April 2012
2 posts
10 tags
Mastering swaps
According to Reuters, the SEC and CFTC are moving toward finalization of a definition for “swap dealer.”
In a swap trade, Party A exchanges the cash flows of its financial instrument for that of Party B. According to the Financial Regulatory Reform Center, a “swap dealer” is any person that:
· Holds itself out as a dealer in swaps
· Makes a market in swaps
· Regularly...
8 tags
Around the Horn -- a sure bet dinger
Some girls dream of being ballerinas or princesses.
Not me. As I sat at my grandpa’s knee and learned about baseball, I nurtured dreams of being a Major League Baseball umpire.
I’m not kidding —- not even a little. I love almost everything about the game. I’d tell you about the “almost,” but it’s such a minor, nit-picky thing that would make me sound nutty.
So will this: I’m a...
March 2012
2 posts
12 tags
Financial independence for all!
March is Women’s History Month, a worldwide observance of the contributions we’ve made in the past and present.
More women than ever trading and taking control of their investments. And philanthropy expert Margaret May notes that women spend $5 trillion per year and control more than 75% of the total wealth in the United States. We also influence and/or make 84% of household financial...
14 tags
eBooks: eco-friendly, handy & awesome
I know. I know.
The whole eBook thing is sore subject among bibliophiles. We love our books, from the actual content right down to the way they look—and feel.
So as commonplace as eBooks are—and as much as their popularity is growing—some diehard bookworms aren’t sold.
Things are changing. Many customers stop me at trade shows to ask about the growing selection of eBooks...
February 2012
1 post
7 tags
Commodity Customer Protections, Regulations
In my opinion, there’s no bigger news this week than the publication of Commodity Customer Protections and Regulations History and Potential Solutions for the Future 1938-2012.
The white paper was commissioned by PFGBEST at the request of Russell R. Wasendorf Jr., president for the Commodity Customer Coalition. It offers solutions to be considered by the Commodity Customer Coalition, which...
January 2012
1 post
14 tags
Buy & *Hedge*
The S&P 500 has experienced 16 violent declines in the past 18 years. Ouch.
Professional and institutional investors weather those upsets by using hedging techniques, according to authors Jay Pesterichelli and Wayne Ferbert. In Buy and Hold Hedge: The 5 Iron Rules for Investing over the Long Term, the investment experts outline ways to use hedging as part of a long-term plan for growing...
October 2011
1 post
9 tags
Confession: I don’t *heart* Jim Cramer
Some people say they “love” Jim Cramer.
When I hear this, I smile politely. I just don’t get it.
This isn’t a case of a writer railing against the imprecise use of language. I profess to “love” many things you might consider implausible. Can I really love bad pop songs from the 1980s and 1990s? Insensible shoes? Peanut butter?!
Doubt all you want. My love is true—especially where peanut...
September 2011
4 posts
5 tags
Burn after reading
From time to time, I participate in some harmless joking around on Twitter.
Playing Twitter hashtag games probably marks me as a big nerd, but it’s a nice break from gazing at my Star Trek: Deep Space Nine memorabilia. (Just kidding; I’d never be so careless as to expo my collectables to direct light.)
One hashtag I use in some tweets is #lessinterestingbooks.
The idea is to take the...
Volatility is your edge
Volatility isn’t as scary as some would have us believe.
For the long-term investor, time and diversification dampen market volatility, notes U.S. News & World Report. For the individual trader, volatility can be an important tool, when used carefully.
Consider this: According to Financial Times, volatility will shake up the currency market more than price declines. For gold, historical...
12 tags
U.S. futures look bright
U.S. stock futures are on the rise.
According to the Associated Press, Forbes, and Bloomberg Businessweek, G.E., Bank of America Corp., Citigroup Inc., Caterpillar Inc. and Alcoa Inc. were among those that increased 1% or more on Wednesday, following a rally in European lenders.
Greek, German and French leaders will meet today to discuss ways to contain Greece’s debt crisis. Speculators believe...
11 tags
At Least Peek through Your Fingers
I know. I know! How much bad news can you possibly read?
Sure, it’s tough not to wince when someone says anything that sounds remotely like “market.” But we have to power through—stiff upper lip and all that.
My mantra the past few weeks has been, “You can’t run from your problems.” I mean, of course I can, but they chase me. And they’re fast.
So I’m not running. I stopped covering my eyes with...
August 2011
4 posts
22 tags
Do You Suffer—or Benefit—from ‘Crisis Mentality’?
There’s no better fuel for a crisis than more crisis.
According to Bloomberg, James W. Paulsen, chief investment strategist at Wells Capital Management, says “crisis mentality” is so widespread that swings in U.S. stocks can be attributed mainly to the level of investor concern.
Crisis of mentality’s byproduct is volatility. According to CNBC, major averages flounder, affected by heavy market...
8 tags
None of *Our* Books Have Been Banned—Yet
Apparently, Sherlock Holmes was a bit off in his calculations.
The solution to a puzzle isn’t always elementary. Sometimes, it’s a matter best left to middle school children.
Or, at least, their parents. That’s the case in the Albemarle (Va.) County School District. As reported earlier this week by the LA Times, Sherlock Holmes: A Study in Scarlet is no longer considered suitable reading for...
9 tags
Screw Hope; How's About a Plan?
Today’s financial news headlines don’t inspire much hope:
Stock market tanks; Obama ‘recovery’ is a fantasy
U.S. Stock-Index Futures Decline; S&P 500 May Fall for 8th Day
Jobs report: Better than horrible
These and other stories are enough to leave even the calmest feeling a bit rattled.
This morning while getting my oil changed, I was annoyed by a waiting room companion who was watching the...
13 tags
Cautiously Optimistic
U.S. Federal Reserve leaders said recently that they’ll revisit derivatives rules if a global agreement on margin requirements couldn’t be reached.
It’s about time, but I reserve the right to be skeptical. I’m optimistic about nearly everything, but this whole situation receives a cynical snort of derision from me.
As Financial Times notes, oppressive rule-making in the United States has harmed...
July 2011
4 posts
10 tags
Technically Speaking
This month’s SFO (Stocks, Futures, Options) magazine offers “Stop Chasing Trades: The 10-Week Average Can Help.” In the article, RealMoney columnist Kate Stalter explains the ins and outs of using 10-week moving average—a “key benchmark professional investors monitor.”
“When professional investors … have ownership in a particular stock, they’ll often swoop in to grab more shares at a lower price...
16 tags
Pitch Your Printer
I’m an information addict.
Please don’t tell any of my Facebook friends I admitted that. Or my Twitter followers. Or the folks in my Google+ circles. I’m not ready for them to know I’ve taken the first step by admitting I may have a problem. (They’re just about ready to organize an intervention and take away my Android.)
I’m torn. Part of me doesn’t believe compulsively reading books, blogs,...
US Economy on the Rise? Regulators Easing Up?
According to the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, 2008 U.S. Justice Department guidelines allow leniency to companies that investigated and reported their own wrongdoing. This self-policing led prosecutors to use “a softer approach.” However, the Journal also notes the June U.S. jobs report lists unemployment at 2011 high of 9.2%, with only 18,000 jobs created last month. For...
Will FX, Power Rates hurt Japanese Manufacturing?
Japanese governmental officials are concerned its runaway currency and energy rates will harm its ability to retain businesses based there.
According to Reuters, Japanese Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda said the nation must prevent currency rates and electricity costs from driving companies abroad.
In particular, business leaders question the reliability of supplies and...
June 2011
4 posts
Buy or Hold? Buy & Hold? Buy, don't Hold?
Forbes writer Marc Gerstein recently took a snipe at buy-and-hold investors.
He told blogger Chris Barth, “Buy and hold, to me, equals negligence.” Gerstein added that three months is the longest you should hold an investment.
That’s the headline. Now here’s the small print: He qualifies his dislike of buy-and-hold investing with the admission that he will and sometimes does hold investments...
5 tags
It’s Not News: Teaching Kids to Save Pays Off
When someone says they don’t like to “toot their own horn,” my response is usually, “why not?”
If you can offer someone a tip or item that is new, unique and useful, you’re not bragging; you’re sharing helpful information.
That’s why I’ll be the first to tell you that My Money Journal is easily one of the best investments you can make in a child. (Click on the title to receive 20% off...
ePublishing Milestone is Boon to Financial Readers
The biggest story of the week in the publishing world is that best-selling author Michael Connelly has joined the Kindle Million Club.
According to Book Business Magazine, the club is comprised of authors who have sold 1 million Kindle books. Only six others belong to this elite group: Stieg Larsson, James Patterson, Nora Roberts, Charlaine Harris, Lee Chilld and Suzanne Collins.
Although...
We're all a-Twitter
Among the people I follow on Twitter is SFO executive editor Michelle Gebhardt (@SFOmagMichelle).
While free, SFO products—from the monthly magazine, regular webinars and daily news updates—are nonetheless invaluable tools.
I check the SFO (Stocks, Futures, Options) site several times daily, and Michelle’s always informative and sometimes humorous tweets drive me there even more often.
Such was...
May 2011
4 posts
Do You have an Angel on Your Shoulder?
Are you an investor with an entrepreneurial spirit who’s looking for a start-up in which to invest?
Or maybe you have a million dollar idea and need to find a private equity investor who will help you fund your dream.
Forbes reported recently that there is a “sudden proliferation” of angel investors and seed firms.
What is “angel investing,” and how does it benefit would-be entrepreneurs? An...
This is Not the End
Unless you’re completely off the grid, news-averse and you don’t talk to anyone, you’ve probably heard some people aren’t making plans for Saturday.
Or at least, they’re not making their own plans. Instead, they believe they’ll be queued up for the apocalypse. With the precision of a synchronized swim team, Christian broadcaster Harold Camping has calcuated the exact date of Judgment Day: May 21,...
Not News to You: Lessons from the Great Ones
This week, I want to take a bit of a detour from my normal angle—the week’s big financial news story—and highlight the authors who signed books at our booth at The MoneyShow Las Vegas this past week.
We hosted nearly two dozen writers, including:
Buff Dormeier, author of Investing with Volume Analysis
Tom Busy, author of Trade to Win
Bill Bachrach, author of Values-Based Financial Planning
Marilyn...
If it Weren’t for Bad News
The U.S. economy suffers from bad buzz, and the hits just keep on coming.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the bad news—in this case, “downbeat economic data”—made investors question the pace of economic growth.
In turn, this news sent investors clamoring for the relative safety of U.S. government bonds and away from stocks and other “riskier” assets.
Now, the news has become a bit...
April 2011
5 posts
Dear Mr. President: Duh
I’m a product of the generation that introduced the widespread use of “duh.” As succinct as it is sarcastic, “duh” is a small word with a big impact. While “duh” isn’t nice, it is effective.
So when President Barack Obama announced this week that he would appoint a task force to investigate price fixing in the energy markets, my response was, “Duh.”
What is it Barry hopes to find out? Will we...
Relive Some of Wall Street's Epic Battles
It’s the stuff of legends. Earlier this week, the board of NYSE Euronext Inc. rejected an unsolicited bid from Nasdaq OMX Group Inc./Intercontinental Exchange for a second time. According to The Wall Street Journal, the board reaffirmed its commitment to a previous deal merger with Deutsche Boerse. Now, the fight for shareholder votes begins. However, Nasdaq/ICE must convince regulators that...
China: Profit from this Super Power
Maybe we’re growing tired of the headlines related to the economy, commodities and currencies—the dollar this, interest rates that.
That said, it’s difficult to be bored by all the exciting news about China’s economy, the yuan and the nation’s record-breaking currency reserves.
According to Interactive Investor, surging inflation in China announced this morning led to a boost for safe-haven...
Penny Wise
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago designated this Money Smart Week.®
The annual event includes a series of free classes and activities that help consumers better manage personal finances. MSW partners at independent financial institutions do this through a series of educational events sponsored in various locations.
MSW is a good reminder that our finances need constant attention.
Most of us...
Go for the Gold—or Cash in?
After a record-breaking first quarter 2011 for gold, some analysts wonder this precious metal may begin to lose some luster.
According to TheStreet, the U.S. jobs report caused gold investors to cash in for profits, taking a big chunk out of gold prices in the futures market today.
Despite the decline, financial news agencies note that both gold and silver hit record highs during this...
March 2011
4 posts
Show, Don’t Tell
I say I’m “frugal.”
However, anyone who has vacationed with me calls me “cheap.”
They’re right. I hate to part with a buck.
Selecting investments can put me in a state. That’s my great money-management failing. I can think of more than few times when my aversion to risk actually cost me.
I don’t want to pass on to the next generation. What we show and tell kids about money is a hot news topic...
Navigating Slumps, Crashes
To say investors are jumpy is an understatement.
When the economy is concerned, we lack firm footing. Any indicator of a turnaround is met with no small measure of skepticism.
Then there’s all the bad news: a U.S. housing market slump; tanking commodities; the earthquake in Japan and subsequent tsunami; the Dow Jones freefall earlier this week.
The hits just keep on coming. It’s enough to make...
Why Haven’t You Bought an iPad Yet?!
On the surface, a blog wherein I sing the praises of all things iPad may not seem a newsworthy read.
However, the release of the iPad 2 is one of this week’s biggest news stories—for traders and for everyone else. The Wall Street Journal hails the “iPad Evolution,” noting many positive improvements to the design.
The device goes on sale at 5 p.m. EST today,—yes, I’m getting one,—and reviewers...
Commodities: Are they so hot they may cool?
This week’s news reports are clear: Commodities are hot right now.
As CommodityOnline reports, silver, which is trading at a 31-year high, is among the commodities that may have an impressive 2011 bull run. Gold futures are gaining, too, notes MarketWatch, and Agriculture.com this morning reported rising prices for corn, soybeans and wheat.
Add that Glencore International, world’s largest...
February 2011
8 posts
Immerse yourself in ETFs
If you’re new to Exchange Traded Funds or simply want to know more, there is a plethora of resources to begin your education.
An ETF is like a mutual fund in that it is a basket of stocks that are bought and sold. What sets ETFs apart is that shares can be traded at any time the specific market is open.
A great place to start is “Around the World with ETFs” by David Fry, which appeared in the...
IMF plan: 1 world currency
News organizations reported this week that the International Monetary Fund supports special drawing rights as an alternative to the U.S. dollar as the world’s reserve currency.
According to CNN Money and The Guardian, IMF believes replacing the dollar will stabilize the global financial system.
“Using the SDR to price global trade and denominate financial assets would provide a buffer from...
Traders Press Inc. - Customer Favorites: Get... →
angietraderspress:
Hi! Thanks for visiting my blog! My name is Angie Shephard and to be honest, I’ve never “blogged” before! I guess it’s time I catch up to the times!
I’m a customer service representative for Traders Press Inc. (www.traderspress.com) and as I go through each day I see the books…
Traders Press Inc- This Week's Top Seller: Better... →
amytpi:
Hi and welcome to my blog. My name is Amy Peterson and I am a Customer Service Representative for Traders Press Inc. I’ll be writing about our top selling book of the week.
Our top seller this week is also one of our more recent arrivals. Better Good than Lucky is a great book for…
U.S. stocks on the rise
According to Bloomberg, U.S. stocks are on the rise thanks to the resignation of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and consumer confidence in the global economy.
Other news organizations, including the Wall Street Journal, report the U.S. stock climb and attribute it to the same factors.
This signals an eight-month high in terms of economy recovery—and indicates it’s a prime time to hone those...
New This Week!: Educate Your Children Financially... →
traderspressmelanie:
Hi, I’m Melanie Decker – Customer Service and Sales Manager for Traders Press Inc.
Part of my job is to look for new, fresh and sometimes classic titles to add to our current library. I was fortune enough to be able to co-author one of Traders Press’ newest titles, My…
Traders Press Inc. - Customer Favorites: Get... →
angietraderspress:
Hi! Thanks for visiting my blog! My name is Angie Shephard and to be honest, I’ve never “blogged” before! I guess it’s time I catch up to the times!
I’m a customer service representative for Traders Press Inc. (www.traderspress.com) and as I go through each day I see the books…
Feb. 4, 2011: As the fallout from the financial crisis continues, blame theories abound. Everyone wants to weigh in, from Crain’s and The New American to OnWallStreet and Al Jezeera.
Unfortunately, too many call for more market regulation. Anyone who has tried to download music, movies or books that carry cumbersome anti-theft deterrents knows thieves always find a loophole and the honest guy...
