residual income business entails knowledge and intelligence. Inventors, scientist, and designers such as engineers also receive an income based on the agreed amount equivalent to their output. When another institution or any business entity uses the patent of their work, they may earn a huge amount of money. The only challenge here is that nowadays, most companies have their own R&D department that develops their own patent.

Most of us must have forgotten that a franchising business is also an example of a residual income business. This kind of business requires so much time and money. It involves risk during the start-up stage. However, when the business grows and becomes popular, people who want to engage in business would prefer to have the same. Businessmen willing to use the franchise name will benefit from the same market where it is the leader. On the other hand, the owner of the franchise earns a residual income from the franchise fee every after the expiration of a franchise period. Common businesses that may sell a franchise are fast food chains and retail shops.

Online business is the hottest residual income business nowadays. We can earn a residual income from various income models. As a beginner, we spend more time browsing and researching some related information on how to earn money online. By doing so, we become bombarded and loaded with a lot of options to begin with. The most popular one we may notice is the affiliate marketing business. And a person engaged in this business is known as affiliate. An affiliate is someone who looks for a product online not for the purpose of buying it. He sells it online. He gets into a number of websites offering some affiliate programs. This includes advertising the products from the said websites to many different links and web directories. An affiliate earns a commission upon from the sale of the product bought by online visitors. It requires a lot of effort and trials in the beginning stage. When it’s all set, residual income follows.

How does it work? We may find our niche or a particular specialization based on our talent and skill. Afterward, we can create a niche website or blog and write some articles related to our expertise. In order to draw the visitor’s traffic to our sites, we optimize the search engines using keywords in our article content. This formula is known as SEO or search engine optimizer. Through this, we might gather an optimum number of visitors who may like we say and who, eventually, may want to learn more about we have and what they should buy to go deeper. From there, we can search for some websites selling products related to our expertise. We should apply for a membership and select the niche products which we can promote on our site. Through this, we can lead the visitors to those sites using a link. Once a visitor gets interested to buy the product, he will just click the link and get directed to the sites where he can make a purchase. When a sale is done, an affiliate will earn a commission. This process can happen repeatedly even if an affiliate is offline. Your site and the links in it will do the rest for you. Sometimes, an affiliate must exert his extra effort to sustain and strengthen the traffic. But if an affiliate has started it right, there will only be little effort needed.

On the other hand, you can create your own online products and let the affiliates promote and sell them. Instead of just an article, you may be an author of a book. Make sure that the books, you should make, is related to your niche. At first, you should build your credibility as an expert in your niche. To do so, you should also do what affiliates do.

Residual income business depends on our personality. It does not depend on the amount of capital or on the opportunity available at a particular point in time. Although it is hard to measure the exact result, the potential is limitless. It is true that we can earn with less effort through residual income business. However, there is no easy way to earn higher. We should innovate and learn new ways in order to be competitive. For all kinds of residual income of business, competitiveness is the greatest capital. The competitive are paid competitively.

Michael F. Anyayahan is a freelance forex trader and writer. To learn more about investing, visit: http://www.forexuniverse.yolasite.com

In the past, it was beyond the imagination of everyone to make money without exerting some energy or effort. As far as we believe, fortune lies on our hand. So whenever we hear that it is now possible to earn some money online, we might surely hesitate to believe. Some people must have tried to check it out themselves recently. Not long ago, one of the most popular trends to earn some money through the internet was online foreign exchange trading. Many have tried it and I have become apprehensive because they must have learned about the activities of some fake brokers. But if we carefully search the internet, we could find more credible sites where we could trade and make money. So there are really many people who have started to invest even in a small amount of money. Most beginners might have experienced some unavoidable losses. Some of them might have infused more capital and began making some money. Whoever have tried this moneymaking model, they are surely obsessed with online passive income.

It’s amazing that one can earn money through the internet. There are numerous methods of making online passive income. The most popular trend now is through affiliate marketing. The first impression, if we hear these words might be that this is just another online selling scheme if not a scam. This is true but this is more than just selling. This is actually a legitimate business. In the start-up stage of such online business, we must spend our time, our money and our energy. And usually, we have to make several follow through. An affiliate is anyone who can advertise and sell the products of the site owners who are also waiting for anyone who are willing to do such. But, it is different from field work selling. Affiliate marketing does not force anyone to work outside their home. Although it requires the creation of a website or blogs, membership in most forums, and article marketing, this is not permanent because when everything is all set, your sites will do the rest for you like a robot serving its master.

Online passive income is made when a purchase of an online product occurs. Affiliates can make online passive income in a number of ways. One common example is by means of article writing. You may write and submit your articles to various article directories. But keep in mind that you should be submitting one original article only once because any further submission of the copy of the same article to another website is considered as spam. You may write another similar spun article. In our article, we may insert some links that can direct the visitors to your site. The content of your articles won’t have to appear like a sales letter. It should be informative so that it could attract more visitors. Even the content of the articles could determine the traffic. Using some effective key words to optimize the search engine, visitors who may happen to type some similar words in your articles will be able to see your articles in the search results. The objective of article marketing should be to drive the traffic to your site with the help of your articles. The more visitors you drive to your sites, the more probable it will be that some of them could buy the products that are being advertised. For each purchase they make, you will receive a commission.

Another strategy to make online passive income in affiliate marketing is by joining some forums. You should discover your niche and stay on it so whenever you are chatting, you are establishing your credibility in order to get the confidence of your visitors. Yahoo answer is a good step to drive the traffic to your site. If you join their forum, all you need to do is to answer the questions and show to the visitors that you are a specialist in that area. For instance, your niche is about cooking and you are promoting and selling some e-books about it. You must search some questions about the areas of your interest and answer them sincerely. When the visitors who asked the questions suddenly become more interested in you, they might check your profile. Your link will be openly shown to them. In any of your answer, do not put a link. When you make more replies, you may somehow paste a link. But the important thing is that you must give the visitors your reply and the necessary answers they need.

Blog posting is another means to drive visitor’s traffic. Search for more blogs of famous personalities who are respected in their niche and follow them. Don’t forget that it is not the post that matters. The readers should recognize you in your field of expertise. When you establish your credibility, the readers may follow you and your link. Blogging may also help you get the ranking in the search engine results.

Usually, a blog post or an article you make may not rank in the search engine results. Whatever key words you include in your articles to optimize the search engine, it won’t seem to work for you. So, it is recommended that you join some forums in several high-ranking websites. If possible, you should submit some articles to them.

There are various ways you should do to set up an online passive income. You can only begin to earn if your site has some traffic. To make it happen requires time and energy. In the first stage, you are just starting to build your profile that could attract some visitors to learn more about you as well as your products. Therefore, building an online passive income is not an easy job in the beginning because the beginning always takes long. Here are some helpful tips:

1) Do not rely on just 1 article. Whenever it is possible, submit your articles to all the article directories that you are familiar with. Make all your articles almost similar but not identical in order to optimize the search engine.

2) Choose a product that is not yet over exposed in the market. Popular products will always go through tough competition. So the best product does not always need to be a popular one.

3) Build your own blog or website. It is where you will drive the traffic. If your site has a member forum page, you can take advantage of it through email marketing.

4) Be a member of some popular sites. Whether a site offers a forum or not depends on your searching. But most sites do.

5) Look for your niche. Think of anything that is related to your specialization. It is where you should base your product selection. Before deciding on what product to promote and sell, search for some interesting subject matters that you can always connect to.

6) Continue browsing to find more websites. All websites have something to offer.

The tips above are only a reminder. As you go on searching for ways to make online passive income, you will find out various things which might be more beneficial for your online business. Some other ways that could help you in your online business are social media marketing and network marketing.

Online passive income can either be passive or active. In actual situation, it is not easy to look for anything that could give us an income with less effort. We may describe passive income according to the flexibility of time and effort we exert. Usually, we may not notice that the online passive income that we know becomes synonymous to online job. As many people believe, an income that comes from the internet is considered passive because your income is earned without a need to go outside our home. There is nothing wrong with spending so much time setting up everything online. In most cases, you have to be in front of the computer screen for a longer time. We may still call such an income an online passive income though. It is not how long or how much you should do things that determine the essence of online passive income. It’s the flexibility, instead. As long as you are not stuck in a certain job, you could make an online passive income. The only kind of income on the internet which is not considered as passive is a salary for online jobs.

Someday, all people will look for online passive income. By that time, there will surely be too much traffic in most websites. Today is the best time to begin setting up your online business and make online passive income someday. Work today. Earn someday.

Michael F. Anyayahan is a freelance forex trader and writer. To learn more about investing, visit: http://www.forexuniverse.yolasite.com

An average person can generate passive income in many ways. This means that it is not only the rich that can generate passive income. Everybody can but not in the same way. For an average person, his salary is the only source of income he can generate. Beyond his knowledge, it is also possible to get some extra income even without trying to start big.

Our salary is precious to us. But aside from our salary we can earn a decent amount from what little money we have. The first thing we should do is to save money. Saving money requires discipline. Around us, there are many things that force us to buy what is beyond our immediate need. We must agree that to generate passive income, we need enough capital. We are just confused how enough is enough. Whenever our income increases, we tend to spend more, too. This is the biggest challenge to generate passive income.

We don’t necessarily save all our hard-earned money to raise the needed capital to invest. What we need is to calculate the cost of our daily necessities and identify the priorities. More often than not, we prioritize which we should spend for. To generate passive income has been forgotten by many as the first thing in mind. If we set aside a little every time we receive our salary, such money will become big over time. It is easier said than done. However, that is not a hard thing to do. Our first priority must be to generate passive income.

Usually, we believe that only a big capital is able to generate passive income and it is beyond our limit. Perhaps, it is true. It is true if we continue to believe so. These days, everything is possible. Long time ago, we had to prepare large amount of capital because the required minimum capital for almost all types of investment was also large. Nowadays, the internet offers many options to generate passive income.

In stock market, we can start trading if we have at least $2,000 or even less. If you choose to invest in stock market for a little amount of money, the dividend will not be much attractive no matter how good the company is. However, you can generate passive income through buying and selling of stocks. There is risk involved in trading stocks. But if you are very familiar with the basic tools on how to manage the risk, stock market will be very much exciting and promising.

If you are a conservative type of investors with little amount of money and who are willing to wait for long, you may choose a managed portfolio such as the mutual fund. In mutual fund, you can put your money in and pull out any time you prefer. The minimum capital is not large, either. Your money invested is pooled together with the money invested by many individual investors. This money is the fund being used to invest in different portfolios of investment. You may generate passive income here through stock valuation and through stock dividends of the fund’s portfolios. When the fund grows, you money will, too.

Now, if you are a risk taker who wants to take advantage of the profit potential of a volatile market, you may also trade currencies for as little as $500 or even less. To generate passive income here, you must be a carry trader type of investors who speculate a long-term bull trend and earn from a currency’s roll over rate while enjoying your price margin or floating profit. But this is only true in a very good market condition. In this type of investment, only 5% or so of those who try become professional traders. It doesn’t mean that it is impossible to earn here. In fact, currency trading has the highest profit potential due to high leverage. What actually this market requires is a deep understanding of the underlying fundamental and technical reason why a certain currency moves in one direction. In other words, skills are required here. On the other hand, this is the cheapest way to generate passive income. It is also the most liquid market you may invest in. But this is the least passive of all types of passive income. Investment here is neither dependent on the market, nor on a currency. It depends on you and what kind of trader you are. If you choose to generate passive income here, you should try a demo account first in order to test your trading strategy before investing in live account.

However, there are still many of us who resort to the traditional way to generate passive income. One can put up a food cart business, or buy a car to make it a taxi cab. If you already own a small unit of apartment, you can have it rented. You may procure some cheaper sports equipment and put up a gym in your community. Business is by far the most popular source of income. The problem is that most people try the same. Thus, competition gets even tougher.

A food cart business can be a very lucrative option to generate passive income. Inside the malls, a lot of food carts line up. One may think that such a business is not permanent. Surprisingly, these small carts have been growing in numbers. To operate such a business is not really difficult. Since it is small, the operation is simple and the cost is less. But it sells like hot cake.

Operating a taxi cab is as easy as ABC. The ideal circumstance in this is when the taxi unit is 100% owned by you. This alternative source of income is suitable for those who already have at least one fuel-efficient car.

An average person who has inherited a small house and lot or an apartment unit may rent it out to generate passive income. The proceeds from renting out your apartment can be used to pay another housing loan. Such a system is for a long-term investment. Using our properties to generate passive income for longer investment is a wise decision we can make. Using them to earn a living can be short-lived because our property depreciates overtime. Though the value of land is appreciating, structural maintenance is costly. Aside from that, tenants may come and go. So, you have to be more creative in utilizing your possessions.

You can also convert your property to a fitness gym. Sports equipment depreciates very slowly. Nowadays, many people are crazy about health and fitness. There is a big market for that and this industry has been growing consistently. As our society becomes more and more stressful, people give more and more emphasis on coping up stress. Such a growing demand is a good opportunity to generate passive income. While your customers pay for the energy they consume, you are paid for the less effort you exert.

Now, there is also an alternative to traditional business. This business is known as online business. You may create and sell digital products. All such transactions are now done online. There are wide varieties of online businesses you can choose from. What online business requires is your creativity. Everybody here is doing everything to drive the traffic to their sites and that will force us to think of better strategies. Though the competition is tough, the room for growth is big. What is important is that you can start here any time with less capital and less risk.

So, for an average person looking for an opportunity to generate passive income, options are always available. Let us not forget that we should first study the things we want to do before we start doing them. Everything is possible for everyone everywhere and every time.

Michael F. Anyayahan is a freelance forex trader and writer. To learn more, visit: http://www.forexuniverse.yolasite.com

The shine of the yellow metal seems to be getting brighter with every passing year. On one hand gold has successfully preserved its value and on the other, it has given investors a consistent appreciation over time. Truly, today all that glitters is gold.

With economies around the world starting to show cracks and currencies turning highly volatile, gold finds place in the portfolio of every savvy investor. There are several options for individuals to buy gold – bullion, coins, jewelry, stock market futures and options, ETFs, and ownership certificates are some of the popular choices across the globe.

Today, let’s focus on what many experts claim to be the best option for individual investors, Gold ETFs.

What are ETFs

Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) are units issued by fund houses and that are traded on stock exchanges. Gold ETFs are issued by fund houses that invest in gold and may continually buy the precious metal to add to their reserves.

At the time of listing on a stock exchange, the fund house divides the value of its gold holding into smaller units and allots them to investors based on contribution. Once listed, ETF units are traded electronically in the stock market just like the stock of any listed company.

Why ETFs

One major advantage of ETFs is safety. If you buy gold in its physical form (bullion, coins, jewelry) you will have to take special care to ensure that it does not get stolen or misplaced. ETFs are electronic units that can be bought, sold and tracked online through your broker. You can quickly check them by logging in to your account. Also, they cannot be stolen or transferred without your prior approval.

Another significant advantage is that you can invest with smaller amounts of money. The minimum denomination of physical gold that can be bought differs from country to country, but in most stock exchanges an ETF is available in multiples of single units, each equal to one gram.

Convenience is yet another advantage of the ETF mode of investing in gold. Finding legitimate buyers, defining terms and settling transactions are challenging tasks; with ETFs you can check the price yourself (or with your broker) and make the sale securely. The transaction is completed instantly and the proceeds of the sale are electronically deposited into your account. This makes the process transparent, convenient and free from potentially falling through.

Physical gold is charming as it can be worn and flaunted. While you cannot wear ETFs round your neck, you can certainly sell them to buy physical gold. Also, gold jewelry comes with an additional cost of making the ornament which is not compensated at the time of reselling the ornament. ETFs closely follow the price of raw gold with small charges levied by the management of the fund house.

How to invest

Both institutions and individuals can invest in ETFs. As this financial instrument is exchange traded, you will need to open a brokerage account with a local broking firm before you can deal in it. A brokerage account is the same account that you would need if you want to invest in stocks of listed companies.

ETFs are cash settled and no physical exchange of goods takes place during the trade. The net cash balance from your trade will be adjusted in your brokerage account. There is no minimum holding period for ETFs so you can buy and sell them as frequently as you choose to. For those familiar with stock trading, ETFs can also be short sold if price corrections are expected.

When to invest

Profitable investments are a result of analysis, timing and perspective. Experts advise that individuals should make a habit of investing regularly. As long as you hold a brokerage account and have money, you can invest in gold ETFs (or other products).

http://www.thestandardbar.com/

Indiaand China, two powerful emerging economies have decided to defy European Union and U.S. sanctions on Iran planned to pressurize Tehran into abandoning its nuclear program.

At a press conference in Chicago on Sunday, Pranab Mukherjee told reporters that Iran remains one of the strongest contributors to India’s emerging economy and drastically reducing imports from Iran would not be a feasible decision. India and China together account for 34 percent of Iran oil exports, slightly higher than Europe.

Although, Iran would be happy with this decision, it waits to be seen how the two countries cope up when it is time to pay, without offending the sanctions. Analysts feel that Iran may have bribed the Asian countries with discounted oil prices to keep them on their side. If China and India were to disobey EU sanctions, Iran is at freewill to sidestep the sanctions and receive foreign capital.

It is also assumed that China and India may be whiling away time to check whether they are able to get some attractive discounts from Saudi Arabia who is presently trying to re-position itself as the substitute exporter for Iran.

The European Union imposed an oil embargo on Iran, banning all European nations from buying oil from the Mideast country. While Europe froze assets of the Iranian Central Bank, U.S. barred financial institutions from trading with the bank.

Indiaand China rely heavily on oil imports to sustain their daily needs. Iran accounts for 9 percent of India’s imports while China depends on Iran for 6 percent of its imports. Iran exports 2.5 million barrels of oil per day of which a majority is sent to China, India, Japan and South Korea. The remaining 500,000 barrels goes to Europe.

South Koreahas refused to commit to the Iran oil sanctions while China has asked for negotiations. Japan is saying that oil imports from Iran have been already declining over the past few years and will continue to do so.

Although India is willing to buy oil from Iran, it may find hard to find banks ready to carry out transactions with the banned country. Presently, Indian is trading via Turkiye Halk Bankasi AS, which also handles payments for oil refiner Tupras. As this route is vulnerable to external pressure, India would have to delve into other modes of payment as well.

The Iran oil embargo involve the US and EU suspecting Iran of building nuclear weapons. However, Iran argues that its nuclear facility is for peaceful purposes only.

The author is a knowledgeable writer in oil related fields, who frequently writes articles related to oil prices & indexes and crude oil including tips on investment in oil. Please visit oil.com for more details.

OPEC chief Abdalla Salem el-Badri warned that stand off between Iran and the West could damage the world economy and oil investments. It was his most lethal warning until yet defining the escalating tensions between Iran and U.S./European Union over the contradictory assumptions on the nuclear propaganda by the Middle Eastern country.

Abdalla Salem el-Badri who is the secretary general of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries said increasing tensions between the West and Iran were putting pressure on oil prices and an impending explosive situation would turn out to be disastrous with much higher prices.

El-Badri worries for prices on oil that could shoot up beyond $150 a barrel, which would definitively pinch the already groaning world economy. As U.S. and the European Union thatch up a plan to stop Tehran from continuing with its nuclear program, Iran is adamantly resisting the oil embargo by threatening to close the important shipping transport line of Strait of Hormuz. Last week, the IMF had warned that EU measures causing Iranian oil disruptions could lead to Brent crude oil prices to $140 a barrel, which presently is trending around $112 a barrel.

The uprising in the oil markets will not benefit anybody, as there will be a lot of volatility and less spare capacity, although Saudi Arabia has promised to fill in the gap caused by the Iran disruption.

Oil producers are laughing all the way to the bank as prices hover over $100 a barrel due to the Iran tensions. Producers are expecting higher revenue following Arab disruptions last year. However, el-Badri made it clear that he does not want OPEC members to take advantage and generate revenue from the conflict.

After the Iran-Saudi argument in 2011, OPEC prefers to stay away from the present oil embargo conflict and concentrate as an economic institution. Isolating itself from the situation, it would prefer not to take sides of either Iran or the West. El-Badri expressed optimism that the tensions would resolve since the Western countries are aware of the consequences tied to Iran conflict.

The Iran oil embargo is a part of sanctions by the European Union whereby EU countries are banned from purchasing Iranian oil. In retaliation, Iran has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz through which fifth of the world’s oil is transported. Tensions between Iran and Western nations are embroiled with risks giving birth to political and economic instability and military activity to keep the strait open.

The freelancer is an experienced writer in oil related fields, who periodically writes articles related to oil prices & indexes and crude oil including tips on investment in oil. Please visit oil.com for more details.

In my financial advising practice I help my clients to take inventory and check their wealth in five categories of assets that few have considered. Each of these categories represent a significant source of wealth or in some cases debt for the client. It is important to add strategies to build wealth in all five of these areas.

We start the process by defining the five asset classes and asking the client to rate the level of wealth in each account on a score of 1-10 with 10 being the highest and requiring no improvement. On the other end of the scale a 1 would need much attention and signify debt in this asset class. The five classes of assets are physical, mental, social, financial and spiritual.

Physical assets concern the body. Are you able to complete your day with little stress and do physical tasks as needed? This evaluation is different for each person. A professional athlete may need more from their body than a retiree. If you fail to pay attention to this asset you may find that your body will fail when you need it the most. Excercise, proper nutrition, stress reduction and rest are great investments that will offer a great a return on investment.

Mental assets concern the mind and intelligence. Many people brag about never reading a book since leaving high school. We live in a complex world and surrounded by fantastic amounts of information. Without leaving our homes we can discover and research many topics to enrich all areas of all live. There is just no excuse for ignorance. What systems do we have in place to expand our knowledge.

Social assets refer to our relationships. These would include family, friends and professional relationships. Do we spend time with the ones we care about and often let these people know how much we value them? Our professional relationships directly influence our career growth and income opportunities. If you research many of the rich and famous including Richard Branson you will quickly discover the high value they place on relationships.

Financial Assets are the most well-known but least important of the asset classes. If you have enough wealth in the other four areas it will never be difficult to rebuild financial assets. If you primarily value financial assets to the debt of the other areas it is only a mater of time till you will begin losing your financial assets. For example it is common to sacrifice health in the early years of a career while pursuing wealth. Later when your health becomes a debt you quickly begin spending wealth in the form of medical bills. My definition of enough financial wealth is the ability to do what you want to do when you want to do it without being concerned over how much it costs.

Last but not least is Spiritual assets.This is not necessarily religion. My experience is we all acknowledge a special connection to a greater power that is a source of peace and satisfaction. This connection requires time and attention which could be prayer, meditation or simply being in nature. The issue is honoring this connection and continuing to keep up our discipline and practices even when life gets busy.

I have listed these as separate assets but they are actually connected. Debts in one asset will be compensated for in another asset class. This can soon cause debt levels in all asset classes. For example debt in financial assets such as not having enough money to pay the monthly bills. This causes physical stress that may lead to health problems or even addiction. Relationships suffer and arguments break out that can lead to divorce. Mental assets are sacrificed by not being able to afford education or simply too stressed to learn. This can lead to feeling a victim and cutting off the spiritual relationship which increases isolation.

My advice is take an inventory and to make sure you have plans in place to cut debt and to increase wealth in each class. Create harmony in your life by not focusing on one area and sacrificing others.Share this article with those you care about and work together to create improvement plans and hold each other accountable.

Many of my clients learn to appreciate the value of these assets only when it is too late and they are faced with tragedy. You still have time and choice.

No BS Money Guy, Todd Strobel is dedicated to cutting through the crap and finding real world proven ways to make and save money. Todd Strobel is a licensed financial adviser with over twenty five years experience the financial industry.

No BS Money Guy! is seeking opportunities to provide value for its members by interviewing thought leaders and business professionals. For consideration please submit an interview request.

Most people in the world today have experienced the pain of the words – national debt, inflation and credit crisis. Suddenly your hard earned savings are of little value. Financial advisors and other economic divas are propagating the wisdom of investing in other avenues such as gold at such times. You may be even contemplating making investments in gold yourself. However, there are many financial geniuses who are turning towards the white metal and what’s more they are gaining far more profit from silver investments than those invested in silver. Though gold is a traditional method of protecting against inflation, in the current scenario investments in silver are offering far better returns. Going by the statistics gold is by far overvalued. While few see the opportunity that awaits investors in the silver market. Some people are afraid to invest in silver given the volatility of silver prices. Gold prices are relatively more stable and are therefore considered a safer option. However the volatility of prices on silver is in itself a major reason for the profits earned from silver. The fluctuating silver price gives much room for speculation while gold tends to remain relatively stable as compared to silver.

Silver’s dual role as a precious metal and a component used in industrial applications is largely responsible for the opportunity for profits offered by the metal. As the industries grow, so does the demand for silver. Many industries such as auto, photography play a huge role in making up the demand for silver. Economies like India and China are also huge and guaranteed markets for silver. Even if the demand for silver in the jewellery industry might lower depending on the current fashion trends, the silver demand by industrial companies never comes down. Silver production is increasing day by day to keep up with the demand.

Today there are countless options for investing in silver, such as coins, bullions, ETF’s and stocks of mining companies. Coins that are a rarity are much more valuable than its sole intrinsic value. People investing in silver mining companies stand to gain profits as huge as 4 times more than those investing in gold. Silver is the most profitable and applied metal in the world today.

So investing in this white metal is not a difficult choice to make. It will earn you many profits than gold ever could. A little research to learn how the prices soar and fall, will go a long way for earning profits in silver.

The writer is a knowledgeable columnist in silver market, mining & stocks, who frequently writes articles related to silver prices, silver spot price including tips on investment in silver. Please visit silverprices.com for more details.

Capital Alternatives: Climate change investment strategies

Economics of the world are moving towards attaining a low carbon growth which involves reducing carbon productivity and increasing energy efficiency. The phenomenon of weather change is, scientifically, recognized as a threat to the environment, which can be reduced by controlling the emission of greenhouse gases. Today weather change is not recognized as a social responsibility but as an opportunity which can provide continued returns over the years, and institutional investors are eyeing the global climate play for diversification and secure returns. Clean energy investments rose by 5% from 2010 to 2011, and institutional investors believe weather change investments provide returns of more than 10%.

The increasing level of Greenhouse gases

The concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere increased after the Industrial Revolution significantly due to increased burning of fossil fuels and urbanization, which led to the process of deforestation and changed the concentration of major greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide increased from 280 parts per million to 391 parts per million (Mauna Loa Observatory) in 2011 and it can reach the dangerous level of 500 ppm, if its emission is not reduced. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization predicted rise in food prices in the year 2012 and one of the causes for rising food prices is poor agricultural production in some parts of world due to change in global climate.

Why to invest in climate change?

Global investors are watching the carbon credit market and examining its capabilities. In a UN meeting in New York, institutional investors claimed it was a profitable area to invest. Some of the main reasons for investing in weather change are -

The value of energy efficiency market will rise to more than $500 billion by 2050 (Stern) and the demand for projects into GHG emission credits will rise to $100 billion by 2030 (UN).
More and more governments and regulators are supporting investment opportunities in weather change.
Diversified strategy of investment in environment offers secure returns.

Factors determining returns in climate change strategies

The returns in climate change strategies are determined by

Changes in policy and regulation
Forecasting and change in prices of carbon
Climate changes
Corporate responsibility
The government policies (Climate change policies are imposed either through the taxation system or the cap-and-trade regulatory system. Certain regulatory organizations provide incentives and subsidies for investment in green policies)

Why investors should invest in weather change?

Global organizations such as United Nations, regional organizations and global groups are demanding weather change initiatives.
State governments across the world are making policies to prevent weather change.
Institutional investors are interested in combining a variety of portfolios to their profile for diversification benefits.
Global and local governments are supporting investment into forestry and agriculture.

Two natural and easy ways of reducing carbon emissions

Land management (rice cultivation and planting trees) and forestry are two natural ways to reduce carbon emissions.

Forestry projects reduce the rate of destruction of natural forests and also prevent the loss of biodiversity. Primary untouched forests contain 2 times the carbon produced by secondary forests. The main challenge of forestry management – forest area density varies and it is exposed to danger of fire and destruction.

Planting trees is another way of reducing degradation of forested land and it includes either permanent managed forests or plantation for carbon exclusion. Forestation is eligible for generating project based Clean Development Mechanism credits and it requires land for forestation, and if forests are grown on land it may take 15 to 50 years to grow depending in on the soil and tree’s varieties.

Capital Alternatives options in Land management and Forestry

Capital Alternatives provides investment opportunities in weather change in forestry and land management projects located at different geographical regions of the world. Forestry projects are offered at Amazon Rainforest and Gola forests of Sierra Leone, and Land management projects are provided in Sierra Leone (rice cultivation) and Australia.

To know more about the investment opportunities, please contact – info@capitalalternatives.co.uk

This article has been written under the guidance of expertise that has the vast knowledge in alternative investment