Where To Invest

Stop praying! The facts that are right in front of you is that the oil price is going up. Despite all the assurance and promises that politicians present to you, what is happening in front of your very own eyes shows you that the oil price is going up. How to invest in oil to make a fortune out of it rather than pressurize yourself under the current circumstances?

Oil Investment Basics #1 Invest in Oil via Managed Funds

If you do a simple search, you will find that a lot of mutual funds that are providing oil investment opportunities. For the skeptic and conservative group of investors, investing in oil via mutual funds or managed funds is a great way to make money out of the rising value of oil.

This is because prior to signing up for a mutual fund, a representative of the fund will explain to you what are the details and the investment styles of the fund thoroughly.

Oil Investment Basics #2 Invest in Oil via Oil Company Stocks

Before reading this article, I am sure that you are aware of the few major oil companies such as Exxon and Shell. You can always invest in oil by putting your money on the stocks of these companies. Just a few years back when the oil price started to rise blatantly, Exxon reported its best profit ever.

By becoming a shareholder of these companies, you are indirectly trying to make a fortune from the rising price of oil.

Oil Investment Basics #3 Futures

When you talk about futures trading, you are talking about trading commodities. This is the most risky method. However, the riskier an investment, the higher the profits that you will be earning. Futures trading is very much like the day to day stock market trading but the "company" that you are buying and selling are minerals such as oil, gold and silver.

The downside of trying to invest in oil via futures trading is that the start up capital that you need will be at least $5000, which is very high and not recommended for small time traders.

Author: Wallace Goldman
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Very few people do not dream about being rich, but most have the same problem and that is that they do not know how to make a fortune. One way to become wealthy is through wise investments. There are many areas that are profitable and the only way to find out what is best, is to research the different options, keep up to date with events and to just gather experience. Investments will give the complete protection to the individual's life, as they benefit them during their age of retirements. It is wise to be independent, specifically when it comes to money. Investments will certainly make a person to live with confidence at any age of his life.

It is possible to invest your way to a fortune, but success depends on how and what you do. For one there is investing in a particular area. Popular areas for investors include real estate, foreign exchange of currencies and stocks. There are, however, other potentially profitable areas that have made many people rich in the last few years. These commodities have shown sharp increases in value over a short period of time and since they have not decreased in price, they are a good investment that will one day make you rich. Safe and profitable commodities include gold, silver, platinum, copper and rice or coffee. Crude oil, ethanol and corn are also areas that have made millionaires out of people who had the insight to recognize market trends and who went along for the ride.

You do not have to be rich in order to start making investments. It is possible to start small and work your way to a fortune through smart investments and tactics. There is a wide range of products that can be invested in and surely something can be found in any price range, you just have to get out, learn and do it. Better understanding, wide knowledge will help you to make your investments more successful. Close observance in the market will drive out a better success, which in turn you can achieve a better yield.

Author: Joshua Geralds
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The economy is slumping and no market is looking good, whether it be the stock market, housing market, or the prices you pay at the grocery store. But there are some things you can do to take advantage of the situation and prepare yourself for the future. Here are some tips:

Pay down debt with your refund and stimulus check

Average tax refunds are over $2000 and the tax stimulus plan will put hundreds of dollars into ordinary American's pockets. The government intended for you to spend this money to stimulate the economy. Don't be tempted... Pay off your high interest debt. A majority of Americans have CC debt, pay it off now. Don't even save some of your refund to buy a gift... lower your debt. The government won't always be this friendly and hand money back to you.

Take advantage of life insurance

Term life insurance has been declining in price over the last decade, 33% for some categories. For as little as $30/month you can get a 20 year $500,000 policy.

Don't take a loan out of your 401k

Let's not be stupid here during the recession. 18% of people currently have a loan out of their 401k. The problem with taking a loan out of your 401k is that you pull out pretax dollars, but pay it back with money you've already paid taxes on. When you withdraw the money at retirement, you're essentially double taxed.

Invest Long Term - Invest in the Stock Market

The best advice I could give here. Sure the market is volatile and gaining and dropping hundreds of points a day. But the market is correcting and at a low point right now. Haven't you ever heard "Buy low and sell high?" The best time to buy is when the market is at the low point. Is that low point right now, know one knows for sure, probably not. But it's definitely going to go back up given time. With that said, invest for 10-20-30 years down the road. Diversify in international stocks and various indexes.

Author: Joshua Saunders
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How Funds are sold

Mutual Funds primarily depend upon individual agents and distribution companies to market their schemes to the investors. Nowadays, they also market their schemes directly.

The individual agents who sell schemes of various Mutual Funds also act as financial advisors to many investors. Hence they are required to clear various examinations before acting as an agent. Many Mutual Funds prefer to deal with distribution agency than individual agents as it is easier to manage. These distribution agencies, with their highly qualified executives, will be able to offer better financial advice than individual agents to the investors.

Nowadays, the sales officers and other employees of the investment companies directly approach the investors (particularly the high net worth individuals and corporate clients) to sell different schemes. However, most of the sales of Mutual Funds happen through other distribution route than from marketing directly.

Investment Policies

Every Mutual Fund has a specified investment policy which will be described in the Mutual Fund's prospectus. A family of Mutual Funds will be managed by an Asset Management Company. This Asset Management Company will collect funds from investors and charge a management fee for operating them. They enable investors to invest across different market sectors and switch assets across funds while still benefiting from centralized record keeping.

The investment policies of different types of funds are as follows:

• Equity Funds. They invest in stock. However, they will hold 4% to 5% of their assets in money market securities to offer liquidity. Income funds will hold shares of firms giving high dividend yield and Growth funds will hold shares of firms that enable faster capital appreciation. Sector funds focus on a particular industry.

• Debt Funds. These funds invest in fixed-income securities. Different funds will concentrate on Treasury bills, corporate bonds, Mortgage-backed securities and other kinds of bonds. Some of the funds also specialize on maturity.

• Index Funds. Index funds buy shares that are included in a particular index in proportion to each share's representation in that index. Investing in index funds is a passive strategy because the investors need not do any security analysis.

• Money Market Funds. These funds invest in short-term low-risk instruments of the money market. Since the liquidity is high, some of the funds even offer cheque writing facilities to their investors.

Apart from these funds there are many different varieties of funds with unique investment policies like the international funds which invest in different securities across the world, the balanced funds which minimize risk without compromising heavily on growth opportunities and current income and the flexible funds which depend on market timing.

Author: Dilip V Mohan
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There are many kinds of investments you can avail of but there are an equal number of factors you have to consider before you put in your money.

You can start by searching for investment opportunities taking in to account you risk tolerance, the investments options offered and considering your long-term financial objectives.

Investing money is akin to purchasing an automobile. Where a vehicle is concerned you are going to thoroughly review the model and everything about it before you decide to make the payment, and the same strategy can be applied to investing money.

Before you invest, you have to learn all about investing that you possibly can and also talk with people who are currently investing money.

To get proficient in the ways of the stock market will take considerable time but I can assure you that your time will not be wasted. Today there are a number of books on how to get started, e-books, websites that offer free tutorials, or you can even go through a college level diploma, which is what most stock brokers do. With your internet account you can even start indulging using fake cash, just to get a hang of what it's like.

Starting with stock exchange simulation websites is a very good option you have and you can even make pretend investments and see how they fare.

Stock exchange simulators do not offer all types of investments actually on offer and to understand them you will have to put in some efforts by reading stuff about them.

Now that you are a prospective investor, make it a point to read about everything that you can about the stock market and investing but before you do this make sure you have the basics understood or you may end up getting confused about the whole arena.

Most importantly meet up with a financial planner. They will prove to be of immense help in chalking out a financial plan for you considering your financial objectives. Trust me these people are good! They are trained professionals and they can easily and correctly advise you on where to invest your money. Listen to them carefully and you will get to learn a lot of things about investing.

Author: Joshua Geralds
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One Key to Asset Appreciation is to Invest Where There is Significant Growth and price appreciation. The mere fact that close to 98% of what we do and have is related in some way to crude oil means that even in this great era of tech and communication we all need to be concerned. Not only are petrochemical products used to power our vehicles, run our machines and heat or cool our homes, they are literally the fabric of our lives, the plastic bags and bottles for our goods, and the fertilizers that grow our food to name only a fraction of its benefit.

What is costing you the most these days? Gasoline! Why not participate in the profits being made if you have some money to invest? All of this brings us to this question, and solution about why you should be investing in oil and gas ventures.

And the answers are these:

Oil and gas offer substantial rewards with calculable returns within six to twelve months with a better than 10:1 ROI (return On Investment), which is greater than fifty percent annual rate of return.

The associated risk is considerably less than it was a decade ago with success rates as high as 90%.

According to Newsweek Magazine drilling is one of the best investments for tax advantages.

The availability of small, manageable prospects, overseen by highly professional private companies like ours is flourishing.

The competition is not as fierce as it was in the past because the big money oil giants have all gone offshore because they lack the wherewithal to prospect in the remaining fields. Over 10,000 oil companies have seen their demise since 1982 because of this.

Demand for oil, as we have already stated above is skyrocketing, in fact it is doubling every ten years.

Price forecasts and long-range projections are way up.

Drilling activity is at the lowest it has been in fifty years and so the associated costs are as well.

Industry partners' recent advances in oil locating technology has improved recovery and reduced risk. And, the latest drilling techniques have increased access and availability as well.

And finally, the traditional supplies of drilling money are no longer available which has created a bonanza for independent investors and venture capitalists

Author: Ricky Gee
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Private equity investing means making an investment in securities through a negotiated process. Majority of these investments are in companies that are not listed on the stock exchange. While private equity investing can deliver impressive returns, it is more prone to risk than other forms of financing, such as debt.

If you're planning to do some private equity investing of your own, consider the following:

• Determine the main goals for the overall portfolio.
• Decide the size of private equity allocation.
• Diversification is a vital aspect of any portfolio. It's wise to maintain a healthy mix of target companies across geographies and industries.
• Remember that returns might be volatile in the short-term. Be prepared to stay invested for a reasonable time period, generally five to ten years.
• Returns from private equity investing can only be realized when the stakes are sold. Therefore, there must be easy options available for exiting the investment.
• Returns are always proportionate to risk. Make sure you don't err in your judgment of the latter.

We already mentioned that private equity investing faces a range of risks that could be more severe than in other types of investments. Experienced investors can minimize some of the likely risks, but cannot eliminate them completely.

Environmental risk: Some countries suffer from a higher degree of political and economic instability, which is generally inimical to business. These countries are also likely to experience currency fluctuation and arbitrary changes in regulations. Again, emerging markets are notorious for their bureaucratic hurdles and associated corruption.

Certain countries have stringent or archaic corporate laws, which might make acquiring or divesting companies very difficult. You also need to watch out for accounting and disclosure norms, as well as any limitation of powers of foreign investors. All of these could severely impact your ability to exert influence as a key stakeholder. Also check for the availability of legal, accounting and banking support services.

In developed economies, there are many ways of realizing value from private equity investing, but that is not necessarily true of all countries. Before deciding on private equity investing, be sure to investigate the state of the capital markets and assure yourself that a proper exit mechanism exists.

Market risk: The management team of target companies will certainly present a rosy picture of their market and its future potential. Be sure to independently verify the data. Some sectors such as real estate are highly volatile, and investing all your resources in these businesses could prove disastrous.

Another element of risk that needs close examination is the quality of human resources. Often, entrepreneurs do not have prior working experience in professionally managed companies, which could affect their ability to manage the business. Remember that most smart private equity investors will never back a management team that doesn't match up.

Author: Akhil Shahani
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Learning to trade commodities is becoming more and more popular. An increasing number of private individual investors are moving away from straight equity stock investments and moving into new markets in search of ways to make money.

The fallout from the sub prime crisis in the US has been much greater than many commentators expected. As credit defaults have increased, the cost of borrowing has increased significantly as lenders in all areas (mortgages, credit cards, personal loans) become more wary of lending cheaply. This effect has become known as the credit crunch. However the credit squeeze has not stopped there. Virtually all businesses are funded in part by debt. As a direct result of this increased cost of debt, most business are now being hit with higher costs that impact their profits. As profits fall, so too do company stock prices.

Why learn to trade commodities?

From July 2007 to Jul 2008 the Dow Jones Industrial Average stock exchange fell in value by about 19%. In the same period Crude Oil has risen in value by about 112%. This fact just highlights the difference in performance between the equity sector and the commodities sectors.

The main difference between the two markets is that the commodity markets are demand driven. By their nature commodities are limited in supply, for example there is only a limited amount of oil in the ground. As econnomies grow and use up more of these resources the supply reduces while at the same time the demand continues to increase. These two effects can only ave one result - an increase in prices.

Author: James McKerr
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You don't need to read thousands of books about the stocks market to be a successful investor. Investing is not about reading charts or being a soothsayer. Neither it is about watching screens with numbers all the day and night. Successful investing is about being patient, having reasonable expectations and sticking to the main investment principles.

Sounds complex? Here are five simple tips that will help you to do all of this:

1. Use smart diversification. Everyone says you should diversify but only few people warn about the pitfalls of over diversification. When you diversify so much that you almost own equal shares of everything in the market, you can't perform better than the market itself. When the market falls, your investment portfolio will fall too.

To avoid this, you should balance between the diversification and the risk. That's what I call smart diversification. Choose enough different assets so you don't depend on only one, but don't try to have everything. If no investment holds more than 15% of your overall portfolio, you should be fine.

2. Invest in different kinds of assets. Many investors make the mistake to buy only stocks, or only mutual funds or only real estate etc... you got the idea. Sure, they diversify in different stocks, funds, properties etc, but what happens if the property market crash?

If you want to be safe, invest in different kinds of assets.

3. Don't follow the crowd. Another mistake that many investors make is to do what everyone else does. What happens then? The price of the "hot" investment goes up and up much above its real value, because everyone wants to buy it. Just see the homes market in USA and Europe. Sooner or later this balloon bursts and a large part of the mass investors end up losing big time.

Your path to successful investing goes through some creativity. Avoid doing what everyone else is doing and find what works best for you.

4. Invest regularly. How many times you've heard someone saying that they made a big investment but it didn't work out? Often such people complain that investing is useless activity in general. Would you agree with them? I would not.

Investing does work, but it's not one time effort. It must be done regularly - even if only with small contributions. The real power of investing can be revealed after you invest month after month, for years. No one says it's easy and quick way to build wealth.

5. Use the power of compounding. Persistence is one of the most important keys to investment success. If you invest again and again and don't take out the profits, you will be able to see one of the greatest financial magics - the power of compounding at work.

Take this example: if you invest $100,000 and make 12% profits per year, you will be able to earn $12,000 yearly or $1,000 per month. This will bring you a nice passive income, but wouldn't make you rich. If instead of getting our the profits you let them compound for 25 years and add just $1,000 per year you'll end up having $1,7 millions!

Author: Bobby Handzhiev
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Forex currency trading systems make buying and selling ridiculously simple. It will seem so easy that it might make you think what's the catch? Is this a scam? I'm glad your BS meter is on because you can't take chances these days. A lot of people are out to scam you with investment fraud and phony claims. That's true. They'll promise you millions in return for your thousand. Don't buy it.

Here are the most common questions I hear about forex currency trading systems:

Q: What if I have never even tried the forex markets, is this going to work for me?

A: Of course! Forex currency trading systems are unlike other systems out there because they are designed to autopilot and help newbies and experienced traders alike. It's actually quite easy to submerse yourself into the system to understand it within minutes.

Q: Do I need a large capital to start this program or to start trading?

A: This depends on which broker you use. Most people usually can start to trade with a nominal $500. Most people actually do get started with a small amount so they can see how the system works. Once they see the profits piling up they end up investing considerable sums to maximize their profits.

Q: Do I need a super computer for this kind of stuff?

A: This is a question that I hear all the time. The truth is all you really need is a reliable internet connection. If you have dsl or cable modem you will be on top of your game. All the heavy stuff is usually hosted wherever you get your forex currency trading system software from.

I hear plenty of questions about forex currency trading system because people really can't grasp the ability they have to make large amounts of money without any knowledge. I know whenever the topic of investing comes up most people don't think they have what it takes. The truth is that systems have been created to turn the most inexperienced investor into the next Warren Buffet.

Author: Jake Adams
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Investing in bonds can be an excellent opportunity to make money. In the meantime, the investor is able to properly balance their portfolio so that it is diverse. Having a diverse portfolio actually makes the investor more profitable and investing in bonds is that cornerstone that is needed to do just that.

What are they?

Bonds are more or less loans given by investors to the big corporation for a period of at least twelve months, usually more. When the bonds meet what is called a maturity date, the investor can then cash out the bond. Their profit comes in the form of interest and they do receive the principle as well.

As for who issues the bonds, they are usually issued by corporations or companies, institutions sponsored by the government, the government, institutions that issue credit, and many other types of institutions. These bonds come in several different types. However, the type depends on the quality of the credit, the maturity date, tax status, and issuer type. Bonds can also be unsecured or secured. These different types are: high yield, inflation linked, fixed rate, zero coupon, asset backed securities, subordinated and perpetual bonds.

The difference between stocks and bonds

Some may make the mistake of mixing up stocks and bonds. Bonds make a promise, whereas stocks do not. The promise that is made when investing in bonds is the fact that the principle will be returned to the investor in addition to some interest. Also, bonds have a time limit and stocks do not. Nevertheless, there is the similarity that both can be purchased on the open market and both have the potential of making money for the investors.

Just be sure to do your homework when investing in bonds. That way you know that you are getting a bond that will make you the most money that you can make. If one could settle with any bond, then there would be no reason to make responsible decisions regarding them. However, investing in bonds can be just as much a game as investing in stocks because you want to make sure you can get the most out of it.

Where to start

If you're interested in investing in bonds, try talking to a broker to see what your options are. Every person is different, so each person requires different types of investment options. Not a single portfolio is alike, so be sure you seek out the help of a professional if you are wishing to begin your own. Over time, you will learn about the tricks of the trade when it comes to the stock market, but there is no better way to do your own research and learn from the professionals.

Author: Ian Pennington
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There is much talk on the internet about investing in various programs with the promise of high income returns on your investment. Are these programs worthwhile, legitimate, and are they profitable, or just too darn risky to even mess with? This is a loaded question for sure, and must be broken down to answer properly.

First of all, they most certainly can be worthwhile if one is careful to choose their programs wisely using a dependable referrer, or by testing a new program by starting out with a small investment of say, about $5, and then building on that when trust is established.

Each country has their own laws, rules, taxes, and regulations when it comes to investments, so always keep within the boundaries of your land, and stick with those programs that are deemed as legitimate.

Are these investment programs profitable? They can be extremely profitable when worked properly. One must use strategy, however, and be willing to roll the money over, giving it time to mature and develop compound interest.

As far as risk is concerned, I really can't see much difference in the risk level of an investment program than in any other promising internet business. People spend hundreds of thousands of dollars every day trying to buy into the "right" program that if they will just follow steps one, two, and three they will be millionaires. Why not just invest with those who are trained to make money and let them put your money to work for you while you do something else? Is there a possibility of failure then no matter how good or stable the company seems to be? Of course there is, but so it goes with internet marketing as a whole.

So after pondering the pros and cons, what about online investing? The answer surely lies in the way the investing is handled. Choose your programs wisely, diversify your funds putting some into investments, and others into a working business, , with the focus on staying balanced. If you stay balanced, start little and grow, your investments will have an excellent opportunity to meet all your expectations, and maybe even more.

Author: Sierra Sage
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Throughout history it's been proven that gold preserves wealth, but the argument has always been, does it produce wealth?

The answer depends on who you ask and how much knowledge they have about buying gold.

If you bought gold over the past few years when the price was low, you could surely say it is a wealth producer based on today's prices. But suppose the price of gold drops to its lowest 10 year value which was $252/oz in 1999? Then it can not be considered a wealth producer, can it?

There is only one way to be certain that gold, as well as anything else, will produce wealth, meaning it will always be worth more in the future than the day you purchased it. That way is to obtain it for nothing.

What I'm about to reveal to you is a way to obtain gold for nothing, yes, I mean for free.

Do you know that last year there was over 1000 metric tonnes(tons) of gold recycled? With the price of gold at an all time high that figure is expected to greatly increase this year.

Do you also know that there are millions of people who possess thousands of tons of gold, that they are looking to sell, but have no idea where or how to sell it?

If you ask 10 people where they would take their scrap gold to sell, or recycle, you would most likely find that less than half would have an answer. The ones that do have an answer will usually say, a pawn shop.

The reason is, pawn shops are primarily the only places that people associate with "selling their gold." There are other places that buy, such as coin shops, but they are not as popular as pawn shops.

Pawn shops pay a very small percentage of value when they buy. This is the underlying reason why you and I can own gold for nothing.

It works like this.

Because pawn shops buy gold well below value, about 20% to 40% of value to be exact, you and I can do the same.

If we buy at 50% or lower, then sell it for 100%, we just made a 100% profit. We then take our payment as half in cash and half in bullion bars or coins.

The cash we receive covers our entire original investment. Which means we just received our Investment Gold in the form of Bullion Bars and Coins with not one cent invested.

For every two ounces you buy, you end up with one ounce of gold for free.

Now back to the original question, " Does gold produce wealth?" Of course it does, if you know how to buy it.

Author: Jeff Sneeringer
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Recently there is rarely a news cast broadcast without some reference to rising gas prices. As recession in the US starts to bite and the fallout of the mortgage crisis still hurts more and more people are noticing that the amount of money each month that disappears into you vehicles fuel tank is increasing dramatically. Not only does this reduce the amount of money you have left each month but it also reduces the amount of money you may need to be putting toward you mortgage or other loans.

Why is gas so expensive?

Gasoline is a form of processed and refined oil. The bare facts show that oil prices have more than doubled in the last 12 months. Due to these higher oil prices, the gasoline we use in our cars every day has also risen in price significantly.

Rises in oil (and other commodities) prices are notoriously volatile. There are so many factors that can affect their prices and cause them to rise. Below are a few examples that have had an effect over the last year or so:

* War in Iraq (a major oil producer)
* General political tensions in the MIddle East
* A fire in a major refinery or pipeline
* Strikes by oil company workers
* Oil fields turning out to be smaller than expected

The other factor that make all of the above worse is that global demand for oil is rising rapidly. The Indian and Chinese economies are growing at a fast rate and as a result need more and more oil to do so. Neither show signs of slowing down.

How to profit from these rising oil prices

The way to offset your higher gas prices is to try to invest in the oil sector. It is not as straightforward as going out and buying a barrel of oil and waiting until the price goes up before selling it. That is not practical. Instead the best and most profitable way is to invest in either oil related stock or oil tracking investment funds.

Author: James McKerr
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