Monday 29 April 2013

MalaysiaStock.Biz is an excellent website for those who are investing in the Malaysian Stock Market.

About MalaysiaStock.Biz

http://www.malaysiastock.biz/Latest-Announcement.aspx


MalaysiaStock.Biz provides Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange's (KLSE) share price information, latest announcement for quarter report, dividend news, bonus/rights issue news for all the listed companies in KLSE. This website is also providing information like quarter report history, dividend history and bonus issue & right issue history.

This website is a free channel to access the KLSE market watch information covered from Top Volume, Top Gainers, Top Losers, and up to each categories and individual listed company.

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All the services are FREE of charges. Feel free to feedback to us if any so that we can keep improving the website. Thank you.



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Friday 26 April 2013

Tuesday 23 April 2013

An apology is rewarded with a kiss. Change is in the air. Change for the better.

Yesterday, UMNO president Najib Razak urged Indians to forget the insulting remarks by Zulkifli, claimed that Indians had been warming up to him, and alluded to a photograph of an Indian man clad in BN shirt kissing him on the cheek. Thinking

In the latest development, 104 members of the Shah Alam division of MIC showed their displeasure by quitting the Indians-only party.  Shocked

http://en.harakahdaily.net/index.php/headline/7104-indian-kiss-of-death-takes-its-toll-on-bn-with-exodus-from-mic.html


Here is a view of Zul’s apology 

APRIL 22, 2013
How does he imagine all this will help him go against Khalid Samad in Shah Alam and win “101 per cent” in the May 5 general election?
Khalid was the one MP who stood side by side with the Indian community after the cow-head protest in Shah Alam even when it was not the politically smart thing to do.
What did Umno do? They got the cow-head protesters to pose for pictures with their vice-president after explaining the protest against a Hindu temple in Shah Alam.
Put him where he belongs, in the garbage bin of history. Thinking





In this video, Rafizi Ramli clarifies the difficulty of PR in accommodating Hindraf's requests in an electoral pact.



Are You Making These Investing Mistakes?

by MMARQUIT

One of the ways that you can build wealth, and live a little more abundantly is to invest. Investing can provide a way for you to put your money to work on your behalf. While there are risks involved in investing, and the possibility of loss, you can reduce some of that chance of loss by avoiding some of the more common investing mistakes.

As you consider investing, and how to build a portfolio that works for your situation, here are some common mistakes to avoid:

1.  Panicking with the Crowd

It’s easy to get scared and panic — especially when everyone else is doing it. However, you need to be careful about when you sell investments. While there are some very good reasons to sell a stock, it’s rarely a good idea to sell a stock just because everyone is in panic mode.

Instead, take a step back and look at the big picture. Are assets losing ground because the whole market is tanking? If so, you might not want to pull the trigger too quickly. Instead, consider the fundamentals. If the fundamentals are still solid, there is a good chance that your assets will recover in time.

2.  Trading Too Often

This can be tied with panicking, but it can also be its own problem. Too many of us get caught up in to day to day movements, and think that we need to trade a lot. While there are day traders who manage to make good money on regular market movements, it’s important to realize that these traders are dedicated to what they do.

Most of us regular folks are better off trading at wider intervals, or employing a dollar cost averaging strategy. Trading too often can cost you in terms of transaction fees, and there is a bigger chance that you will lose out.

3.  Lack of Diversity

If you want to reduce the overall risk of your portfolio, you need to remember to diversify to some degree. You need to make sure that your investments are diversified in terms of asset class, as well as across different sectors and industries. It also doesn’t hurt to diversify geographically and include investments from other countries. Avoid investing heavily in your company’s stock.

It’s fairly easy to start investing, and to diversify. There are index funds and ETFs that allow you to diversify easily, while at the same time helping you avoid some of the bigger risks that can come with investing.

4.  Failure to Understand What You're Investing In.

One of the reasons it’s good to start with stocks and bonds, and investments that are based on them (like index funds and ETFs), is because they are fairly easy to understand. You shouldn’t invest in things that you don’t understand. Take a few minutes to learn how different asset classes are traded, and how different investments work. It is also worth to learn what factors influence different investments. Get a handle on how different investments work, and you will be far more likely to find success and avoid some of the pitfalls that bring down investors.


http://couponshoebox.com/tips/are-you-making-these-investing-mistakes/

3 Reasons to Invest in Stocks


by MMARQUIT

With the recent volatility in the stock market, and with the financial crisis of 2008 still looming large in many memories, it isn’t too surprising that many people are wary of investing in stocks.

It’s true that stock investing comes with some risk. However, it doesn’t have to mean that you avoid stocks altogether. Here are 3 reasons to find the money to invest in stocks:

1. Build Wealth Over Time

One of the realities of life is that putting money in a high-yield savings account or high-yield CD just isn’t going to cut it if you want to more effectively build wealth over time. This is especially true in a low-yield environment like what we’ve got right now. Your low-yield products are unlikely even to earn a return that beats inflation. You can’t build adequate wealth over time with your earning power subject to real losses.

Investing in stocks gives you the chance to earn higher returns that beat inflation, and that put the magic of compound interest to work on your behalf. When you know how money works, and you can put that knowledge to work, you can build wealth more effectively over time. Stocks are among the best ways to do that.

2. The Stock Market Has Yet to Lose in the Long Run

Even though volatility is a problem in the short-term, and there are big crashes on occasion, the stock market hasn’t lost in the long run. If you plan out your long-term goals, you’ll find that investing gives you the best chance of reaching them.

Over long periods of time — 25 to 30 years — the stock market has always seen net gains. Over time, the trend line smooths out, and doesn’t look so scary. One of the biggest investing mistakes is to panic at short-term volatility, selling with the herd, even though it’s a great time to buy at bargain prices. Take a step back and really consider the big picture and the long-term. You might be surprised at what you find.

3. Stock Investing Doesn't Have to be Complex

The real hang up for many people is stock picking. They worry about whether or not they are choosing the right stocks, and get concerned about seemingly-complex concepts like P/E ratios and reading balance sheets. While these are things that can be learned, stock investing doesn’t have to be complex, especially to start.

Simple investments, like index funds, can help you avoid the pitfalls of stock picking. With index funds, you can start investing fairly easily, with little expertise, and with a small amount of money. An index fund, which follows a group of investments (you can even pick an all-market fund and track the entire market’s performance), allows you to avoid the need for stock picking. These types of investments have made the whole process less complex for large groups of people.

You can start with a small amount of money, and be consistent. Indeed, when it comes to investing success, consistency is key. Create a plan, and look for funds that you understand. You might get around to stock picking later, but to start, it doesn’t need to be complex — and over time it can result in true wealth.

http://couponshoebox.com/tips/3-reasons-to-invest-in-stocks/

Professor Swensen's Asset Allocation Strategy



@ 15 minutes

3 ways to make money:
Asset Allocation
Market Timing
Stock Selection




David Swensen is the chief investment officer of Yale University, where he has produced stunning results in managing portfolios over 25 years. In this lecture, he talks about managing a portfolio for individual investors and stresses on the importance of diversification and equity-orientation.

Special Lecture in Seoul April 2010

Yale's Financial Wizard, David Swensen.



Uploaded on 27 May 2009
Yale's Financial Wizard, David Swensen. The renowned Chief Investment Officer of Yale's $20 billion dollar endowment discusses the strategy behind the fund's extraordinary long term track record, recent criticisms of the "Yale model" and his investment recommendations for individual investors.

Guest Speaker David Swensen (YaleCourses)





Published on 5 Apr 2012
Financial Markets (2011) (ECON 252)

00:00 - Chapter 1. Introduction, Overview, and "Barron's" Criticism of the Swensen Approach to Endowment Management
15:49 - Chapter 2. Asset Allocation
30:38 - Chapter 3. Market Timing
37:16 - Chapter 4. Security Selection
46:02 - Chapter 5. "Barron's" Criticism Revisited
52:57 - Chapter 6. Questions & Answers

Complete course materials are available at the Open Yale Courses website: http://oyc.yale.edu

Open Yale Course:Financial Markets 09. Guest Lecture by David Swensen

Ideas for Investment Success





Uploaded on 24 Mar 2011
David Swensen is a so-called legendary institutional investor who has survived a harsh investment environment over several decades. In his interview, he suggests the elegantly simple advice for you to have to follow for your investment success.

David Bach's #1 Financial Mistake to Avoid



Corruption is still the scourge. Please vote wisely for a better society.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=500613263339497&set=vb.296868620365231&type=2&theater





@ 2.50 min  Until 5 or 6 years ago, a 10 A student from a poor family was unable to get a scholarship from the government.

@ 6.30 min.  His explanation on why his donation of $30 million was rejected by UTAR..

@ 10.10 min.  How politics and the awarding of contracts without tenders, impoverished you?




Sunday 21 April 2013

The Politics of Fear, Mistruth and Confusion - Different message targeted at different crowd.

If only our politicians can ALWAYS address to a mixed Malaysian crowd in every election gathering.


Ghani: If Kit wins, Hadi might be PM
Vote Lim Kit Siang and you might get PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang as your next prime minister, warned Gelang Patah candidate and incumbent Johor menteri besar Abdul Ghani Othman to Chinese voters in the constituency.

MCA:  If PR wins, PAS would dominate the coalition.
However BN, especially MCA, has been warning the Chinese that PAS, which has the strongest machinery and largest membership among three parties, would dominate Pakatan and grab the premiership when Pakatan comes to power.

UMNO:  If PR wins, DAP will dominate the coalition.
Umno, on the other hand, is trying to convince Malay voters that DAP would be the dominant power in the coalition.


http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/227552

Not a surprise that BN candidate for Pasir Mas parliamentary seat withdrew.

This is not unexpected.   BN was suggested by TDM to field Ibrahim Ali, the President for Perkasa in this election.  This would be most unacceptable for some component parties of BN and not a popular move for some segment of the Malaysian society.

Even before this "unexpected event", it was already rumoured that BN candidate for Pasir Mas would withdraw and this seat would be a direct contest between Ibrahim Ali and PAS.

Sorry for those folks, especially the component parties of BN, who think that the true representative announced by Najib will be their candidate to represent BN and to win this seat for BN.

In true partnership and friendship, we should value INTEGRITY, above all else.


Saturday 20 April 2013

KLCCP to list stapled REIT by May





KUALA LUMPUR (April 9, 2013): KLCC Property Holdings Bhd (KLCCP), which is expected to list its stapled real estate investment trust (REIT) by early May this year, is in the process of securing an anchor tenant for its latest development in the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) area, said its group CEO Hashim Wahir.
"We are not a speculative developer. What we're working on now is to secure the anchor tenant and once it is secured, then we will start planning (for the development). Our target has always been the multinationals because we would like to enhance the precinct by having a mix of tenants," he told reporters after its EGM yesterday.
Hashim said the 0.6ha vacant land in front of Mandarin Oriental in Kuala Lumpur, known as Lot D1, could possibly be an office building with retail component but the building plans will only be confirmed once it has secured the anchor tenant.
"It can be equivalent to Menara 3 Petronas, with one million sq ft of gross floor area," he said, adding that it is in talks with potential anchor tenants but declined to comment on when it expects to finalise talks.
At yesterday's meeting, shareholders approved KLCCP's proposal to create Malaysia's first syariah-compliant stapled REIT in Malaysia, including the injection of Petronas Twin Towers, Menara 3 Petronas and Menara ExxonMobil into the REIT vehicle, KLCC REIT.
Hashim said KLCCP will retain the remaining assets which are Dayabumi Complex, Suria KLCC and Mandarin Oriental, as well as the management services namely KLCC REIT Management Sdn Bhd which will be formed under KLCCP as the manager of the REIT.
"We have a three-pronged growth strategy. We have retained Dayabumi Complex, which has quite a significant redevelopment potential. That's why we're not injecting it into the REIT yet.
"We also have Lot D1, which has a significant development potential," he said.
"Once the assets are stable, we can inject it into the REIT. Of course, we have the normal growth as mentioned, our tenancy will have rental increases and under this arrangement, we also have the first right of refusal on future assets belonging to KLCC (Holdings) Sdn Bhd, which is the ultimate shareholders of KLCCP Stapled Group before Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas)," he added.
In November last year, KLCCP announced that it had signed 15-year triple net lease agreement with Petronas in regard to the Petronas Twin Towers effective Oct 1, 2012. During the first three years, rental would be RM29.1 million per month.
At the same time, its wholly-owned subsidiary Arena Merdu Sdn Bhd also signed a 15-year triple net lease agreement for Menara 3 Petronas, where rental for the first three years would be RM6.1 million per month.
Hashim said the rental rates will be reviewed every three years and the increase in rental rates would be 3% per year, compounded every three years. For its other properties, the leases are between three and five years and will be reviewed based on the market.
On acquiring new assets, he said: "We are focusing on developing what we have in our portfolio but any opportunities that come by that meets the profile of our investment, adds to the value creation of our shareholders and REIT unit holders in future, it will be considered."
Meanwhile, KLCCP director Datuk Manharlal Ratilal said the KLCCP Stapled Group will become one of the largest property groups in Asia, with a RM12 billion market capitalisation if the restructuring exercise and listing proceed as planned.
"The three assets (Petronas Twin Towers, Menara 3 Petronas and Menara ExxonMobil) are worth about RM15 billion. The group's debt is around RM2.3 billion and the balance is the market capitalisation," he said.
KLCCP Stapled Group intends to distribute 95% of the overall distributable income to unit holders for 2013 and 2014. The REIT will be the largest in Malaysia, almost three times bigger than Sunway REIT.

Aeon Credit to issue rights, bonus shares?



PETALING JAYA (April 16, 2013): Non-bank financial institution Aeon Credit Service (M) Bhd is expected to seek clearance from its board of directors at a meeting on Thursday for a capital raising exercise via a rights issue as well as to undertake a bonus issue to reward its shareholders, according to sources close to the situation.
The company is due to release its full-year results for the financial year ended Feb 20, 2013 (FY13) on the same day.
Analysts told SunBiz they are not surprised by Aeon Credit's proposed cash-call as management has indicated its plan to raise the company's capital base for a while now.
"The main purpose of the equity raising is to boost its capital adequacy ratio to 25% from 18% now, which is nearing Bank Negara Malaysia's minimum level of 16%," said an analyst at a local research firm.
"Aeon Credit may also raise debt to fund future growth. In its annual report, the company had said it would be comfortable with a gearing ratio of 3-5 times and it is now less than 4 times," he added.
A Kenanga Research analyst said the rights issue will support Aeon Credit's loan growth plans for the next two to three years, while the bonus issue will help to improve the stock's liquidity and attract more retail participation.
He noted while the rights issue may result in a dilution of Aeon Credit's share value, the stock will remain attractive to investors post the exercise due to its healthy financial position and sound profitability, and a downward adjustment from its existing high share price.
Aeon Credit closed up 8 sen at RM14.32 yesterday, with 96,700 shares traded.
In a report dated April 12, 2013, HwangDBS Vickers Research Sdn Bhd said a capital call by Aeon Credit is probable since its capital ratio has fallen to 19% in November 2012 and it has always kept a higher buffer of above 20% than Bank Negara's 16% requirement.
"We are positive on the potential fund raising as this will shore up its balance sheet to support future growth, while the enlarged share base could improve trading liquidity," it said.
The research firm also sees the company raising debt to fund growth and refinance some of its medium-term notes which are expiring in the next 12 months, estimated to be RM400 million.
"In our scenario analysis, we assume Aeon Credit could do a rights issue on the basis of 1-for-9 at an indicative issue price of RM12.90 (based on 10% discount to a theoretical ex-rights price of RM14.30), and raise RM210 million to bring its capital ratio to 25%.
"We estimate the enlarged share base (+11%) would dilute earnings per share and return on equity by 5% and 7 percentage points respectively in FY14," it said.
HwangDBS is expecting Aeon Credit to deliver record net profit of RM129 million in FY13, up 35% from a year earlier, with the loan book growing 54% to RM2.3 billion.
"The key drivers remain personal loans and vehicle easy payments as Aeon Credit fills the financing needs of customers in the low to middle income segment," it said, maintaining a "hold" call on the stock with a RM16.10 target price.

A Young Boy singing "Ini kali lah TUKAR."

LIM KIT SIANG'S PRESS CONFERENCE FROM UBAH TV

Friday 19 April 2013

Jim Rogers: We're Wiping out the Savings Class Globally, to Terrible Consequence



Jim Rogers decries the growing uncertainty and recklessness of global central planners as the world enters unchartered financial markets:
For the first time in recorded history, we have nearly every central bank printing money and trying to debase their currency. This has never happened before. How it’s going to work out, I don't know. It just depends on which one goes down the most and first, and they take turns. When one says a currency is going down, the question is against what? because they are all trying to debase themselves. It’s a peculiar time in world history.
I own the dollar, not because I have any confidence in the dollar and not because it’s sound – it’s a terribly flawed currency – but I expect more currency turmoil, more financial turmoil. During periods like that, people, for whatever reason, flee to the U.S. dollar as a safe haven. It is not a safe haven, but it is perceived that way by some people. That’s why the dollar is going up. That’s why I own it. Will I own it in five years, ten years? I don't know. 
It makes it extremely difficult for the investor looking for acceptable risk/reward or the saver looking to protect their purchasing power; as in Rogers' view, all options have their problems:
I own gold and silver and precious metals. I own all commodities, which is a better way to play as they debase currencies. I own more agriculture than just about anything else in real assets because of the reasons we discussed before. We were talking before about the risk-free or worry-free investment. Even gold: the Indian politicians are talking about coming down hard on gold, and India is the largest buyer of gold in the world. If Indian politicians do something -- whether it’s foolish or not is irrelevant -- if they do something, gold could go down a lot. So I own it. I’m not selling it. But everything has problems.
To Rogers, the bigger danger that concerns him is the hollowing out of the 'saving class' resulting from this situation. Central planners' policies are punishing the prudent in favor of rescuing the irresponsible. This has happened before in world history, and the aftermath has always had grievous economic, social -- and often human -- costs:
Throughout our history – any country’s history – the people who save their money and invest for their future are the ones that you build an economy, a society, and a nation on.
In America, many people saved their money, put it aside, and didn’t buy four or five houses with no job and no money down. They did what most people would consider the right thing, and what historically has been the right thing. But now, unfortunately, those people are being wiped out, because they are getting 0% return, or virtually no return, on their savings and their investments. We’re wiping them out at the expense of people who went deeply into debt, people who did what most people would consider the wrong thing at the expense of people who did the right thing. This, long-term, has terrible consequences for any nation, any society, any economy.
If you go back in history, you'll see what happed to the Germans when they wiped out their savings class in the 1920s. It didn’t lead to good things down the road for Germany. It didn’t lead to good things for Italy, which did the same thing. There were plenty of countries where it wiped out the people who saved and invested for their future. It’s usually a serious, political reaction, desperation in some cases, and looking for a savior and easy answers is usually what happens when you destroy the people who save and invest for the future.

Secret of the Wealthy

Wednesday 17 April 2013

Tesco Profit Hit by Write-Downs

Tesco Profit Hit by Write-Downs

BY KATHY GORDON

LONDON—Tesco PLC on Wednesday counted the cost of years of ambitious expansion under former chief Terry Leahy, as the U.K. supermarket operator's profit for the year was all but wiped out by payments to clean up its domestic business and a charge related to its failed U.S. venture.

Full-year net profit fell for the first time in 19 years, to £124 million ($190.5 million) from £2.81 billion a year earlier. The figure was hit by a £1.17 billion charge on the retailer's failed U.S. chain Fresh & Easy, and a £804 million write-down on property in the U.K.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324493704578427933954071390.html?ru=yahoo&mod=yahoo_hs



17 April 2013

Preliminary Results Announcement 2012/13

Tesco PLC’s Preliminary Results 2012/13 were announced today at 7.00am. View all results materials including full release and Philip Clarke's blog post.

Financial highlights

  • £3.5bn trading profit – year-on-year performance largely reflects UK reinvestment
  • Final dividend maintained at 10.13p, giving full-year dividend of 14.76p.
  • Good progress in the UK, delivering improved results – for customers and for Tesco
  • Strong online performance: Group sales of over £3bn for the first time – up 13%
  • Confirming exit from the United States – process well-advanced.
  • F+F brand clothing sales now exceed £1bn in UK alone, with +9% LFL sales growth
  • Clear approach to future growth, capital expenditure, returns and cash, providing clarity for shareholders

Philip Clarke – Chief Executive

"The announcements made today are natural consequences of the strategic changes we first began over a year ago and which conclude today.  With profound and rapid change in the way consumers live their lives, our objective is to be the best multichannel retailer for customers.

Our plan to 'Build a Better Tesco' is on track and I am pleased with the real progress in the UK.  We have already made substantial improvements to our customers' shopping experience, which are starting to be reflected in a better performance.

We have set the business on the right track to deliver realistic, sustainable and attractive returns and long-term growth for shareholders. The consequences are non-cash write-offs relating to the United States, from which we today confirm our decision to exit, and for UK property investments which we will not pursue because of our fundamentally different approach to space.

We have also faced external challenges which have affected our performance, notably in Europe and Korea.
Our focus now is on disciplined and targeted investment in those markets with significant growth potential and the opportunity to deliver strong returns."
View full release.


Margin of Safety. Paying Up Doesn't Pay Off


Paying Up Doesn't Pay Off
1999 2004 1999 2004    5-Year    5-Year
      P/E       P/E Price $ Price $ EPS Growth Total Return
Coca Cola 47 20 58 42 66% -28%
Pfizer 42 13 32 27 165% -16%
Wal-Mart 58 23 69 53 93% -23%
Dell 75 35 51 42 78% -18%
Microsoft 78 21 58 27 69% -53%
Intel 36 21 41 24 -4% -41%
Cisco 134 24 54 19 100% -65%
Average 67 22 52 33 81% -35%


The above chart contains seven of the best businesses in existence.

In the five years from 1999 to 2004, these wonders of American business boosted their earnings per share by an average of 81%, yet had you invested in all of them in 1999, your aggregate return would have been a disappointing negative 35%.

The cause of your loss would be the high price you paid for these businesses in 1999 when their price/earnings ratio averaged a breathtaking 67 times.

By 2004, the average price/earnings ratio had returned to a more rational 22 times, more than offsetting the spectacular gains in earnings per share posted by these corporate giants.

An intelligent investor would have recognized that even for the greatest businesses in the world, at 67 times earnings, Mr. Market was asking too high a price and no margin of safety was available.


MARGIN OF SAFETY

If you had asked Graham to distill the secret of sound investing into three words, he might have replied, "margin of safety/"  These are still the right three words and will remain so for as long as humans are unable to accurately predict the future.

As Graham repeatedly warned, any estimate of intrinsic value is based on numerous assumptions about the future, which are unlikely to be completely accurate.  By allowing yourself a margin of safety - paying only $60 for a stock you think is worth $100, for example - you provide for errors in your forecasts and unforeseeable events that may alter the business landscape.

Just think, if you were asked to build a bridge over which 10,000 pound trucks were to pass, would you build it to hold exactly 10,000 pounds.  Of course not - you'd build the bridge to hold 15,000 or 20,000 pounds.  That is your margin of safety.

Think Independently. You should derive no comfort in either standing with or against the crowd.

Warren Buffett said the best advice he ever got from Graham was to think independently.

Just as you ignore Mr. Market's daily communications (unless, of course, he gives you an interesting quote), you should also derive no comfort in either standing with or against the crowd.

As Graham wrote, "You are neither right nor wrong because the crowd disagrees with you.  You are right because your data and reasoning are right."

If you have reached a rational conclusion about a stock based on sound judgement, you should act even though others around you may hesitate or differ.

Tuesday 16 April 2013

The rakyat speaking up for their rights






All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.

... Thomas Jefferson


Maybe Diamonds Aren't Forever

Marilyn Monroe made diamonds sexy and chic



http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-11-15/maybe-diamonds-arent-forever#r=lr-fst

Gold plunges to lowest in more than 2 years


Gold plunges below $1400 an ounce, lowest in more than two years, as selling intensifies

By Steve Rothwell, AP Markets Writer | Associated Press


NEW YORK (AP) -- Gold plummeted to its lowest level in more than two years as traders rushed to sell their holdings following a big price drop on Friday.
The precious metal has plunged almost $200 over the past two days and is trading below $1,400 an ounce for the first time since February 2011.
The sell-off started Friday when the U.S. government reported that wholesale prices fell in March by the most in 10 months. Investors had been buying gold in anticipation of a pickup in inflation. With prices now falling, the attraction of the metal as an alternative investment has waned.
The gold market was also rattled by a proposal last week that Cyprus sell some of its gold reserves to support its banks. Traders worry that Spain, Italy and other weak European countries might follow suit, flooding the market with excess supply just as demand for the metal is weakening.
"This is panic, this it isn't organized at all," said Phil Streible, a senior commodities broker at RJ O'Brien Futures. "If you look at Italy or Spain....if they start liquidating, that's when you get serious movements."
The price of gold plunged $120, or 8 percent, to $1,381 an ounce as of noon EDT Monday. The price of the metal has dropped almost 12 percent in the last two days. Gold peaked at $1,900 an ounce in September 2011 during the market turmoil that followed a downgrade to the U.S. government's credit rating.
Gold has been declining from a recent high of $1,792 on Oct. 4 as the outlook for the U.S. economy improved, diminishing the metal's appeal as a safe haven investment.
Some Federal Reserve officials have also been calling for an early end to the central bank's bond-buying program. If that happens, it would likely cause U.S. interest rates to rise, resulting in an appreciation of the U.S. dollar. That gives traders another reason to sell gold, since they see the metal as an alternative to holding dollars.
Industrial metals also fell after China reported that economic growth slowed unexpectedly in the first three months of the year. The world's second-largest economy grew by 7.7 percent over a year earlier, slowing from the previous quarter, and short of many private sector forecasts that growth would accelerate slightly to 8 percent.
Copper, which tends to follow the outlook for global growth, dropped 12 cents, or 3.5 percent, to $3.23 a pound.
Silver plunged $2.95, or 11.2 percent, to $23.36 an ounce. Palladium dropped $43.05, or 6.1 percent, to $655.70 an ounce and platinum dropped $72.70, or 4.9 percent, to $1,423.40.
The price of oil dropped nearly $3, or 3 percent, to $88 a barrel on Monday, its lowest level since mid-December. The slowdown in China's growth added to doubts about the strength of global demand for crude.



http://finance.yahoo.com/news/heres-why-gold-getting-crushed-164844311.html

"The speed of this sell-off is really amazing."




Sunday 14 April 2013

The Day the Dollar Died




The first 12 hours of a U.S. dollar collapse! http://inflation.us

Extraordinary Popular Delusions And The Madness Of Markets



The twin bubbles of today: Government bonds (which are set to burst) and gold (which is getting ready to enter the mania phase).

How I Learned To Stop Trading And Love The Farm



@ 20 min

Great Quotes from Great Leaders

The Wisdom of Thomas Jefferson



Thomas Jefferson was one of our founding fathers and his words still ring true today. He knew that we would make mistakes with our government and he also knew what we should do to fix it. After viewing this pass it on to others.

All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.

Educate and inform the whole mass of the people .....  They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.

Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government, those entrusted with power have, in time and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.

I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labours of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.

Information is the currency of democracy.

It does me no injury for my neighbour to say, there are twenty gods or no God.

It is error alone which needs the support of government.  Truth can stand by itself.

It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes.  A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world.

It takes time to persuade men to do even what its for their own good.

Liberty is to the collective body, what health is to every individual body.  Without health no pleasure can be tasted by man; without liberty, no happiness can be enjoyed by society.

No government ought to be without censors; and where the press if free no one ever will.

That government is best which governs the least, because its people discipline themselves.

The government is the strongest of which every man feels himself a part.

The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only object of good government.

The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.

We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

When the press if free and every man able to read, all is safe.

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

The Wisdom of Abraham Lincoln



Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 April 15, 1865) served as the 16th President of the United States from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through its greatest internal crisis, the American Civil War, preserving the Union and ending slavery.


Let not him who is houseless pull down the house of another, but let him work diligently and build one for himself, thus by example, assuring that his own shall be safe from violence when built.

My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure.

Any people anywhere, being inclined and having the power, have the right to rise up and shake off the existing government, and form a new one that suits them better. This is a most valuable - a most sacred right - a right, which we hope and believe, is to liberate the world.

As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy.

Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.



The Wisdom of Mark Twain

The Wisdom of Mother Teresa



Mother Teresa (26 August 1910, 5 September 1997), born Agnesë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, was an Albanian Catholic nun with Indian citizenship who founded the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata (Calcutta), India in 1950. For over 45 years she ministered to the poor, sick, orphaned, and dying, while guiding the Missionaries of Charity's expansion, first throughout India and then in other countries. Following her death she was beatified by Pope John Paul II and given the title Blessed Teresa of Calcutta.

The miracle is not that we do this work, but that we are happy to do it.

The most terrible poverty is loneliness and the feeling of being unloved.

The Wisdom of Napoleon Hill



There is one quality which one must possess to win, and that is definiteness of purpose, the knowledge of what one wants, and a burning desire to possess it.


The Wisdom of Benjamin Franklin




Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.

The Wisdom of Socrates

Saturday 13 April 2013

The Wisdom of Confucius



Confucius (Chinese: 孔子; pinyin: Kǒng zǐ; Wade-Giles: K'ung-tzu, or Chinese: 孔夫子; pinyin: Kǒng Fūzǐ; Wade-Giles: K'ung-fu-tzu), literally "Master Kong," (traditionally September 28, 551 BCE -- 479 BCE was a Chinese thinker and social philosopher, whose teachings and philosophy have deeply influenced Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and Vietnamese thought and life.

His philosophy emphasized personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice and sincerity. These values gained prominence in China over other doctrines, such as Legalism (法家) or Taoism (道家) during the Han Dynasty (206 BCE -- 220 CE). Confucius' thoughts have been developed into a system of philosophy known as Confucianism (儒家). It was introduced to Europe by the Italian Jesuit Matteo Ricci, who was the first to Latinise the name as "Confucius."

The Wisdom of John D. Rockefeller

7 Most Effective Exercises (Slideshow)


7 Most Effective Exercises Slideshow

Man using weigh machine with personal trainer

Does Your Workout Really Work?

Done right, these seven exercises give you results that you can see and feel. You can you do them at a gym or at home. Watch the form shown by the trainer in the pictures. Good technique is a must. If you're not active now, it's a good idea to check in with your doctor first.
Woman walking on a treadmill at the gym

No. 1: Walking

Why it's a winner: You can walk anywhere, anytime. Use a treadmill or hit the streets. All you need is a good pair of shoes.
How to: If you're just starting to walk for fitness, begin with five to 10 minutes at a time. Add a few minutes to each walk until you get to at least 30 minutes per walk. Add time to your walks before you  quicken your pace or add hills. 
Woman jogging on treadmill with speed interval

No. 2: Interval Training

Why it's a winner: Interval training lets you boost fitness, burn more calories, and lose weight. The basic idea is to vary the intensity within your workout, instead of going at a steady pace.
How to: Whether you walk, run, dance, or do another cardio exercise, push up the pace for a minute or two. Then back off for two to 10 minutes. Exactly how long your interval should last depends on the length of your workout and how much recovery time you need. A trainer can fine-tune the pacing.. Repeat the intervals throughout your workout.
Trainer demonstrating proper form for squats

No. 3: Squats

Why it's a winner: Squats work several muscle groups -- your quadriceps ("quads"), hamstrings, and gluteals ("glutes") -- at the same time.
How to: Keep your feet shoulder-width apart and your back straight. Bend your knees and lower your rear as if you were sitting down in a chair. Keep your knees right over your ankles.

Man using weigh machine with personal trainer

Squats Done Right

Practice with a real chair to master this move. First, sit all the way down in the chair and stand back up. Next, barely touch the chair's seat before standing back up. Work up to doing the squats without a chair, keeping the same form.
Trainer demonstrating proper form for lunges

No. 4: Lunges

Why it's a winner: Like squats, lunges work all the major muscles of your lower body. They can also improve your balance.
How to: Take a big step forward, keeping your back straight. Bend your front knee to about 90 degrees. Keep weight on your back toes and drop the back knee toward the floor. Don't let the back knee touch the floor. 
Trainer demonstrating side lunge

Lunges: Extra Challenge

Try stepping not just forward, but also back and out to each side, with each lunge.
Trainer demonstrating push-up

No. 5: Push-Ups

Why it's a winner: Push-ups strengthen your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core muscles.
How to: Facing down, place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Place your toes on the floor. If that's too hard, start with your knees on the floor. Your body should make a straight line from shoulders to knees or feet. Keep your rear-end muscles and abs engaged. Bend your elbows to lower down until you almost touch the floor. Lift back up by pushing through your elbows, Keep your torso in a straight line throughout the move.
Trainer demonstrating push-up on knees

Push-Ups: Too Hard? Too Easy?

If you're new to push-ups you can start doing them by leaning into a kitchen counter. As you get stronger, go lower, using a desk or chair. Then you can move onto the floor, starting with your knees bent. For a challenge, put your feet on a stair, bench, or couch while keeping good form.
Trainer demonstrating proper form for crunches

Crunches -- Method A

Start by lying on your back with your feet flat on the floor and your head resting in your palms. Press your lower back down. Contract your abdominal muscles (abs) and in one smooth move, raise your head, then your neck, shoulders, and upper back off the floor. Tuck in your chin slightly. Lower back down and repeat.
Trainer doing abdominal crunch, feet up

Crunches -- Method B

You can also do crunches with your feet off the floor and knees bent. This technique may keep you from arching your back. It also uses your hip flexors (muscles on your upper thighs below your hip bones).
Trainer showing improper form for crunches

Mastering Crunches

Keep your neck in line with your spine. Tuck in your chin so it doesn't stick out. Breathe normally. To keep chest and shoulders open, keep your elbows out of your line of vision.
Trainer performing bent-over row with barbells

No. 7: Bent-Over Row

Why it's a winner: You work all the major muscles of your upper back, as well as your biceps.
How to: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, bend your knees, and bend forward at the hips. Engage your abs without hunching your back. Hold weights beneath your shoulders, keeping your hands shoulder-width apart. Bend your elbows and lift both hands toward the sides of your body. Pause, then slowly lower your hands to the starting position.