Stock Market News Sources Today

By Michael Swanson

For years, if you wanted to know anything about the stock market, you turned to the Wall Street Journal. Today investors turn to many other sources for stock market news.

Of course, the Wall Street Journal is still published every business day. It is very comprehensive in its coverage of the stock market. It has every stock listed on the American stock exchanges as well as many of the foreign exchanges. Additionally, many daily newspapers will carry listings for stocks when the market is open.

Cable television news shows will often show information on the market at least once during their repeated broadcasts. The news is generally shown in a ticker that trails across the bottom of you television screen. Additional, you will be able to find special shows that just follow the market.

The quickest place to find stock market news is on the internet. Stock prices are updated several times each day and on some websites, you can find what the stock is trading for immediately. Additionally, you can also check out the world market and find information almost as quickly as you can for the American stock exchanges.

If you have no money invested in the stock market, you may wonder what the big deal is about the market. Before you turn off the news, you better back up and think. Do you have money invested in an IRA or a 401k. Many times these programs as well as many others are directly linked to the stock exchange.

Persons losing their jobs due to the current economic conditions have learned this lesson the hard way. Since they no longer work for the company, they must cash our or roll over their 401k. A retirement fund that was at one hundred thousand dollars two years ago may be worth less than seventy thousand dollars today. Money that you had deducted from your checking account was invested in a mutual fund. This fund buys shares of different stocks to invest your money.

Keep an eye on the stock market news and you will know when your retirement grows or declines. - 23222

About the Author:

For more on stock trading strategies go to WallStreetWindow.

Forex News Straddling Strategy (Part I)

By Ahmad Hassam

Major short term currency moves are almost always preceded by changes in fundamental views influenced by the news. Traders around the world make a living by processing and translating information into money. The forex market is extremely sensitive to the flow of news related to it.

In an era where information can be extremely powerful and strategic asset, whether to individual or corporation and information equals money especially to a trader, shutting yourself off to the news can be suicidal.

Traders especially the day traders require the latest up to the second news updates so as to facilitate their trading decisions which have to be made at the lightening speed. The speed of the news dissemination is very important to traders.

Many opt for instant online news services such as the Dow Jones Newswires, Bloomberg and Reuters which display the latest financial and economic news on their computer monitors.

News is important to currency trading. Each new piece of information can potentially alter the traders perception of the current or future situation relating to the outlook of certain currency pairs. Market work on perceptions! Perceptions change, expectations change and prices change.

News that is of great importance to forex traders is generally related to a countrys economic, monetary and political situations and socio-political events that are happening around the world like in Middle East and North Korea.

A traders action is based on the expectation that there will be follow through in prices when other traders see and interpret the same news in a similar fashion and adopt the same directional bias as the trader as a result. These traders will be preparing to cover their existing positions or initiate new positions based on this news.

This is in a way an anticipatory reaction on the part of the trader as he or she assumes that the other traders will be affected by the news as well. Because of the expected impact it has on other market players, news is a very important catalyst of short term price movements. Markets hate surprises. If a news item has a very low surprise value, market may not react much. But if the news item has a high surprise for the market, the reaction will be extreme volatility until the surprise has been digested by the market.

If the news happens to be bullish for the USD, traders who reacts the fastest will be the first to buy USD followed soon by other traders. Other traders may be slower. They maybe were waiting for some technical criteria to be met before they jump on the bandwagon.

When they get hold of the delayed news in the morning newspapers or from their brokers, there will be many who will join in the frenzy at a later stage. This progressive entry of the US Dollar bulls over time is what sustains the upward move of USD against another currency.

The reverse will happen on the surprise bearish USD news. Instantly traders will start selling USD on the assumption that when other traders will hear the news, they will also start selling. - 23222

About the Author:

Mr. Ahmad Hassam is a Harvard University Graduate. He is interested in day trading stocks and currencies. Try Netpicks Forex Signals Free. Learn Forex Trading!

A Historical Look At Guaranteed Investment Certificates

By Amy Nutt

Guaranteed investment Certificates, (GIC) are Canadian investments that provide a guaranteed rate of return over a fixed period of time. GICs are normally provided by banks, credit unions, and trust companies.

The earliest forms of guaranteed fixed-income investments included such investments as bank notes and mutual funds. The first Canadian fund, Canadian Investment Fund Ltd. (CIF), was established in 1932. It changed its name to Spectrum United Canadian Investment Fund in 1996, and this fund changed name at the end of August 2002 to CI Canadian Investment Fund. Investing in guaranteed investment certificates, or GICs, has been the safe and sound choice from the time when registered retirement savings plans became available in 1957. GICs were created to give people a guaranteed return on an investment. Back in the 1970's, interest rates on investments were higher averaging about 7.7 per cent and as much as 15.8 per cent in 1982. Part of that high interest rate was due to higher price inflation than today.

Interest rates are lower now. Over the past five years, GICs with a five-year term have paid an average of less than 3 per cent a year. Because Guaranteed Investment Certificates are low risk, there is normally a lower rate of return. With a GIC, the financial institution will borrow the person's money for a specified amount of time which can be six months, one year, two years, or up to 10 years. When the GIC period has ended, your initial investment will be returned plus any accrued interest.

To own a GIC you must deposit at least $500.00. When the period has ended, one can then cash them as taxable income or renew it for another term. If you cash out before the term as ended, you will be required to pay a fee. GICs tend to pay a higher interest rate than bank savings accounts, but less most other investments. Interest rates tend to range from 1-9%.

There are other types of GICs such as Market Growth GICs. Their interest rates depend on the rate of growth in the stock market. This is a bit more risky as the market rates tend to fluctuate. Just like regular GICs, Market Growth GICs are low-risk because your original investment is guaranteed to be returned.

GICs are a popular investment choice due to their safety and security, guaranteed growth. (The interest rate is guaranteed with fixed-rate GICs,) flexible terms, and flexible payments. With some GICs, you can decide how you collect the interest you earn, such as monthly, annually or at maturity.

Guaranteed Investment Certificates make for a sound investment if you want a protected place to save your money. GICs could be used as a part of a fixed income portion of your portfolio, used for retirement supplemental income, or just to hold your money until you come up with a number of long-term financial strategies.

Guaranteed Investment Certificates have had a long history of providing Canadians with low risk financial planning investments for retirement or other investment endeavors. Investment portfolios will benefit from having an investment with a guaranteed rate of return. As well, these investments are often selected during periods of market volatility. - 23222

About the Author:

Whether you're looking for mortgage rates or great GIC rates, with Meridian Credit Union you'll have a customized financial plan that makes sense for you. Just for you.

Determining Property Management Fees For Your Property

By Layla Vanderbilt

When a property investor decides to hire a management company to manage their properties, they interview many companies before they decide whom to hire. Among the things they compare are the real estate management fees the company charges. The investor must decide whether they want to pay monthly percentages or flat fees for the management company?s services.

The lowest management fee may not always be the best choice. Higher fees usually translate into more services. Also, management companies with lower fees may have extra charges for necessary services like as advertising. Investors need to know if the management company charges a fee for showing property to a potential client. Some management companies also charge leasing fees in addition to their management fee. Investors need to read contracts closely to know exactly what is included in the real estate management fee.

A property management company charges a real estate management fee based on the percentaage of income collected with a monthly base fee. A fee will vary according to the type and size of the property; for example, a fee for a single family home could be a flat rate while a large property might cost 6 percent of its value. Larger properties usually command a lower percentage rate (i.e., 2 percent) than a single family home that may be quoted up to10 percent. One negotiates fees on a per property basis and one considers many factors including condition, location and size of the property, etc. Management companies consider leasing to be an auxiliary service; it and other auxiliary service fees are separate and in addition to the management fee. The contract also needs to explain how and when the fee is collected. Do they bill the investor or do they deduct it from his account? Do they bill on a monthly or quarterly basis?

Another important consideration in choosing a property management company is payment. Some companies deduct their fee directly from the income your property generates, while others send a monthly or quarterly bill. Other fees a company may charge are for cleaning and preparing rental properties, or eviction fees. Be sure to take the time to discover and consider all fees charged by the property management company.

Most aspects of business associated with renting your property should be managed by the property management company. Collecting rent, accounting work, providing monthly statements, and hiring of contractors for landscaping, cleaning, and general property maintenance are all services the company should provide. Hiring a property management company should allow you to relax and have peace of mind, knowing that your property is being professionally managed every day, making the decision of choosing a company extremely important. You should compare all services offered so you can confidently choose which company would best suit your needs.

When interviewing a representative for a management company, the fee charged will most likely be your primary concern. However, find out as much information about other aspects of their management style as possible. Ask how the company works with tenants, what their goals are of property maintenance, and their methods for handling problems that may arise with the property. Determine if this company will be proactive in informing you of how things are going at your property, and if they will be detail-oriented with all paperwork involved in the leasing of the property.

Hiring a good management company helps an investor rent his property faster and provide preventive maintenance before problems become major repairs and expenses. The investor should look at more than the initial monthly fees when determining how much it will actually cost them if they go with the cheapest company. An investor needs to be sure the company will actually help him avoid those expensive repairs and expenses as well as keep the property in good condition in order to make it attractive to prospective clients. - 23222

About the Author:

Layla Vanderbilt is the webmaster for a leading property management software review website which connects people with the leading property management tools.

Is Forex Trading for you?

By Greg Cortez

Forex trading online is the buying and selling of foreign currencies for profit. We will explore this investment/money making vehicle, it's benefits, and some of it's negatives as well. If you have been looking at making money online, investing, or work from home websites, you have probably seen references to Forex trading.

Forex trading occurs 24 hours a day from Sunday through Friday. The market is global in scope, and can be rather exciting with it's dramatic swings. These dramatic changes in the value of different currencies is what creates the profit potential for traders. You can literally make a profitably trade (buy and sell) within seconds, or you can follow long-term trends over the course of a great many months. This flexibility is part of the attraction of the Forex market, whether you are an "action" news and signal trader, or a long-term trend follower, there is money to be made.

Also, due to the very considerable leverage provided by many Forex brokers, one can make considerable profits off of small investments. This makes trading attractive and very approachable to many people who do not have the money to make profitable trades in the stock and commodity markets. One can literally start with just a couple hundred dollars and go on to make a good income from Forex trading.

The Forex market is not perfect though, of course, and trading does not always result in profits. Due to the high leverage and sizeable swings in the currency market, it is quite possible to make a few bad trades and lose money rather quickly. Do note, regardless of the leverage, you can never lose more money than you put in your account to invest. However, this higher risk/reward trading is not for everyone.

With 24 hour access, great leverage, and a rapidly moving market, Forex trading offers many attractive qualities for making money and enjoying the experience. However, one must remember that there is risk involved, and there is never a guarantee of profits.

If you are interested in Forex trading, and the fun and profits that can come from it, I recommend you start by reading some Forex articles. Learn the basics, read up on different strategies, and get to know the lingo. Then find a reputable broker that is recommended by a site you trust. Open a micro account with a few hundred dollars, or even a free account with play money, and start making some trades. - 23222

About the Author:

If you want to explore more into Forex Trading, make sure you check Greg's Forex Forum, and Forex Information site