What Are Small Cap Stocks?

By Gilbert Stockton

Small cap stocks is not hard to understand. It means simply that companies who have a market capital of less than 500 million are small cap stocks. The stock market does not value a firm by the number of employees or even its profit but by the market value it holds.

Just like penny stocks, small cap stocks do not have a very good reputation in the stock market and therefore, are overlooked by many investors. However, these overlooked small cap stocks have the potential to make an everyday Joe a millionaire over a very short period of time. Of course like everything else 'small cap stocks' also have their pros and cons.

Advantages of the small cap stocks are such: Many small cap companies have larger growth potential because they are new to the business. This leads to larger profit margins because there is more potential in expanding and making more money than companies that have been around for many years.

Disadvantages: Involves a lot of risk: the stock market in dominated by big companies. Therefore, if you decide to invest in a small company that is later forced out of the business or is bought by a bigger company then you will lose out on the money that you have invested in its stocks.Short history: small companies have shorter history compared to big companies. Hence, you may not get the necessary information that you need before putting in you hard earned money.Fall in the stock price: it is often seen that the stock price falls dramatically as a direct result of a number of reasons. The most common reason for such a situation is when the company is going through an economic crisis, which may even lead to bankruptcy. So it is advisable that you should always try to make sure that there is a good scope for the stock price going up.

The media usually talks about the risks associated with small cap stocks but remember to do your research and you can make good investments with small cap stocks too.

In conclusion, just remember to do your research and ensure that you pick a stock that has a growth potential and do not be afraid to take a risk for a large return. - 23217

About the Author:

Find out What is Penny Stock Trading. You too can learn what is Penny Stock Trading.

The Yield Curve and the Global Macro Investor

By Bruce Soros

The Treasury yield curve is one of the best and most applicable tools that a global macro investor can have in his or her toolbox. Most of the time used for bond trading there are several applications for it in the stocks and currency market as well. The truth is by using the yield curve correctly you can better trade just about everything.

So what is the Treasury yield curve? It is the curve you get when you plot out the yields on different maturities of Treasury securities. For instance if you take the ninety day Treasury bill, the two year Treasury bill, five year Treasury note, ten year Treasury bond, and the thirty year Treasury bond you will get a curve. Usually sloping upwards from the bottom left to the upper right of the plot area, it can also take several other shapes. It can be very inverted with the far right down at the bottom and the far left at the top, it can have seemingly random lumps, and it can shift anywhere on the plot area. Each of these shapes and slopes of the yield curve tell the global macro investor something differently about the economy and the different trading instruments available to you.

Of course being able to tell what will happen in the economy does not always translate to being able to profit from it as the markets sometimes do their own thing, or at least that is how it can seem. So how does one apply the yield curve to their trading? The primary rule of thumb is that an upwards sloping yield curve is bullish for the economy while a downwards sloping yield curve is bearish. The steeper either curve is the better or worse it is. At least these are the general rules.

So how does this help your trading? Well if the curve is steep then there is little chance that bonds will be able to stage a very robust rally. At the same time it might be a great time to go long stocks. If the curve is sloping down then it is a harbinger of things to come and the economy is ready to contract and therefore it is kind of a sell signal for stocks. At the same time if the curve is inverted then it is a great time to look at going long bonds as the Fed will likely begin a interest rate easing cycle and therefore driving up bond prices.

On the other hand if we have an inverted yield curve, where it slopes from the upper left to the lower bottom then banks will not lend as they are borrowing money at more expensive prices then they can loan it out for. This obviously curtails the credit markets and slams a break down on the economy. When this happens the Fed inevitably has to come in and lower rates to bring things back in line and help the economy grow again.

Think of bonds and interest rates as a teeter totter where yields are on one side and bonds are on the other. If bonds go down, rates go up. If rates go down, bonds are going up. In a regular inflationary environment this is always the case unless there is a severe credit quality issue.

If this is the case then anytime you can forecast the yield curve to show when the Fed will be lowering rates you can jump on it and go long bonds, typically with little risk. At the same time whenever you see rates being lowered you can wait a while and then go long stocks.

Nothing is perfect and nothing works all the time. Any good global macro investor knows that to have long term success without blowing up you will need to use proper risk control gauges as well as other tools in your analysis. The yield curve is smart but it is not all knowing. - 23217

About the Author:

If you need actionable trading ideas then check out The Macro Trader It is a weekly global macro trading advisory publication with frequent intra-week updates for time-critical analysis and actionable trading ideas.

Gold Bullion or Gold Coins for Investing

By Cindy Wilson

You should diversify your portfolio with gold and you should also diversify your gold portfolio. There are many different types of gold you can invest in and diversify your gold portfolio, including gold bullion, domestic and foreign, modern gold coins, domestic or foreign and antique gold coins, domestic and foreign.

There are many options of gold withing each category that also allows you to either receive and store your own gold or allow the broker or dealer to store your gold for you. Most people that are buying gold in case of financial disaster feel that keeping your own gold is the whole point of buying gold. Those investors believe that because of the antique gold coins intrinsic and collector value that they are immune confiscation by the government.

On the other hand, gold bullion in recent history has been confiscated by the US government and there are several organizations that are trying to push legislation through that will fix that situation by not allowing the government to be able to confiscate personally owned gold bullion or coins of any kind.

Can the government confiscate foreign gold bullion or coins from US investors? When gold was confiscated by President Roosevelt in 1933 gold that was minted by foreign countries "earmarked or held in trust for a recognized foreign government or foreign central bank"

This means that if we go by historical accounts, foreign gold bullion and coins would be exempt from US gold confiscation. That happened before, but the government makes laws to fit the situation. What happened before may not happen again.

Older gold coins are pushed by telemarketers and many dealers because of their higher profit margins. Many dealers and sales people prey on buyer's fears about the historical gold confiscation. President Ford issued his own directive that repealed Roosevelt's executive order.

In 1977 Congress removed the president's authority over gold transactions during a national emergency other than war. What does this mean? Probably nothing. Sales people that use historic events to sell their most profitable inventory are not being completely honest and preying on investor fears of previous events. This shows that the previous gold confiscation has nothing to do with what the government may do in the future.

Just because President Roosevelt exempted antique gold coins and foreign bullion doesn't mean a current administration would go by those same guidelines. The truth is, no one knows what will happen in the future, especially in the event of a financial collapse. - 23217

About the Author:

Buying gold coins and antique gold coins at Buying Gold Coins Online and How to buy Gold Coins

Be a Savvy Forex Trader. Learn Forex.

By Bart Icles

What should you do if you want to learn forex trading? Where should you start? These are just few of the questions that will be running through your head once you decide to try forex trading.

The first thing that you should do to learn forex is to find out the different factors and elements of forex trading. You should be equipped with the base knowledge of the forex market and its quirks. You should be able to establish on your own how lucrative it can be if done the right way. If you become a successful forex trader, it can be a way of life.

When you learn forex, you will be able to find out how the forex market came into the finance scene. It started in the 1970s after fixed currency exchange rates were eradicated, replaced by the now dynamic nature of currencies. Since then, the forex market exponentially increased, making it the largest financial market in the world. Even the stock exchange is dwarfed by it.

You will also be able to find out that the forex market involves different types of entities trading in it once you learn forex. Among the diverse players in the forex market are organizations (big and small alike), government entities, private companies, international banks, brokers, firms, and the average Joe. Yes, you're right. The forex market is for everybody, and it can be a very nice thing to venture into if you use the right strategy and continue winning. Major forex market players can earn millions daily!

You will know that you can trade online or via telephone when you learn forex. This will allow you to know the advantages and disadvantages of the different means of forex trading. Once you are able to learn the advantages and disadvantages of the different means, you will be able to gauge where you will be more comfortable in. The major forex trading centers are in big cities, like London, New York, Tokyo, and Frankfurt.

When you learn forex, you will be able to understand its different technicalities along with the basic forex trading principles that you would really be needing in order to be a successful forex trader. You will be equipped with the necessary skills that will help you tell the difference of a good and bad forex trading signal.

Small players like you can trade in the forex market. You should be able to learn forex, though, before anything else so that you can acquire the necessary foundation to be forex-savvy. You can earn a nice, tidy income once you get the hang of it. - 23217

About the Author:

When you learn forex it starts with a desire to learn and a drive to become a great trader. When you learn forex trading takes dedication and a good teacher. But once you learn how to trade and do so successfully your life will change and you have options and financial resources you never had before.

Trading Without Indicators - The Steps You Need

By Peter Thomas

All novice forex traders need to learn an important lesson. The realization must dawn upon them , that all their charts and indicators actually restrain their trading instead of helping them. It takes a lot of time for traders to realizes that.

This may seem senseless, and, admittedly when I first began forex trading, I would have thought the same. But after spending much time trading, I realize the mistakes I was making.

During the beginning I had tried every indicator to make profits. You name it, and I promise you that I tried it.

My efforts proved futile and all I earned was a headache. I was so attentive to seeking the "right" indicators, that I knew little of the market itself. I turned trading into a money making game instead of seeking long term riches.

I treated the indicators as if the numbers where some type of fortuneteller and it did not occur to me to seek out the complete market picture. I never noticed what was happening in the currency markets.

All new traders make this mistake. They should realize that a simple bar chart is all the need for technical trading. Price action is the basics of trading and as old.

Price Action is about the traders understanding of how price movements really work. These price movements then can be used to predict where the future of the price is headed.

With all the unnecessary filler out of the way, the basic bar chart will lead you to find surprising results. - 23217

About the Author:

To find out more about trading without indicators, you can visit this about the best education in forex.