Financial News Hub

We are often asked why we prefer the Mini-Dow index to say the S&P or Russell minis. While any index will do, we especially like the mini-Dow.

Because of the faster movement of the Dow versus the S&P 500, the mini-Dow more closely follows it’s big board parent.

So if it is just a matter of speed, then the mini-Russell would be even better right? Not exactly. The problem with the Russell is the low volume. This will no doubt change in the future. The mini-Dow had too low a volume for our money just a couple years ago, but that has now changed.

One more reason why we prefer the Mini-Dow is that we like no-cost tools, and it is much easier to find a reliable Dow chart. In fact there are many online that work just fine.

No matter which Index you prefer, we feel it is an advantage to watch the big board chart, and not the mini chart. We also prefer the 5 minute time frame.

Many traders watch both, which is what I did years ago before deciding to focus on the big board. Here’s why. I found that I would not move on what the mini chart was telling me unless I confirmed it with the big board. A popular confirmation among traders. It finally hit me that if I would not make a trade without confirming it with the big board, then why did I need the mini chart at all?

When I dropped the mini chart and focused on the big board movement, my trading improved. I have sinced confirmed this strategy with Hundreds of my students and other traders. Just recently, one of my students who moved on to using the mini-chart (a paid service I might add), came back to our style and is now focusing on the no-cost big board chart we use. He also confirmed that his trading improved, and he now sees why we focus on the big board.

The mini chart (even in the 5 min time frame) is like trading with a 1 minute chart. There are too many head fake moves that get you in a trade before it has fully developed. The big board averages some of those moves out for you. It keeps you on the sidelines when you should be. Sure, you might not get in as early on some runs, but in the long term it will save you!

It is hard to catch a move from top to bottom or vice-versa. By watching the big board you can fairly easily get a nice chunk out of the middle (or many chunks with our BIG MONEY Small Trades strategies). So watch the Big Board, and give the Mini Dow index a try. You will like it.

Whether a shoe is flying at him or he is showing off his dog, President Bush has been on the TV a lot lately. Too late for him to go down in history as a good president, but we will give him credit for trying. The Pres. has assured us all that we can grow our economy by spending more money. He even sent us each a few hundred to help us do that.

Next came the BIG bailouts for the banks and boys on Wall Street. Hey, where do we apply for some of that 700 Billion dollar pie? Well, don’t hold your breath on that one (in a moment we will show you how to cash in on the bail out actions with simple mini-dow index trading)!

Let’s see, if you are already in debt up to your ears – like the US government is, how is sending out free money going to stimulate the economy? And, how is that going to help the US government?

OH, don’t forget our friends over at the FED. The Reserve! The agency that is owned by the bankers. That masquerades around like they are part of the government. What many folks still don’t know is that they all pulled a fast one on us by sticking that word Federal in front of their name. The same thing the guy at Federal Express did when starting his company.

Frederick W. Smith founded FedEx. I clearly remember years ago when he was on 60 Minutes, he said that by the time folks figured out that he was not part of the government his company was already well on it’s way to success! Can’t blame his reasoning? What a PLAN! IT WORKED for the FED why not FedEx too?

Let’s quote right from the FedEx web site:

“Federal Express was so-named due to the patriotic meaning associated with the word “Federal,” which suggested an interest in nationwide economic activity. At that time, Smith hoped to obtain a contract with the Federal Reserve Bank and, although the proposal was denied, he believed the name was a particularly good one for attracting public attention and maintaining name recognition.”

I’m sure Smith did want a relationship with the Federal Reserve – who wouldn’t! These guys have the legalized right to print money! Think about it. It does not matter if it is a $1 bill or a $100 bill, it cost them about the same to make it (a few cents each). Then they “LOAN” that money at full face value to the US government. Full face value PLUS INTEREST! So now you know where the national debt comes from. We now owe that money – Plus Interest – to the FED. A private corporation controlled by international bankers.

So if you are thinking that Bush’s plan to grow the economy by handing out $100 bills won’t cost anything – Think Again! Where is that money going to come from? That’s right – the good ol boys at the FED. These mystical folks seem to be able to pull money out of thin air! Just think, with today’s high-tech world, the FED can just punch a button on a computer somewhere and release new funds to the world. Most of which never represents new bills being printed, but just credit in some bank or financial institutions account. Electronic numbers moving through nanoseconds of time and space.

Not only does the FED create money, they also have the ability to set their own interest rate!

- The Fed’s Open Market Committee (FOMC), announces their interest rate decisions. This is NOT the interest rate that you and I can get money for, (why don’t we all meet at the Fed Discount Window – wherever that is) but what the BIG boys who keep the whole world flowing receive. They in turn pump up the volume and pass the savings on to you and me right – WRONG! It could take weeks or even MONTHS after a cut to see any savings at the consumer level. So why do the markets get so active after an FOMC announcement?

The BIG boys are the ones who really move the market right (and they CAN line up at the FED window for a bailout). We just want a small slice of it. That’s all. Remember that when you are trading (or practicing the FED move trade -after an FOMC announcement).

So how do you cash in on the bailouts without getting a slice of the pie? Index trading! With all these bailout moves, the FED buying stock and giving away billions of dollars, it has caused some GREAT moves in the market. Not so good for stock traders, but Wonderful for those of us that just trade and follow the overall index.

No matter what happens, we can all do well with Simple Mini-Dow Index Trading. I look for GREAT times ahead for Index traders. We might have to pay more for the things we need, (because of the FED printing out bailout money like candy these days) but at least we can stay home and earn the money to get them!

Remember those FOMC announcements mentioned earlier? Many times after an announcement, the market moves and moves BIG. Much like the market moves we have all been seeing here lately with the bailout manipulation of the markets. The FED won’t give you a partnership deal like FedEx was looking for, but you can capitalize on their dealings.

Just follow an index and stay away from stock!

Some think Index Trading has something to do with day trading stocks.

We prefer Index Trading, there really is no comparison to day trading stocks. With stock trading there are Many things you really need to know about the companies you will be buying or selling short. In fact, the majority of stock traders Never sell a stock short or bet against the company (which means you are betting the stock price will drop). Not being able to profit in a down trending market is a Major setback for an investor.

With Index trading we are only concerned with index movement. We don’t even care if it is going up or down. We just want the index price to move! We can place our trades short or long with equal eaze. There is no market or company research to do, as we really don’t care what the individual companies are doing.

For instance, if you were looking at a company with the thought of buying stock, you would no doubt want to know what the PE ratio was, who the board members or major stock holders are. You should want to know if they are buying or selling. You might want to know what the BIG fund companies are doing in that sector (finance, health care, big pharma, tech sector etc), and many other factors (or at least you should). Then you might use a chart to time your entry or exit strategy.

With index trading, it is all about the timing. You just want to know what the highest probability is for the next few minutes. Then you make your trade accordingly. If you have dependable data supporting your chart set ups, then you should take winning trades most of the time – Regardless of the fundamentals listed above!

By now you should know that what is happening right now in the market is controled by emotion. More correctly traders emotion. We can tune into that emotion with simple set ups, and go for a short ride. We might even get into a long ride, but we are going to set up protection that will help us no matter which way it goes. When the index moves against us, we will get out fairly quickly. When it moves in our favor, we will let it ride as long as we can.

Now, if you just enjoy doing all that market research, go ahead. However, we have taught hundreds of stock investors to trade the index (mostly mini Dow and the S&P Emini), and the majority of them never go back to stocks!

Another advantage of index trading is the lower funding requirement. Stock day traders will need at least $25,000 in their accounts (depending on how many trades they make), where index traders can get started for $2,000 or less!

Index trading also offers a lot better leverage that stocks. The emini indicies are comparable to the leverage of stock options, without all the headaches and limitations.

After the financial meltdown on Wall Street, I predict there will be MANY more investors looking at index trading as a Great alternative to stocks!

Creditors and bankers approve or disapprove loans based on your credit worthiness. In some cases it also will determine your credibility to certain employers or landlords.

A good credit rating allows you to be able to apply for loans and/or credit cards easily. It will also mean that you will have more chances of getting certain jobs that may require a background check. You will be able to pay your bills on time.

Having bad credit can reduce the opportunities of things. You may get approved for a loan or for a credit card but with a higher interest rate. You are considered a “at risk” customer because the creditors are not sure if you will pay your bills. If you are trying to apply for an apartment complex the landlords may take a look at your credit score to determine if you will be able to pay your rent. Not to mention that most look at the report and will use it to form an opinion about you character.

These are just some of the reasons as to why having a good credit score is important in today’s world. However, what do you do if you happen to have a bad credit score? If you have bad credit it is important to fix the problem as soon as you can.

First, you must stop your bad credit before it gets worse. So how do you do this? You pay your previous overdue debts as soon as possible. This works on establishing a new payment trail…this means the creditors will see over several months that you have made an effort.

Secondly, you can raise your credit score by opening a new savings or checking account. You should also apply for a secured credit card. This secured card will have a lower limit and a higher interest rate however,by paying the monthly credit card bills on time you will be able to see a significant rise in your credit history report.

Follow these steps you will eventually start to see a good credit rating. However, your past credit history will remain on the “books”. This does not expire for 5 to 7 years. You must remember that it does take time to raise your credit rating. You must be patient and diligent to see a change.

That is why it is very important to make positive reports for your creditors. They then will pass those on to credit reporting agencies. Remember to pay your loans and credit cards on time in order to get a good credit rating. By doing so you will eventually end up with a good credit score and history. Never miss out on a future financial opportunity when they come your way.

Multiple Income Streams Are More Important Than Ever

The latest economy reports show more and more folks ending up on the unemployed rolls. The real statistics are most often worse than what is reported.

My guess is that the situation will get Much worse before we see any improvement in the job numbers.

I have always been a big fan of multiple income streams (even before that became a catch-phrase), and I think they are more important now than ever.

When I was laid off my nearly 10 year job with AT&T back in 1992, I saw first hand how important multiple income streams were. At the time, I had a part time mail order biz (and had been tinkering with that since I was a kid). I looked at the lay off as a good opportunity to get more serious about my business. I also had been doing some investing (my best-ever stock play helped BIG back in those days), and had a little network marketing income.

Many of my AT&T coworkers had no other source of income, and I clearly remember a few grown men in tears when they walked us all out the door that morning!

I would MUCH rather have five sources of income that pay me $200 a week, than to have a J.O.B. that pays me a grand a week! If you still have a job, you need to take this info seriously – NOW! If you are one of the millions of folks that recently lost a job or your only income stream, you need to take steps NOW to correct that (you still have time – perhaps a severance package and/or unemployment insurance checks to get you by – but please don’t wait till they run out to get going).

How do you start to create multiple income streams? Here are a few areas that are available to most people:

* Online Income – Many things fall into this category, affiliate plans, blogging income, Adsense dollars, online jobs, marketing your own products and/or services, eBay and other auctions, & more.

* Investment Income – OK, this one may be tougher than ever, and if you barely have money to live on, how do you start to invest! I am partial to index trading, and that does not require a lot of money to get started, but to be really good at it, you need other income streams too.

* Network Marketing Income – Don’t turn up your nose at this one. I have companies sending me checks that I have not worked in years. While it is true that network marketers often talk about the top guy who is making $500,000 a month, but there are a TON of folks who make a few hundred a month. Not life changing in and of itself, but as part of your multiple income stream strategy, not bad either.

* Cash Back Debit & Credit Cards – You won’t get rich with this alone either, but the old saying is really true “If you watch the pennies, the dollars will take care of themselves”. Pay Pal offers cash back on a debit card (which in my opinion is better than a credit card – you won’t have the temptation to carry over a balance, which would cause interest charges and defeat the purpose of cash back)

* Interest Savings on Loans & Credit Cards – OK, this is not technically income, but if you save money off what you are currently spending, it comes out the same in the end – more money in your pocket and budget.

* Food Bill Savings – This is like the Cash Back cards, not really income but can be very important – especially if you just lost your job or sole income (like many folks who used to live on their stock market income). Try clipping coupons or join a coupon club. Eat at home more and quickly find more money left in the budget at the end of the month.

* Turn Hobbies Into Income – Like to go to garage sales? Turn that hobby into eBay income. Like to work on small engines or have some other hobby that can be turned into an income source? Don’t sell yourself short here. Maybe you love flea markets? What if you could get an extra $200 or more a week by setting up a booth one day a week? Not enough to live on for most folks, but not bad as part of your multiple income strategy. You might even consider creating a booklet, ebook, book, or other info product on your hobby. If you are good at it, you ARE and Expert (you don’t have to be the best to be considered an expert – there are folks out there who will pay you for what you know).

We have had affiliates of our Index Trading course earn up to $100,000 in a year. We’ve had many more earn from $5,000 to $30,000 in a year. What if you had 5 affiliate plans you liked (loved would be better – you’d be more passionate about them), that averaged about $5,000 each per year. You might be able to live on that. Add some other sources like the ones mentioned above and you might live very well!

You should always be looking for ways to add additional income streams. Remember, the more you have the better! If one dries up, you are not devastated.

The time to set up multiple income streams is before you need them, but no matter what your situation is, there is no time like NOW to get started.

A judgment, default judgment, and credit card judgment all mean the same thing.

You are legally responsible to pay back a debt. This has happened in a court of law.

The creditor has sued you and won their case. This gives the creditor legal grounds to have your wages garnished to pay back the debt.

This will cause you credit score to be negatively impacted, it is a very derogatory mark to have on your credit. Judgments can be sought after for any sort of unsecured debt, it is common for collection agencies to seek judgments.

This mark will remain on your credit file for 7 – 10 years. It depends upon what state the case was filled in and what the statutes of limitations are in that state. It is also common for lenders to seek a renewal judgment if the debt has not been repaid at the end of 7 or 10 years.

This makes it possible to never be able remove a judgment. However with some savvy credit repair attorneys and a little luck you may be able to remove a judgment without paying it.

I would first suggest creating a dispute letter. In this letter you identify the judgment listing and explain the reason it is not accurate and mail it to the credit bureaus.

The bureaus will then hold an investigation. They will try and verify the debt and the amount of the debt with the lender or collection agency.

If they can not verify the account is accurate then it must be removed from your credit report. It is common for investigations to result in a mark being deleted.

However a judgment is a very bad mark and these marks are more likely to be verified. This typically means you are going to just have to live with the negative mark.

However in some circumstances a judgment is simply wrong. The mark should be removed from your credit report.

This is the time when you should consider a credit attorney. They have an expert knowledge of credit laws and the ability to go to court if necessary to prove that the judgment is wrong and should be removed from your credit.

Credit attorneys do not have to be paid thousands of dollars. You can actually hire them at a reasonable rate. A very popular credit repair service Lexington Law has over 20 attorneys and can be hired for as little as $39 a month.

If you are currently repairing your credit report you understand how important your score is. How this number directly impacts your quality of life.

You will be judged by employers and lenders on this number. It can prevent you from being approved for credit and worse yet being hired for a job.

When you apply for new credit many lenders will look at nothing more than your credit score. They will not take into account any reason, no matter how legit, as to why you have a negative mark on your credit report.

There are two aspects you should focus your efforts on when repairing your credit score.

1. Deleting negative marks on your credit report.

Derogatory items will cause the most damage to your score. However these marks can be removed and removed before waiting the full 7 years.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act allows you to dispute any negative listing on your credit report. When you file a dispute you are telling the bureaus that this mark is inaccurate or invalid.

To file a dispute you must write a dispute letter and send it to the credit bureaus. In this letter you need to include the reason the listing is inaccurate such as; not my account, never paid late, item out of date. Then the bureaus will conduct an investigation into the negative listing.

If the mark is not verified by the lender the bureaus must remove it from your credit report. It has been discovered that many marks are removed once they are investigated, regardless of their accuracy.

2. Build positive credit

This is a more difficult task with a low credit score. This is because it is difficult to be approved for new lines of credit.

It will help tremendously if you can open an unsecured credit card. I realize the interest rate is going to make you sick but it needs to be done.

With this card you should try to keep the balance at around 10% of the credit limit. This will help your score because it shows you have available credit that is not being used; the bureaus call this your ratio of credit to debt.

By making your monthly payments on time it will also create a positive payment history on your report. If you can not create a positive payment history it will be almost impossible to add points to your credit score.

In sum you can repair your low credit score. It may make sense to wait and remove some of the derogatory items before you apply for new credit. However both these aspects need to be used to get to a 700 credit score.

So you’ve delved into the wonderful world of Forex and you’re as confused and paralyzed as a deer at a headlight. No worries, let this article enlighten you on some of the most fundamental types of trading systems.

Trend Following

Trend following is the most common type of trading system. Because the majority of the market follows a clear direction, it means that the majority of the market participants agree on the direction as well.

Trend following, to a certain extent, means going with the crowd. If the market is rising most of the time, you’ll have an easier time riding the market’s waves. What’s so good about this trading method? First, the accuracy, the probability of you making a winning trade, is higher. You won’t have to make too many trades, but you’ll make plenty of profit.

Of course, you’ll still have to know the exact rules of when and how to enter and exit. But here some tips:

Trend Following Tips:

1. Try entering on corrections and retracements. How do you know when the market might trend following again? Enter on support and look at price action. If the trend if up, and you see buying, that’s a good place to enter.

2. Trail your trade using the continuously forming mini-supports to maximize your profit.

Trend following is a very common, basic trading method. To qualify the common saying, “The trend is your friend, until it ends.” Let’s take a look at another trading style.

Fading

Fading is the opposite of trend following; it’s arguing with the market’s trend. Essentially, it’s bottom picking. What’re the potential rewards for fading?

The first obvious advantage is that when your trade is a winner, the rewards are significantly bigger. For example, if the reward to risk ratio was 8:1, you could’ve had 7 losing trades but still come out net positive. Keep in mind that your system still needs an edge; you can’t just gamble and hope for the best. Do your homework!

Maybe the market has been going up for the past few months but now you see a huge doji. You might want to short it now, or you might want to wait for a close below the recent low. The point is, fading is a very different trading style from trend following. Now, let’s explore the final trading style.

Breakouts

All you have to remember regarding the breakout method is the keyword “breach”: you enter whenever the market breaches the highest high or the lowest low. This can be the 52 week high/low or even the 20 day high/low, it’s up to you. Next, you’ll need to determine how you will exit your trades.

So what’s the difference between trend following and breakout trading? Ok, they might seem pretty similar, and they kind of are. The key difference is the entry. With breakout trading, you enter with the breach of a prior high or low. With trend following, a breach doesn’t have to occur, but rather you can enter on a dip.

So Now What?

Realize that you can splice and dice the methods to suite your taste. You could enter only in the market’s primary direction, and use the close above a recent high as a signal, or even the doji.

A charge off can be removed by disputing the mark. This must be done directly with the credit bureaus.

A dispute is the consumers’ method to challenge the accuracy or validity of a negative mark. There are two methods to dispute a charge off.

1. Create a dispute letter

You can write a dispute letter yourself. In the letter you must include the reason why the negative mark is incorrect for example; never paid late, not my account, item is out of date.

Once your dispute letter is deemed valid the bureaus will conduct an investigation. They will contact the creator of the charge off (often a credit card company) and verify the amounts and that the account does exist.

2. Hire a professional credit repair firm

This method you simply identify what marks you want to dispute and then the company will do the rest. I suggest this method if you have multiple negative marks on your credit report.

Most firms have credit attorneys on their payroll. This can make all the difference when it comes to a negative mark being removed from your credit.

These attorneys have an expert understanding of the ever evolving credit laws. They will often be able to use case precedents to help remove a negative listing.

In addition credit repair firms are able to use advanced dispute techniques to remove stubborn negative marks. These techniques include; debt validation, escalated dispute information requests and creditor direct intervention.

A charge off that is not disputed will remain on your credit report for 7 years. It is often a result of an unsecured credit card that goes unpaid for 6 months.

The original creditor will charge off your account, this is done for tax purposes for the creditor. Your account will then be sold to a collection agency and they will be able to report your account negatively if they can not recover payment from you.

In addition this agency will be able to sell your account again; this can create a trail of negative marks on your credit report. Thus if you have a charge off you should give it immediate attention so it does not become multiple marks. The number of times your account is sold depends upon the size of the debt.

In sum, a charge off requires immediate attention so it does not become many negative marks on your credit report and ruin your score. This mark can be removed and before seven years expires.