Stress Free Forex Trading with Forex VPS

By James Smith

Forex VPS is a leading service provider for VPS forex hosting. By using a VPS, ar a virtual private server, you alleviate many of the problems associated with a shared hosting account. When many people are using one server sometimes things slow down or other times it's hard to open a page. VPS is a server being used by only one person. Imagine using a server alone in the whole world. The main server will be divided into several servers and distributed and used as forex VPS.

With the dedicated server you will have your own software's and operating system. This virtual server is like a branch of the bigger universal server but still operates individually. This server is usually used by forex traders and is referred to as forex VPS, ie hosting for your forex trading requirements. The dditional beneift of using a VPS is that your MetaTrader EAs will run 24/7, even while you are sleeping. This means that you do not need to have your computer switched on for your trades to be placed.

VPS is a crossbreed between full - fledged dedicated hosting and shared hosting. It is full- fledged because it is just like an individual server. You can install applications, reboot the server and access the server root without worrying about affecting other users. There is also shared hosting because you will have to share hardware with other users. When it comes to forex trading there are traders who don't want to run MetaTrader platforms on their computers. By accessing the services of Forex VPS you can have your own server.

If you are a trader and like to trade on a regular basis, subscribing to forex VPS services will let you trade without having the computer on the rest of the day. You can trade through a metatrader broker by simply logging into the site; you will view it and manage the account then start trading immediately.

For those traders who run their expert advisers without interruptions, forex VPS is the ideal service for you. It is always on-line, and does not reboot when trading. Power outages do not affect it and the best part is that the computer can be off. With all its benefits, you can also use this kind of server to test WebPages right before you make them available to the public. It lets you test applications and different software's without having to reboot the whole server.

You need the automatic restart feature incase the server is rebooted and you need to automatically restart. The 24/7 access feature is needed because you should be able to access your forex VPS anytime and trade.

There are a number of other reputable companies that will offer you similar forex VPS services. Some of them are namely; Commercial Network Services, Crucial Paradigm, Gallant VPS, VPSLAND, eApps, HostEasier, OmegaSupreme, EzforexHost and Forex Hoster.

All in all, the forex VPS hosting companies have broadly the same product offering, with similar specs within their hosting accounts. The features that you should look out for especially are a pre-installed MetaTrader MT4. Also check that the hosting service is compatible with all forex brokers, or at least with the broker you trade with, as there are some brokers which only use certain operating systems. This will allow you to download and install trading platforms from brokers to your forex VPS. Finally, double check that the EA you plan to trade with is compatible with the VPS host. Most forex hosting providers can support all EAs, but some are still limited in this capacity. - 23208

About the Author:

For more information about forex hosting and Forex VPS go to Forex Village. They offer independent reviews and have considerable experience when dealing with forex hosting and MetaTrader Expert Advisors.

Australian Silver Lunar Coin - Collect And Enjoy A Menagerie Of Values

By Christina Goldman

The Perth Mint which is found in Western Australia started minting the Australian Silver Lunar Coin in 1999 to start a chain of mintage based totally on the Chinese Lunar Year. Therefore, the entire Lunar Silver Coin collection would have as its basis, the twelve animals. According to Chinese legend, this honored an invite from Lord Buddha to visit him before he left this Earth.

The good Buddha had called all the animals but only these 12 obliged, so he rewarded these fortunate dozen by naming each of them in the cycle of the Chinese Lunar Year by the order by which they came: the rat was first and started the cycle, followed by the ox, the tiger, the rabbit or hare, the dragon, the snake, the horse, the sheep, the monkey, the rooster, the dog and the pig (or boar).

However, since the Australian Silver Lunar Coin started minting in 1999, its starting animal in the 12-animal cycle is the rabbit which happened to be the ruling animal in the Chinese Lunar Calendar that year. The rest of the animals followed in their respective order with the ox design featured in this years Perth Mint issue and the tiger icon scheduled to wind up the Lunar Silver issuance in 2010.

The Australian Silver Lunar Coin originally came in five sizes: half-ounce, 1 ounce, and those that weighed at 2, 10 and 32.5 (1 kilo) ounces. Two variations, the 5-ounce and the half-kilo were added in 2004. All are legal tender and have a purity of 99.9% pure silver. Their face values, however, differ.

The 1 kilo size has an Australian-dollar face value of A$30, the half-kilo coin A$15, the 10-ounce A$10, the 5-ounce A$8, the 2-ounce A$2, and the 1-ounce A$1.

As you can see, collectors and numismatists whose thematic specialization falls under completing a collection by years will definitely find a gem in the Australian Silver Lunar Coin. - 23208

About the Author:

As always, you'll find great deals and selection on silver bullion such as the fantastic Australian Silver Lunar Coin at: AustralasianCoins.com

Stock Trading Strategy: Pyramid Your profits!

By Jordan Weir

We've all heard the age old adage, cut your losses short, and let your profits ride. Yet the vast majority of traders don't use this concept to its fullest. The proper application of this single, pivotal piece of advice can be the difference between showing a profit at the end of the month, and showing a loss. This method is known as pyramiding your profits.

In order to properly pyramid your profits, you must understand a basic tenant of risk management. This tenant alone is enough to bring many an unprofitable trader to profitability, but only once combined with the idea of pyramiding profits, can its true utility be realized. This tenant states that no more then 5% of your portfolio should be at risk during any trade. Thus someone with a $50000 portfolio can risk $2500 on a trade. This doesnt mean they cant invest more then $2500, but it means that when setting a stop loss, your initial position size should be based on the $2500 number.

So if a company is trading at $20 per share, and our stop loss is at $17.50, we can lose $2.50 per share by buying. If were willing to lose no more then $2500, then $2500/$2.50 = 1000 shares. So we should purchase 1000 shares for this trade.

With your standard trade, that would be hit. An order to sell at a certain price, and order to buy at a certain price, and a stop loss. When your pyramiding your profits though, there's an integral extra step. When the stock has gone up in price, and you have some profits, you add MORE to the position. Lets say it goes up to $22.50, and you decide to move your stop loss up to $21.00. You now have 1000 in gains if you get stopped out. To pyramid your profits, you add that 1000 in gains to your risk amount for the trade, for a total of $3500. Since its now at 22.50, and we can risk up to $3500, then we should purchase another 2300 shares. (3500/1.5 = 2334).

Now lets analyze your position for a second. You bought 1000 shares at 20, and 2300 at 22.50. If it goes to 25, then you made $5000 on the original 1000 shares, and another $5750 on the second set of 2300 shares. If it goes down to your stop at 21, then you made $1000 on the original 1000 shares, and lost $3450 on the second set of $2300 shares, for an overall loss of $2450 (about the same as the risk you were willing to take on). The same idea can be applied to shorting stock as well. Just remember " add to your position as you become profitable, but keep your maximum loss relatively constant factoring in the unrealized gains.

Yet the applications of this strategy are important not just for the short term trader; it can be used by long term investors as well. Assuming its an up trending stock, long term investors would be well served to start with smaller positions, with a stoploss, and essentially add to the position on breakouts. This allows you to profit from the frequent megatrends in the market, while being taken out of the market if it begins going against you.

The interesting thing about this strategy is while its almost the opposite of some conventional wisdom " you never go broke taking a profit " it does strongly adhere to the idea of cutting losses short and letting profits run. The key is to do more of whats working, and less of what isn't, and that's exactly what this kind of trade accomplishes.

The key to success in trading is to have big gains, and small losses. By doing so, you can be wrong half the time, and still make money in the market. By pyramiding your profits, you insure big gains and small losses. Using this stock trading strategy, you can truly cut your losses short, and let your profits run. - 23208

About the Author:

Don't even THINK about trading another stock before checking out Jordan's website on Stock Trading Stategies. Learn about Stock Option Stategies, Exchange Traded Funds, shorting and more by visiting the Stock and Options Guru!

ETF Basics

By Jordan J. Weir

While many investors have an overall outlook, and may be able to accurately predict what will be the next big thing, it is often harder to nail which company will be able to best take advantage of the coming conditions. After all, while it may be easy to figure out, retail stocks are going to be hammered by this recession, that doesn't help you decide which retail company is best to short. And while it may be easy to figure out, reduced demand from the developed world is going to hurt Chinese companies, its much harder " especially for those non-mandarin speaking people such as myself " to figure out exactly which Chinese companies might escape this fate. So how can we take advantage of these outlooks without having to pick specific companies?

The answer lies in a little tool known as the ETF. ETF stands for Exchange Traded fund. Think of it as a mutual fund that isn't actively managed, focuses on a certain area, and can be traded like a stock without incurring extra penalties. Each ETF holds a number of companies, similar to a mutual fund, and its listed price is simply the overall value of the companies it holds.

The purpose of an ETF is to allow an investor to purchase a single equity that represents an investment in a sector. So if an investor is interested in buying financial stocks, they could buy XLF. If they want some small cap goodies, they can choose to buy IWM. For some exposure to the Chinese stock market, they could invest in FXI. Finally, if they simply want to emulate the returns of the S&P 500 index, the SPY has them covered.

One question remains; why should an investor choose an ETF over a mutual fund. After all, mutual funds have professional managers whose sole responsibility is the management of money. Surely these investment professionals are the best place to go for excess returns? Well there are a couple downsides to mutual funds that aren't experienced by ETFs. First off, there are slight tax advantages for ETFs compared to mutual funds. Should a large sell of occur in a mutual fund, the mutual fund has to sell its holdings, and incur capital gains to be paid by the remaining holders of the mutual fund. Due to how ETFs are set up, this cannot occur, and so you only pay capital gains when you sell (or cover) your position.

Of course, the vast convenience ETFs have over mutual funds shouldn't be underestimated. ETFs can be traded just like a stock, giving active traders the ability to buy and sell intraday. The ability to short was impossible with a mutual fund, but now it can be done. During any bear market, the ability to benefit from the fall of sectors as well as their rise is a valuable one to have.

Another important consideration is that most of the more liquid ETFs are optionable. This means that option-savvy investors can harness the power of stock options to change the risk-reward profile of their positions, and risk-conscious investors can use stratagems such as the covered call and protective put to protect their investment.

When investing in ETFs, its important to consider how exactly that ETF works. This can usually be found with a quick google search. While most ETFs attain their returns simply by holding the underlying securities, other ETFs use more exotic means to match their benchmark/investment objective, sometimes with varying success. Particularly important is the differentiation between an ETF and an ETN. ETNs are debt based investments, similar to bonds in some ways, and so their value is also partially dependent on the issuer. For this reason, investments in ETNs should be approached with caution, especially in the current, credit-tight market.

ETFs are a powerful tool for both the intelligent investor, and the active trader. Their ability to hone in and diversify within a given industry, or region of the world is invaluable when riding the larger megatrends that happen periodically in investment. Similarly, the ability to trade them just like a stock, using techniques such as shorting, options, and the various order types make them an invaluable asset for the active trader. For those believing the efficient market hypothesis, they even allow passive index investing at a cost far below that of a mutual fund. - 23208

About the Author:

You must learn the ways of the market before you can truly succeed there, so visit my website and become a market virtuoso! Learn about "insider secrets" such as ETF Investing, stock option strategies, sector rotation, and shorting stock! Release the true power of Exchange Traded Funds in your portfolio, and allow your portfolio to be the best it can be

Real estate...the LONG TERM investment.

By Doc Schmyz

Have you heard these "bits of advice"????This is not a good time to look at property investment? Now is not a good time to invest in the stock market? Now is not a good time to buy oil futures? We have heard this from every "GURU" on the nightly news. The fact that this is a common belief does not make it true. Now is the time to go against the flow of popular opinion and buy an investment. The risk must, however, be a reasoned one and never spend the rent money on risky things.

If you are willing to move against the flow you must seek out deals and only buy bargains. Property investment is great because you can feel the permanence of your investment and over time real estate has proved itself to be a solid money maker. Contrary to all the latter day negative gearing you need to make sure of a positive cash flow. Rents must give a return on investment. Simply put.... you do not buy at silly prices you buy only when the figures give you a return. You don't have to love the investment...just enjoy the cash flow it brings in. (And with the market today...it is easy to find cash flow real estate.)

With the current feeling of uncertainty, buying bargains is not difficult. Foreclosures are not nice for anyone to deal with and being a buyer at a foreclosure or mortgagee sale can make you feel very uncomfortable and even intimidated. These properties do have to be sold though and foreclosures will work to an investor's advantage. Its just bargain shopping on a bigger scale.

You don't have to work with just foreclosures. Many people got into the property investment business over the last few years with the promise of easy profits and now feel worried and insecure with mortgages over their family homes or repayment bills that will not lessen in the near future. They just want to quit the game no matter what and will take a loss to set themselves out. Just do not make the same mistake they made. Do the math!! Get a return on your investment. Lastly have the right mind set which is to buy for the long term. Property investment is a long term game and very lucrative over a long period. Just make certain that you are happy and secure with a long term investment and you will really cash in when the next real estate price surge hits. - 23208

About the Author:

Doc Schmyz has invested all over the US. His website shares Real estate investing information for all over the US. Find Real estate investing information by state