A Guide to Gold Basics

By Lawrence Reaves

With the soaring prices of gold it is a good time to consider buying or selling your gold jewelry. You need to have some basic knowledge to make smart decisions. Gold jewelry seems like it never goes out of style. This is because it is beautiful and easy for most people to afford and wear.

Pure gold will not tarnish, rust or corrode and is the most malleable of all metals. Pure gold is too soft for jewelry so it is mixed with other metals, including silver, copper, nickel and zinc to give it strength and durability. The color of gold is determined by the type of metal alloys it is mix with and the percentage of each metal alloy.

Most people think all gold is yellow, but the fact is there are many variations of color that gold can be. Colored gold is just as "real" as golden colored gold. The color depends on what the gold is mixed with. Other alloys are mixed with gold to make it strong and to hold up under every day wear and tear that jewelry goes through. Craftsman learned through the ages that mixing gold with copper, silver and platinum would increase its durability. When gold is alloyed with other metals it changes the color of the finished product. An alloy of 75% gold, 16% silver and 9% cooper makes yellow gold. White gold is 75% gold, 4% silver, 4% copper and 17% palladium. Other combinations of alloys can make pink, green, peach and even black gold.

The alloys of gold have a lesser value per unit weight than pure gold. The standard in the gold trade is known as karatage which is commonly called karat. Pure gold is known as 24 karat gold and is usually marked with 24K. An alloy that is 50% gold is 12 karat gold and is marked with a 12K. An alloy that is 75% gold is 18 karat gold and is marked with 18K. High karat gold jewelry is softer and more resistant to tarnish; on the other hand, lower karat jewelry is stronger, but less resistant to tarnish.

Gold is highly valued and there is a limited supply and has been used as a medium of exchange or money for centuries. 6000 years ago is when the first transaction was done using pieces of gold and silver. The reason that gold has been used for this purpose for so long is because it has high value, durable, portable and can be divided easily. At one time the United States used a gold standard and maintained a stockpile of gold to back every dollar in circulation. It became too cumbersome and is no longer used by any nation. Gold coins were commonly used in transactions. Gold coins were issued in two types of units. Some were units of currency and some were issued in standard weights.

Today gold coins are no longer in wide use for financial transactions. Gold coins issued in specific weights are popular for people who want to purchase and invest in a small amount of gold. Gold coins are also collected and issued as commemorative coins. These types are a good investment because gold retains its value overtime. These are just some informative basic facts about gold. As you can see gold is a good investment whether it is in fine jewelry or coins. - 23212

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The best online resource to sell gold or sell gold coins can be found at http://www.refinity.com

The Basics Of Forex Trading

By Corey Knapp

Every day of the year, there is a trading market that is open for business. Unlike most markets that keep bank hours, the Forex or foreign exchange market never closes its doors for business. The Forex market is nothing like the stock markets that most people trade their fortunes on. Foreign currency is traded on the Forex market.

Get educated. That is number one. First, try and find someone who already does forex trading. Basically, find a mentor. Find a person who obviously makes money and gets a profit from Forex trading so you can learn well. You should get some good advice from them. It is very important. Another thing is you need to do some research on the internet about how to trade with Forex softwware. Find out all that you can about the market and how to trade on it. This will really help you in the long run to receive a great profit from trading. You will be glad you did. This will help you to understand all of the ins and outs of trading on the Forex trading market.

International trade and investment depends on Forex. London is probably the commerce and trade centre of the world. Closely followed behind by the city of New York and Tokyo. The importance of each trade centre is measured by the volumes of trade they generate on a given basis.

Currency does not have a fixed value. The value of each country's currency changes rapidly and repeatedly throughout the course of the trading day and night. One the Forex, currency value can change for a plethora of reasons or no reason at all. Due to this uncertainty, all trades on the Forex are based predominantly on speculation.

It can be hard to find time for forex trading. Use forex software if you can. This will help you save a lot of time.

Currency can change value when there is any sort of political upheaval within a country. Wars are won and lost and Forex currencies rise and fall in direct relation. When we have Presidential elections, the price of the U. S. Dollar can change drastically. The economic status of a country has everything to do with the value of its currency on the Forex market.

Better decisions are made with forex software. They also make it easy to trade online. They also take care of management of your portfolio and strategies.

All in all, this will help you to find out if you can gain Forex trading profit. Profit will vary from person to person and it will all depend on how much time and effort that you put into it. Luck, unfortunately, has a lot to do with it. The best thing to do is to do your research and try and find a great mentor to help you. Look online and look at the demonstrations that are offered online. There are some great things that you can look at that will give you a huge insight into Forex trading. Learn all you can from the free websites that are offered online. They have great training on these sites with a lot of good information. You will not be sorry.

The Forex is the fastest moving and liquid market in the world. The differences in trading foreign currencies and stocks are enormous and the Forex has no base for most of its fluctuations. If you've got money to spend, there's plenty to be made on the Forex. Whenever you make any financial decision, the pros and cons should be greatly weighed with caution.

Do forex trading carefully. It is a great way to make money. You can have a great time. - 23212

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Typically, you can find Forex bots that are 70-90% dead on with their analysis. Forex Se There is a huge difference between the return on a client's program of change demonstrated in a live client. One reason that the online currency is appealing is the time that you can change is basically 24 hours a day.

Tips For Investors Or Prospects Looking To Buy Homes From Bank REO Portfolios

By Adam Whazzer

Bank owned "REO" homes are becoming more and more abundant each month. If youre an investor or a family looking to buy a new house or investment property, Its a good deal to look at a Foreclosed property thats ended up on the roster of bank owned property which is also known as REO (Real Estate Owned) property. If you are a homeowner at risk of losing your home to this fate the acronym REO itself might turn your stomach . If you are considering the purchase of a new home then its important that you first decide whether this bank owned property will be your primary residence or an investment.

When it comes to purchasing foreclosed homes, your best starting point is going to be based on a number of factors. Either you may just want to check the listings with some local banks or through a Realtor / MLS (Multiple Listing Service). If you are a Homeowner in the struggle to retain your Home, you too should be looking to contact the Bank but for a different reason, you need to get any information you can gather from them concerning the exact current status of your mortgage, how many months late, total amount due and listen to what options they have to offer, only so you can create a baseline to compare from. Next you should make sure you get through to the proper dept in possession of your files and make sure to document everyone you speak to along the way. Make sure to get Names, if they state they can only provide a first name than ask them to include Employee # and title. For the prospecting investor looking to buy who already has a clear knowledge about the market and the bank owned properties that are accessible, your experience in buying foreclosed homes should allow you to navigate.

Buying REO bank owned properties may not be a bad idea as an investment vehicle, but it is critical to be aware of the recompense and disadvantages to these kind of investment strategies. It would be wise to consult with your financial planner before making the final decision to purchase anything. You should consider getting advice from more than just one source in order to judge base on a detailed analysis for comparison. If you and your family are fighting to keep you home then the best I can tell you is that from my experience the key to successfully saving your home from foreclosure is to maintain a High Level of Persistence, Dedication and Drive to SAVE YOUR HOME AT ALL COSTS and seek out the help of a professional, specifically Licensed Attorney in your state.

A trusted real mortgage lender or real estate agent may possibly be able to help you sort through the initial obstacles you may face. If this the first time buying a foreclosure property they may also be helpful in educating you about the course of action. Its imperative that you obtain any and all advice in these matters from professionals you have done your research on that you trust. The consequences of listening with your friend can be rigorous and long lasting. Always remember that every circumstance is different for each person when considering the purchase, and unfortunately the loss of a Home when dealing with your mortgage holder. - 23212

About the Author:

Adam Whazzer has been a mortgage expert for years" Adam has offered modification help with mortgage and Avoid home forclosure to foreclosure victims for nearly 18 years. If you are facing foreclosure, stop by for More Info On this Subject

Currency Trading Advice

By Paul Bryan

If you are gearing up to take a dive into the Forex trading business then it is advisable that you visit some site that offer Forex advice for free or on the basis of subscription. Good sites provide you with the best advice and updated information about the Forex market. They also ensure that the visitors utilize the information in preparing themselves to become a professional Forex trader.

The Forex market may be emerging as a huge money making market, but the pitfalls involved are also too many. So, while a trader may be able to make huge profits, there are others who easily fall prey to fraudulent websites or Forex broker firms having to face various monetary losses. Forex trading is a business where one can either win or lose money and so it is essential that the traders take every decision very carefully.

But if you see the forex advices provided by a good brokerage firm you will find professional and ethical service. Here, the customers are given utmost importance and are provided with the best expert advice in the direction of proper Forex trading to generate maximum returns. You must open an account for availing the services. Select the broker carefully because your this decision may make or mar your chances of success in Forex trading.

The right selection of the broker is the key to the traders Forex career because it is through the broker that all the trade dealings will be taking place. Where a good broker can guide a trader towards making a substantial profit a bad broker can lead the same trader to encounter heavy losses.

It is very crucial for all the new traders in Forex trading to be guided by a good strategy. It is seen that a good broker service resort to all kind of hard work for their clients to succeed and makes it a point to make the traders aware of each and every trading prospect. This is very important for making a reasonable return in Forex so that one can maximize the profit.

Furthermore, one can also enroll in a course about the Forex trading business whereby they can gain proper knowledge about the currency trading market. There are a lot of websites offering such courses and an online course if chosen wisely will be far more economic. There are courses which include video tutorials and have been of great help for novice as well as experienced traders.

You may also install some software for making the technical analyses which will alert the traders about the future trends of the market moves so that they can remain updated and slightly advanced in the race. It is of utmost importance that a new trader understands the basics of the trade and learns to trade confidently and refrain from taking faulty decisions.

Forex market is a highly lucrative one, but one must have the right approach to become successful! - 23212

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If you learnt from this article then you will love browsing more on currency trading and how to become successful by visiting Forex Trading Advice

The Advantages of a Managed Forex Account

By Bart Icles

The Forex currency market is the only investment market today that is highly liquid, available on a 24 hour basis, and needs only a little start-up cost to start with, making it a very attractive to many would-be investors. However, not all those who enter it have adequate knowledge on the basics of currency trading, and even some don't even have a single idea how it all works in general. There can be many reasons for such short-comings - but investors who participate in currency trading but don't have the time or the knowledge how to go about learning its machinations can still reap the same benefits as their experienced peers, by way of getting a Managed Forex Account.

This type of account is handled by representatives of a large investment firm, who have the needed skills and expertise with everything related to currency trading. The investor buys an account, but active trading is given to the able hands of the investment firm. This set up gives the investor the freedom and convenience to do other activities outside Forex trading, butstill receive ample rewards from successful trade transactions.

The investment firm who manages an investor's account has the primary responsibility to do all the necessary actions involving all matters related to currency trading, such researching, data gathering, analysis and its interpretation. They also hold the key to whatever important decisions have to be done concerning trade transaction moves. Majority of companies and investment firms are already established and known in the Forex community, and are very adept at what they do in being managers of Forex accounts. This provides the investor a high probability of getting ample returns for his investment, even without his active participation in the currency trading process.

One disadvantage of managed Forex accounts is that the fees remain collectible, whether or not the account generates substantial profits or not. Most starting investors have little or no experience of the market, so should do as a first step get an account with a reputable investment firm that is duly recognized by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the National Futures Association (NFA). Doing so will mean that you'll be putting your investment on the able hands of an experts. Many such companies have access to vital market information shared only by most financial institutions, thus giving them privileged information on vital currency exchange rates and other important market changes, allowing them to have knowledge on how to create a profitable transaction.

Those who want to do Forex trading, but don't have the necessary tools, experience and knowledge how to do it, should seek the assistance of a Forex expert to handle their accounts for them in an effective and professional way to assure a profitable return on their vested investments. - 23212

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